The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)

A documentary-style drama about the "Fouke Monster", a Bigfoot-type creature that has been sighted in and around Fouke, Arkansas since the 1950s.

Director:

Charles B. Pierce

Writer:

Earl E. Smith (screenplay)

Stars:

Willie E. Smith, John P. Hixon, Vern Stierman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vern Stierman	...	Narrator (voice)
Chuck Pierce Jr.	...	Jim as Boy
William Stumpp	...	Jim as Adult
Willie E. Smith	...	Willie
Lloyd Bowen	...	Himself
B.R. Barrington	...	Himself
J.E. 'Smokey' Crabtree	...	Himself (as Smokey Crabtree)
Travis Crabtree	...	Himself
John P. Hixon	...	Himself
John W. Oates	...	Himself
Buddy Crabtree	...	James Crabtree
Jeff Crabtree	...	Fred Crabtree
Judy Baltom	...	Mary Beth Searcy
Mary B. Johnson	...	Sister
Louise Searcy	...	Herself

Storyline

A documentary-style drama which questions the existence of a monster in an Arkansas swamp. It is really more of a glimpse at lower-class swamp culture from the seventies, though, than a monster flick.

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Plot Keywords:

legend | bog | fake documentary | hunter | trapper | 

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Taglines:

Half-man, half-beast ... a mysterious creature has been stalking the woods and waterways near Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940s

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 August 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tracking the Fouke Monster

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$20,000,000, 31 December 1973

Company Credits

Production Co:

P & L

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 87 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was a tremendous success at drive-ins. It grossed $20 million, making it the 10th highest grossing movie of 1972.

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Goofs

When Mr. Turner and the Ford brothers are on the porch shooting at the monster, Turner's flashlight alternates between a regular size flashlight and the large lantern flashlight the Constable gives them later.

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Alternate Versions

Many versions of the film exist. some mainly the 85 or 86 min versions omit the final 3 min with the narrator walking through his old house. it just shows the police car riding past the sign saying, Fouke. in the 90 min version, it omits the brief scene of the monster's face at the end of the film. some fo the prints are blurry and cut out the monsters at some scenes. Most DVDs present the film in a pan and scan full-screen versions.

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Connections

Featured in Boggy Creek Monster (2016)

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Soundtracks

The Legend of Boggy Creek
Words and Music by Earl E. Smith
Sung by Chuck Bryant

User Reviews

A genre of its own.

First things first- The Legend of Boggy Creek is in a class of its own, literally. This film is part Documentary, part Drama, part Musical(!) and 100% classic horror/speculation/fantasy, not to mention historical document (if you believe that Bigfoot's for real). But did you know that Bigfoot wasn't just tooling around the Pacific-Northwestern USA? Oh no. Apparently he likes to vacation in a little place called Fouke, Arkansas. At least he did back in the 70's when he was most active and when The Legend of Boggy Creek takes place.

"Boggy Creek" was a runaway low-budget smash hit in the mid 70's. Sequels tried to cash in on its success, but to no avail. Like the Blair Witch much later once the public had had its initial scare the magic was gone. I personally viewed the film at the theater during it's first release, and the kids packing the cinema ate it up, and yucked it up too, as perhaps the greatest genius of this film is that it is not only loaded with scares and suspense, and the famous monster of course, but also is loaded with (sometimes inadvertent) humor, as well as a musical score which lulls you into a sense that you are watching a harmless and serene Disney wildernesss travelogue, that's it! That's what it is. It's like "Charly the Lonesome Cougar" with a blood thirsty monster!

This film is one of the most remembered movies from the 70's because it was so unique and effective. It is funny, and it is pleasant to watch. It is hilariously cheap, but only with the DVD freeze-frame can you really tell that the Bigfoot is actually a guy in an gorilla costume (seriously). And since the people in the cast are purported to be the actual folks who this actually happened to, you can't fault their terrible acting either, but you sure can have a good laugh at their expense.