Snowbeast

For a low budget, made-for-TV movie from 1977, this one packs quite a wallop. Sure, we never really get to see the monster and there is an abundance of non-professional extras on hand, but the lead performances (Bo Svenson, Yvette Mimieux and Clint Walker) are just fine. There are two very strong qualities which take this film into the recommendable range. One is the excellent location photography. Sure, the Colorado mountains are gorgeous, but the stedicam work around the slopes really add to the tension. Second is the musical score. It is just excellent, so far about the norm for a TV movie of the era. I don't have the composer credit at hand, but it's my guess that there was a connection between him and Joseph Stefano, who wrote the film and was a veteran of Outer Limits, also noted for its engaging musical score. Anyway, between the music and the swooping camera work, this film is often genuinely creepy, almost from the first few minutes. And bless her sweet soul, isn't Yvette gorgeous? She sure grew from the Time Machine into a beautiful woman. Final word: it's hard not to notice the plot similarity between this feature and Jaws. Made two years after the Spielberg classic, we're still dealing with a monster on the loose and a town that doesn't want to admit it for fear of losing tourist dollars. Maybe Jaws on the Slopes would be a good subtitle here.

I watched this on DVD after acquiring a 10 pack called "Vault of Horror". I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. The acting ranges from competent to embarrassing, you never really see the monster, the storyline apes Jaws from scene to scene, but somehow it works if you watch it in the right frame of mind. Most of all it brought back memories of my childhood of watching those low-budget 72 minute TV movies they used to show from 8:30 to 10:00.

Rating- 3 stars*** out of 5

What else could you ask for a man dressed in a bigfoot-yeti-sasqutach like costume. I have never seen a film about that ledgenary creature but here it is Snowbeast. Not a great title but still okay. It's about that Bigfoot like creature killing skiers at a ski resort in Colorado. Bo Svenson, Vvitte Mineux, Clint Walker and Robert Logan leap into pursuit to stop it. Silva Syndey co-stars. Although the films looks rather like Jaws in some ways. I once had to think Joseph Stefano did great on Psycho why would he try to copy Jaws? Also it's failing of Direction leads to not so great suspense. But it's music by Robert Prince was okay. So if you hav'nt seen a movie about the legendary creature go out and rent it it's not all that bad. Filmed in 1977. Mostly played on T.V but was released to theaters in small quanties.

An annual Colorado skiing event is terrorised by a Yeti.

Not to be confused with 2011's Snow Beast. Veteran TV director Herb Wallerstein's 1977 outing is a competently made, poor mans, TV version of Jaws but doesn't reach the summer blockbusters depth, tension or flair. Written by Joseph Stefano (who wrote the screenplay for Psycho) offers the expected slow talky dialogue which is broken up by the occasional glimpses of the Yeti, Bigfoot-like Snow Beast.

Robert Prince music is fitting, notable is a set up where the beast is glimpsed at a window which it then smashes through in front of a hall full of children and skiers. Endless Snow beast POV shots aside, the snowy on location shoot adds atmosphere with cinematography from Frank Stanley. The acting is of its time but better than today's low budget attempts and the man in a suit and real looking blood is still more effective than the bad CGI Syfy channel productions being put out.

It has higher-than-usual production values especially considering it's a made-for-television movie. As Yeti films go, it's worth checking out especially for those wanting a 70s fashion nostalgia ride.

As you have read Snowbeast is an awful yet endearing "Yeti" film with an all-(ex)star cast. The shockingly familiar "JAWSesque" plotline is quite at home on the slopes of Crested Butte complete with a washed-up Biathlete (that's the ski and shoot type not...you know), a doubting sheriff, a nervous ski-lodge operator, and the usual cadre of hapless and nameless victims... Oh, and a big guy in a fur suit with scary hands to play Bigfoot.

Other reviewers have mentioned the unintentional humor which abounds here. The script was written by Outer Limits' Joseph Stephano with Roger Patterson as consultant. Patterson is eminently qualified as he was responsible for that now famous shaky film of Sasquatch marching through the woods we've all seen too many times. Since Patterson's Bigfoot looks a lot more convincing than the one in Snowbeast he maybe should have been consulting with the make-up department. He seems to know a thing or two about dressing actors up as manbeasts. Stephano is a great TV writer in most cases. He pulled this off in a couple of days I would think.

While some B-movies are for the aficionados only this one is for everybody. Anyone of any age watching this will appreciate it's lack of merit and it's almost purposeful lack of sophistication. It's silly but fun and might make your next trip to a lonely ski slope a little tingly, if you could find a lonely ski slope anywhere in the country. If you want to see what they used to look like check out "Snowbeast."