The Legend of Boggy Creek

The Legend of Boggy Creek
Promotional Movie Poster
Directed by	Charles B. Pierce
Produced by	Charles B. Pierce
Written by	Earl E. Smith
Starring	William Stumpp Chuck Pierce, Jr. Vern Stierman Willie E. Smith
Music by	Jaime Mendoza-Nava
Cinematography	Charles B. Pierce
Edited by	Tom Boutross
Distributed by	Howco International Pictures
Release dates	December 6, 1972
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$160,000[1]
Box office	$20 million[2]

The Legend of Boggy Creek is a 1972 horror docudrama about the "Fouke Monster," a Bigfoot-type creature that has been seen in and around Fouke, Arkansas since the 1950s. The film mixes staged interviews with some local residents who claim to have encountered the creature, along with fictitious reenactments of said encounters. Charles B. Pierce, an advertising salesman from Texarkana on the Arkansas/Texas border, borrowed over $100,000 from a local trucking company, used an old 35mm movie camera and hired locals (mainly high school students) to help make the 90-minute film. The film has generated approximately $20 million in box office revenue and is available on DVD.

Plot

The film, which claims to be a true story, sets out to detail the existence of the "Fouke Monster," a seven foot tall Bigfoot-like creature that has reportedly been seen by residents of a small Arkansas community since the 1950s. It is described as being completely covered in reddish-brown hair, leaving three-toed tracks, and having a foul odor.

Several locals from the small town of Fouke, Arkansas, recall their stories, often appearing as themselves, claiming that the creature has killed several large hogs, as well as other animals. One farmer claims that the beast carried off his 300 lbs boar with little effort, even leaping a fence with the pig tucked under its arm. In one scene, a kitten is shown as having been "scared to death" by the creature. The narrator informs the audience that while people have shot at the creature in the past, it has always managed to escape. In another scene, hunters attempt to pursue the creature with dogs, but the dogs refuse to give chase. Strange, otherworldly howls can be heard coming from the Boggy Creek area just outside Fouke. A police constable states that while driving home one night, the creature suddenly ran across the road in front of him.

In a later sequence, culled from the actual newspaper accounts inspiring the film, the creature is shown menacing a family in a remote country house. After being fired upon, the creature attacks, sending one family member hurling through the front door of their home, before being rushed to the hospital.

The creature has never been captured, and is said to still stalk the swamps and bayous of south Arkansas, where townsfolk periodically encounter it, even today.

Cast

Vern Stierman as narrator Chuck Pierce, Jr. as Young Jim William Stumpp as Adult Jim Willie E. Smith as Willie Buddy Crabtree as James Crabtree Jeff Crabtree as Fred Crabtree Judy Baltom as Mary Beth Searcy Mary B. Johnson as Mary Beth's sister George Dobson as George Dave Ball as Dave Jim Nicklus as Jim Flo Pierce as Bessie Smith Glenn Carruth as Bobby Ford Bunny Dees as Elizabeth Ford John Wallis as Mr. Ford Sarah Coble as Mrs. Carter Dave O'Brien as Mr. Turner Billy Crawford as Corky Bill Dennis Lamb as Mr. Kennedy Loraine Lamb as Mrs. Kennedy Lloyd Bowen as himself B. R. Barrington as himself J. E. "Smokey" Crabtree as himself Travis Crabtree as himself John P. Hixon as himself John W. Oates as himself Herb Jones as himself Anthony Newsom as himself Cecil Newsom as himself Denise Newsom as herself Production notes The film is one of several so-called “drive-in” films that were presented as true stories (à la 1973's Walking Tall; 1974's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre; 1975's Macon County Line and 1976's The Town That Dreaded Sundown and Jackson County Jail) when most, if not all, of what was portrayed on screen was outright fiction. Pierce originally planned to call the film Tracking the Fouke Monster.[3] Sequels Return to Boggy Creek (1977) Return to Boggy Creek did not involve Charles B. Pierce in any aspect, but was directed by Tom Moore. The film carries over none of the original's docudrama elements. It stars Dawn Wells of Gilligan's Island fame, and Dana Plato of Diff'rent Strokes. Wells portrays the mother of three children who become lost in the swamp until the creature comes to their rescue.[4] Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (1985) A third film, originally titled The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II, involved Pierce and was written as a sequel to the original film, thus the reason for styling the title as "II" instead of "III." It follows the adventures of a University of Arkansas professor (Pierce) and his students, one of which is Pierce's son, on their trip to Fouke, Arkansas, to find and study the creature. A few scenes in the beginning of the movie were shot at the university, including an Arkansas Razorbacks football game.[5] The movie was featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.[6] The "Big Creature" in the film was portrayed by James Faubus Griffith.[5] Boggy Creek: The Legend Is True (2010) This film's story is unrelated to the others in the franchise, shifting from Arkansas to Texas. It deals with a bigfoot-like creature attacking a group of teenagers that are vacationing in the fictional area of Boggy Creek, Texas. The film was written and directed by Brian T. Jaynes. It was originally produced in 2010 and released straight to DVD on September 13, 2011.[7] The Legacy of Boggy Creek (2011) This low-budget indie film was originally released in 2009 under the title The Skunkape Story,[8][9] but was later re-edited and released to home video in 2011 as The Legacy of Boggy Creek. The docudrama chronicles the events that began after the original attacks in Fouke. It was written and directed by Dustin Ferguson.[10] Releases Theatrical The Legend of Boggy Creek was released theatrically to major financial success given its budget of only $160,000, earning around $20 million at the box office. According to Variety it earned $4.8 million in theatrical rentals in North America.[11] It was the 11th highest grossing film of 1972. Return to Boggy Creek and Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues were released to theaters later, in 1977 and 1985, respectively. Neither of the sequels were as successful as the original film. The final two films have been released straight-to-video. Home video Both The Legend of Boggy Creek and Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues have been released on VHS several times. Between 2002 and 2011, Hen's Tooth Video, Education 2000 Inc., Sterling Entertainment, Unicorn Video, RHR Home Video, and Cheezy Flicks Entertainment all released The Legend of Boggy Creek on Region 1 DVD.[12] Several of these versions are now out of print. The version RHR Home Video offers is the only true widescreen print available. In 2005, Elite Entertainment released Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues on Region 1 DVD. Additionally, in 2004, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode that lampooned the film was released on DVD by Rhino Entertainment.[13] Only the Rhino Entertainment version is still in print. Return to Boggy Creek has only been issued on VHS by CBS Home Entertainment with no plans for a DVD release as of 2011.[14] On September 13, 2011, Boggy Creek: The Legend Is True was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Hannover House. It features a Widescreen transfer and a handful of special features.[15] Also in 2011, The Legacy of Boggy Creek was released on DVD by RHR Home Video.[16] Cinematic influence Its docudrama format was purposefully echoed in 1999's The Blair Witch Project.[17][18] In 2008, Duane Graves and Justin Meeks accurately recreated the drive-in feel of the movie in their blatant Boggy homage titled The Wild Man of the Navidad, released by IFC Films.[19][20][21] See also Bigfoot Fouke Monster List of American films of 1972 References "Charles B. Pierce, Director of ‘Boggy Creek,’ Dies at 71". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 10, 2010. p. B18. Retrieved April 12, 2013. "The Legend of Boggy Creek, Worldwide Box Office". Worldwide Box Office. Retrieved January 30, 2012. "Community Caught By Surprise: Legendary Monster Becomes Money-Maker". The Victoria Advocate. August 23, 1973. p. 7C. Retrieved April 12, 2013. Return to Boggy Creek at the Internet Movie Database Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues at the Internet Movie Database "Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues...". Mystery Science Theater 3000. Season 10. Episode 6. May 9, 1999. Sci-Fi Channel. Boggy Creek (2010) at the Internet Movie Database James (December 22, 2009). "My Review of The Skunkape Story (2009)". horrormoviecentral.weebly.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2010. Retrieved March 27, 2013. "Fouke Monster: The Beast and the Legend of Boggy Creek: Movies...". Monstro Bizarro Productions. Retrieved March 27, 2013. The Legacy of Boggy Creek (Video 2011) at the Internet Movie Database "All-time Film Rental Champs", Variety, 7 January 1976 p 48 Amazon.com, Legend of Boggy Creek DVD info Amazon.com, The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 5 (Boggy Creek II/Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders/Time Chasers/The Touch of Satan) DVD info Moore, Tom (Director) (1977). Return to Boggy Creek (DVD). Livonia, MI: CBS/FOX Video; Bayou Productions. OCLC 15999571. Jaynes, Brian T. (Director, Executive Producer) (Originally produced in 2010). Boggy Creek: The Legend Is True (DVD). Fayetteville, AR: Distributed by Hannover House. OCLC 759520720. Check date values in: |date= (help) "The Legacy of Boggy Creek" (Official website). RHR Home Video. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2013. Myrick, Dan (July 1999). An Exclusive Interview with Dan Myrick, Director of 'The Blair Witch Project'. Interview with Caretaker. Internet Zombie Productions. Retrieved April 13, 2013. The Blair Witch Project (1999) at the Internet Movie Database Meeks, Justin (April 24, 2008). Tribeca Director Interview: Justin Meeks, The Wild Man of the Navidad. Filmmaker. Interview with Filmmaker. Retrieved April 13, 2013. "IFC enters six in Fantastic Fest". Daily Variety (New York). The Wild Man of the Navidad (2008) at the Internet Movie Database External links The Legend of Boggy Creek at the Internet Movie Database The Legend of Boggy Creek is available for free download at the Internet Archive (2:35.1 Letterbox version)