BigfootisReal

Bigfoot is Real

This 2 DVD set from Reality Entertainment contains several documentaries on Bigfoot, Bigfoot sightings, and the theories behind what Bigfoot might actually be. The first DVD in the set contains 3 documentaries from researcher J. Michael (this is how he is credited).

First up is Tale of the Honey Island Swamp Monster. Honestly this is my favorite of the first 3 documentaries. It is only 34 minutes long and is very stretched to make it that long. Basically it starts off with the filmmakers (basically just the 2 researchers) explaining how they trekked into the Swamp to make the documentary on the creature. Thru a random encounter with a local they find evidence that the Honey Island Swamp Monster was a hoax. I have to admit that I thought it was pretty cool that the guys debunked a Bigfoot sighting. Most of the enthusiasts that I’ve been around like to ignore the sightings that are later debunked, but that doesn’t happen here. I give them a lot of props for it. That said I do have some issues with this one. I’m not sure if it was an editing choice or if they just wanted to stretch it out, but you have one of the researchers being interviewed telling the story, then the other rehashes the same events right after them! This goes back and forth for the first 20 or so minutes. Then the play the original short documentary that tells the same stories all over again.

Next up is Swamp Apes. This is a documentary narrated by J. Michael (again this is how he is credited) and goes into the theory that Bigfoot sightings could be nothing more than sightings of Apes in North America. These could either be an unknown species of ape or escaped pets of ancient sailors or more recent European counterparts. Basically what we get here is 36 minutes of the man droning on about the theories with stock footage, still shots, and bad computer generated stills being used again and again on the screen. It gets boring after the first 5 minutes.

The third and final documentary on the first DVD is Bigfooting in Oklahoma. Here we are introduced to a woman named Esther, who claims to have had several encounters with the big hairy fella over her lifetime. The documentary clocks in at 48 minutes, but feels much longer. It suffers from far too many computer-generated stills that are used again and again (notice a theme?) as the various encounters and stories are told. The movies one saving grace is Esther herself, who I found to be enthusiastic and interesting. The movie is far more interesting when she is onscreen telling stories. Still this isn’t the easiest one to get thru.

The 2nd DVD contains a single feature length documentary called the Wildman of Kentucky: The Mystery of Panther Rock. Though the name can be sort of deceiving because this is more than just a Bigfoot documentary. They also talk about the strange things that happen around Panther Rock. There are sightings of lights, large black cats, strange sounds, as well as Bigfoot. This movie also uses a lot of computer-generated images of the Bigfoot, but eventually gets away from that as the team heads off to investigate and interview witnesses. Basically think about a really low budget version of those shows on Sci-fi (I refuse to use that damn trendy spelling change!) and that is the rest of the movie. In spite of the bad graphics and overall cheesiness of this one I have to admit that it was sort of fun. Of the documentaries on this DVD set this is the only one that comes close to reminding me of those old goofy ‘70s Bigfoot documentaries that I love so much. Now this isn’t nearly that good, but still is worth checking out I think.

If you are interested in this DVD head on over to http://www.reality-entertainment.com/films/ for more information on where you can pick this and their other titles up.

Tale of the Honey Island Swamp Monster 2 ½ out of 4

Swamp Apes 1 out of 4

Bigfooting in Oklahoma 2 out of 4

The Wildman of Kentucky: The Mystery of Panther Rock 2 ½ out of 4

Overall 2 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer