The Legend of Boggy Creek

Infobox Film
name = The Legend of Boggy Creek


image_size = 230px
caption = Promotional Movie Poster
director = Charles B. Pierce
producer = Charles B. Pierce
writer = Earl E. Smith
starring = William Stumpp
Chuck Pierce, Jr.
Vern Stierman
Willie E. Smith
music = Jaime Mendoza-Nava
cinematography = Charles B. Pierce
editing = Tom Boutross
distributor = Howco International Pictures
released = December 6, 1972
runtime = 90 min
country = USA
language = English
budget =
website =
amg_id = 1:28836
imdb_id = 0068837

"The Legend of Boggy Creek" is a 1972 documentary-style film dealing with an alleged creature known as the "Fouke Monster", a Bigfoot-like being seen in and around Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940s. The film mixes interviews with local residents who claim to have had encountered the creature with dramatic/fictitious reenactments of said encounters. Charles B. Pierce, an ad salesman from Texarkana on the Arkansas/Texas border, borrowed $160,000 from a local trucking company, used an old movie camera, and hired locals, mainly high school and college students, to make the 87 minute long film in 1972. It generated $20 million in revenue, and is now on DVD. [ [http://www.thecabinet.com/darkdestinations/location.php?sub_id=dark_destinations&letter=b&location_id=boggy_creek_arkansas Dark Destinations] ]

ynopsis

The film sets out to question the existence of the Fouke Monster, a creature that is reportedly seen mainly by hunters and ranchers. It is over 8 feet tall with a slender build and long legs and arms. It is completely covered in hair and has three toes on its feet, as indicated by tracks seen in a creek bank.

Several locals from the small town of Fouke, Arkansas recall their stories, often appearing as themselves. In one scene, a police officer states that it crossed a road in front of him at 30-35 mph, in another, the creature attacks some people in a house; they fire on it, but it sends one of them to the hospital. In another scene, hunters attempt to chase the creature with dogs, but the dogs refuse to go after it. In the end, the creature escapes all attempts to hunt it, and locals debate over whether it is dead, or still out there.

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 Mrs. 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

equels

"Return to Boggy Creek"

A sequel, "Return to Boggy Creek", came out in 1977, but the original director, Charles B. Pierce, was not involved and the new film carries over none of the docudrama elements. It starred Dawn Wells of "Gilligan's Island" fame and Dana Plato. Welles portrayed a mother of three children who gets lost in the swamp with two other men until the "monster" comes to their aid. [imdb title|0078159|Return to Boggy Creek]

"The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II"

A third film, this one involving Pierce, was made with the title "The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II". This movie 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 monster. A few scenes in the beginning of the movie were shot at the university, including an Arkansas Razorbacks football game. [imdb title|0088772|The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II] The movie was lampooned in an episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" under the title "Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues". [imdb title|0655402|"Mystery Science Theater 3000" Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (1999)]

DVD release

In 2002, Sterling Entertainment released "The Legend of Boggy Creek" on Region 1 DVD. [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00007M5I3 Amazon.com, "Legend of Boggy Creek" DVD info] ]

In 2005, Elite Entertainment released the sequel, "Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues", on Region 1 DVD. [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009NZ76K Amazon.com, "Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues" DVD info] ] Additionally, the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episode that lampooned the film was released on DVD by Rhino Entertainment. [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001GOH8Y 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] ]

References

External links

*imdb title|0068837|The Legend of Boggy Creek
*amg movie|id=1:28836|title=The Legend of Boggy Creek
*rotten-tomatoes|id=legend_of_boggy_creek|title=The Legend of Boggy Creek