Search for the Beast

In the interest of honesty and full disclosure, I must tell you I am involved with the production of the long-awaited sequel to Search for the Beast. So, though I had NOTHING to do with the first movie, call me biased if you must.

I recently had the rare treat of watching the original director's cut of Search for the Beast. The sound and picture quality was much more refined than the tampered-with versions. Each distributor who sold the original cut edited it to their liking and downgraded the quality. Still, if you expect something on par with a film you'd see at an IMAX theater, you will be woefully disappointed. That said- Search for the Beast hits all the right cues for a great b-movie experience: A plot involving intrigue and double-crossing, acting that ranges from bad to brilliant, humor, creepiness, non-existent budget, large body count, monsters, nudity, violence and sex. This is exploitation fare in the old tradition and it's executed with honesty and shamelessness. The fact that exploitation cinema icon David F. Friedman is in it adds more credibility to this movie than most viewers will ever know. All considered, this is a must-see for fans of Bigfoot movies and b-movies in general. If you put aside your CGI-spoiled expectations, you'll probably do what the producers did when making this movie- have fun with it.

Search for the Beast (1997)

* (out of 4)

Director R.G. Arledge's tale of a scientist (Rick Montana) who is paid to go into the Okaloosa wilderness to try and track down the mythical Bigfoot creature who has been said that have kidnapped several dozen people. The scientist takes his female assistant and a bunch of rednecks with guns in to try and see what's really going on. I first heard of this film while reading Michael Adams' "Showgirls, Teen Wolves and Astro Zombies," which was devoted to bad movies. I certainly didn't hate this movie as much as he did but there's no doubt that it's one of the worst Bigfoot movies to ever be made but to be fair, the entire Bigfoot genre really hasn't produced any good movies. It's obvious that this here was an incredibly low-budget film and it should go without saying but with a budget this low it was going to be impossible to come up with anything good. The first part of the film's soundtrack is so full of loud hiss that you'll want to hit the mute button and it's funny because in the second half the hiss is gone and instead of an actual soundtrack we're given narration. I'm really wondering if this move was done because of all the hiss. There are countless other problems from the horrid dialogue to the awful acting to the hideous looking creature. The creature is obvious just a gorilla suit that isn't going to full of 2-year-old and just wait until you see the dead skull in the scientists lab. As bad as the film is, there are a few good things I'll give it credit for. For starters, the director was actually able to get a couple girls to take their clothes off. Usually in these types of movies the director can't pull this off so I'll give him credit for the nudity. The film also features a hilarious seduction scene that takes place inside a tent and I swear it's just about as hilarious as anything Keaton and Chaplin did. Another hilarious moment is a sex scene that happens towards the end of the picture where the girl is bent over a chair and has the most boring look on her face even after Bigfoot jumps in for some action! It is worth noting that exploitation pioneer David Friedman appears in a role and it was nice seeing him. SEARCH FOR THE BEAST is a bad movie, there's no question about that but at the same time it has enough camp and laughable scenes that make it a must-see.

There comes a time in every young man's life when he contemplates the idea of becoming a movie star in the big city of Hollywood. In 1997, Clay Mitcham made his first and only foray into the movie-stardom, and boy did he deliver. Clay delivered his single line with the expertise and charisma of a young Robert Redford. "Hey! It's over there!" Wow! When I think of what could have been if Clay Mitcham had continued to pursue his career in Hollywood, I get chills. Alas, Clay had enough of stardom after that single role. Between the paparazzi at his door every time he tried to venture out, to the unrelenting bikini clad women throwing at himself, yelling, "He's over there!", clay just couldn't take it. Instead, he pursued a life of purpose as an Elementary School Principal/power lifter. Yes, this great thespian chose not to indulge in the life of a rich and famous A-lister, But instead, chose to serve. But One can imagine what might have been. Clay could have been Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Clint Howard all rolled into one. Unfortunately, we will have to settle for his single line. It's over there, you say? Yes indeed, sir. It is most certainly, over there.

it is what it is a classic "B" movie and its great in classic "B" style Rick Montan stars in this big foot style thriller. Check it out if your a bigfoot fan. The lust filled beast scavenges the hills of central alabama looking for unsuspecting victims. One the scene comes the classic good DR.Stone(Rick Montana) who is employed by a "b" movie classic villain (classic movie maker Dave Friedman) to find the beast for "scientific" purposes (snicker). The good DR searches the Alabama woods with the classic blonde looker and several bad guys who are trying to thwart the good DR. In the end all the bad guys die the good DR. gets the girl but not the monster. Do I smell a part two? I hope so I love this classic stuff.

If you didn't grow up watching Universal Studios classic monster movies, never went to a downtown theater or sat in your car at a drive-in watching low-budget gore-fests, if you don't know artists such as Sid Haig or Rudy Ray Moore or David Friedman, you likely won't enjoy this movie. If all your pampered senses are only accustomed to fifty million dollar films with more computer animation than real people and things, you'll think this movie is bad. For the rest of you who gets it- Search for the Beast is an authentic exploitation thriller with genuine roots in the old tradition of fast-and-cheap movie making and over-the-top storytelling we loved so much in those drive-in masterpieces. This pedigree is solid with the inclusion of two b-movie stars: The late, GREAT David F. Friedman (Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS, 2001 Maniacs) and Rick Montana (Charlie and Sadie, Bikini Hoedown, Redneck Revenge). It has it all- nudity, violence, double-crossing villains, hillbillies, and a bloodthirsty monster. So find it, watch it, get a copy for your collection.