Looking for Bigfoot movies? If there's one perpetually underrated horror monster, it's Bigfoot. America's most famous and recognizable cryptid has been the subject of many films and literature, but the elusive hairy beast rarely finds itself in the spotlight of horror among its brethren, such as vampire and werewolf.
Legends and myths about Bigfoot or Bigfoot-like creatures span centuries and continents. Bigfoot, Bigfoot, Bigfoot and many others all fall under the Bigfoot banner. Many states and regions of the country have their own version of the ape-like figure. You can find entire communities and groups of people who devote themselves to finding and proving the existence of Bigfoot. The legend is also accompanied by a decent number of people who seek to attract attention by inventing pranks, hoaxes and dramatizations.
The ongoing Bigfoot craze is easy to understand. It has to do with our collective obsession with the unknown and the mysterious. We humans may disagree with most things, but we all love to read a good story that has to do with a few shady corners of our world that haven't been covered yet.
In a world where every question seems to have an answer, and the entire history of the world is at our fingertips, the desire to believe in something beyond our understanding is truly magnetic. The lack of evidence is the most interesting thing. If we can't disprove it beyond a shadow of a doubt, then whatever it is, it might still be out there somewhere.
In honor of the king of all cryptids, let's watch four films that bring Bigfoot legend to life and see if they can make Bigfoot believers out of us.
Demon Night (1980)
Here it is, guys. Night of the Demon is one of those weird genre tropes that are often said to be good because they're uniquely bad. You know the type of movie I'm talking about: lowbrow trash with such insane charm that it transcends its lousy production and becomes an experience in itself.
The story is simple. A group of college students and their professor venture into the wilds of Northern California in hopes of proving Bigfoot's existence. Spoiler: it exists.
Filmed in 1979 but not released on VHS in the US until 1983, Night of the Demon is one of the rare cases where the hype lives up to its promises. Censored in the UK as "Video Abomination", this James K. Wasson-led classic beast movie has it all. It's gory, salty and unintentionally funny. Everything exploitation junkies crave can be found in this 92-minute platter of hot celluloid cheese.
Most of the murder scenes are shown to the audience through flashback as our hero, Dr. Nugent, tells his team about all his recent encounters with the mysterious beast. Each murder is its own mini-movie with dizzying genre merits. Stupid acting, terrible dubbing and shoddy spectacle carry the film to its insane finale.
When the chaos of Bigfoot isn't on screen, our characters are surprisingly pleasant to talk to. They aren't even close to being worked out or felt, but they don't evoke irritation or hatred, which is very important for a film like this.
Night of the Demon is one of those "I have to show this to my friends" exploitation films. It pairs well with films like Don't Walk Into the Woods...Alone! or "Plays".
The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)
If a campfire story were a movie, it would be The Legend of Boggy Creek. Filmed and edited by renowned regional genre director Charles B. Pierce (The Town That Dreaded Sundown), Boggy Creek is a beautifully shot docudrama that explores the myth of the Fuquay Monster, said to haunt Fuquay, Arkansas.
Pierce, narrated by Vern Steerman's excellent performance, uses real locals from Fawke in his docudrama. Many of those in question are also actual self-proclaimed witnesses to the monster. The palpable spirit of authenticity that this gives to the painting cannot be overestimated. This is a wonderful look at another era and rural life in a small town.
The love and craft that goes into creating low-budget regional horror is always worth appreciating, no matter the outcome. However, with a Pearce film, you can always expect great cinematography with above-average shot composition. The Legend of Boggy Creek is full of great nature photography. The pier lingers on still waters, twisted tree branches, hanging moss - he creates an immersive atmosphere that makes Fouk's natural landscapes seem endless in their beauty and mystery.
The legend of Boggy Creek is very cozy, so those expecting a Bigfoot-style creature in the movie tearing apart hapless victims won't get it. Pierce achieves something more modest, because the only victim in the entire film is a dog. With the exception of a few shots of decomposing animal carcasses, there is also absolutely no blood in the film.
For that matter, Boggy Creek is the perfect horror movie for young and enthusiastic horror fans.
That's not to say the film is devoid of chills or tension. The depiction of Fowke's monster himself is amazingly well done. Although it is obvious that he is a man in a black fur suit, Pierce films him from a distance or obscured by foliage. At times, the monster appears almost like a black void, disrupting the natural beauty of the area. Pearce's keen eye and the film's exceptional sound design (Fowke's monster scream is a real spinner) do everything to present the monster as something real.
Creatures (2014)
I don't remember this movie making a big splash when it came out. It would seem that the return of Eduardo Sanchez, one of the architects of the Blair Witch Project, to the world of mokyumetari should have caused a big stir among fans of the genre... but alas, it seems that the Thing film simply came and went.
This may have been due to the fact that by this point the subgenre had become very oversaturated. Or maybe most people just didn't think the movie was that good (critics weren't kind to it). Well, it doesn't matter. What's important is that Existenza is Found Footage's best piece of horror with excellent depiction of Bigfoot.
As with all mokyumetari films, the premise of the film is very simple. A group of young people arrive at a secluded house in the forest. Bigfoot lives there. He terrorizes the group, picking them off one by one with increasing intensity. What did these children do to incur the wrath of the beast? Could there be more to this than just a mindless killer?
Existent gets better as it goes on. At first, the plot is too familiar and the cast too formulaic to distinguish the film in the Found Footage pantheon. However, as the conflict escalates, the characters become more likeable and the danger becomes more intense. There are some very, very funny set pieces in the movie Creatures. The staging and execution of the attack scenes are masterful, putting some of them on par with Matt Reeves' Cloverfield, which still holds the gold medal for monster mokyumetari action.
One of the most impressive elements of the Creatures movie is the ending. Most mokyumetari films tend to have very abrupt endings. This is in line with the concept of the film. The Creatures takes their time to wrap up all this chaos and ends the film on a surprisingly emotional and subtle point. This is truly touching.
The film should also be given credit for featuring, in my opinion, the best Bigfoot design to grace a movie outside of Harry and the Hendersons.
Vile Type (2006)
Ryan Schifrin's The Abominable Man is the simplest creature movie on this list and the most appropriate Bigfoot movie.
Since its release in 2006, The Vile Man has been a favorite film for fans of the genre. This is a no-frills monster movie that has everything horror lovers are looking for. It's got horror, it's got a bit of quirkiness, and it's a hell of a monster.
The back window and Bigfoot are the basis of this film. Our main character, Preston (Max McCoy), is still dealing with the tragic death of his wife while climbing Mt. He not only lost his wife, but also lost the use of his legs.
On the recommendation of his psychotherapist, Preston returns to his Flatwood cabin where the tragedy occurred, and his asshole nurse Otis takes him in tow as a nurse. Meanwhile, a group of young women move into a nearby cabin to have some fun. Both the girls and Preston are soon targeted by something monstrous lurking in the woods.
A big part of how Abominable Guy works is that we like and care about Preston. McCoy plays a very sympathetic and vulnerable role that elevates the material beyond just cheerful fluff. The rest of the cast is filled with fun supporting roles from genre favorites ranging from Dee Wallace to Lance Henriksen to Jeffrey Combs. B-movie queen Tiffany Shepis is also in the film to bring an extra dose of genre cred to the proceedings.
The Abominable Guy is the kind of monster movie I really miss. He uses a shoestring budget to give viewers as much fun as they can get. The cast performs and takes the material as seriously as necessary to make it a notch above just another cheesy monster movie - although it still scratches the cheesy monster movie itch, you can't go wrong.
Sometimes this is exactly what you are looking for.
Recommended: Top 8 Creepy Children's Animated Series That Cause Horror
