The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)

Director:

Charles B. Pierce

Writer:

Earl E. Smith (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 December 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Mystery | Drama | Horror

Tagline:

A True Story.

Plot:

A documentary-style drama which questions the existence of a monster in an Arkansas swamp. It is really...

Plot Keywords:

Sasquatch | Bigfoot | Giant Creature | Independent Film

Cast

Vern Stierman	...	Narrator
Chuck Pierce Jr.	...	Jim as a boy
William Stumpp	...	Jim (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	...	Mary Beth's sister
Louise Searcy	...	Herself
Dina Louise Savell	...	Baby Searcey
Phillip Bradley	...	Teenage hunter
William Hunt	...	Hunter (as Bill Hunt)
Monroe E. Smith	...	Hunter
Eddie J. Dalmes	...	Hunter
James E. Cobb	...	Hunter
William Wright	...	Hunter
Eddy Berdig	...	Hunter
Jerry Chapman	...	Hunter
Rickey Ashley	...	Hunter
Dave R. Templeton	...	Hunter
John Knight Jr.	...	Hunter
Dudley Pickens	...	Hunter
James Cornell	...	Hunter
Gene Ross	...	Hunter
Thomas Templeton	...	Hunter
Herb Jones	...	Himself
Steve Lyons	...	Teenage boy
Patty Dougan	...	Teenage girl
Dennis Lamb	...	Mr. Kennedy
Loraine Lamb	...	Mrs. Kennedy
George Dobson	...	George
Dave Ball	...	Dave
Jim Nicklus	...	Jim
Flo Pierce	...	Bessie Smith
Pamela Ann Pierce	...	Child
Tammy Harper	...	Child
Bobby Splawn	...	Child
Charles Weatraven	...	Charles (trailer incident)
Robin Raffaelli	...	Robin (trailer incident)
Cathy Cox	...	Cathy (trailer incident)
Jinger Hawkins	...	Jinger (trailer incident)
Glenn Carruth	...	Bobby Ford
Bunny Dees	...	Mrs. Ford
John Wallis	...	Mr. Ford
Sarah Coble	...	Mrs. Carter
Dave O'Brien	...	Mr. Turner
Billy Crawford	...	Corky Bill
James Tennison	...	Landlord
Constable Wallaven	...	Himself
Amanda Pierce	...	Little girl
Aaron Ball	...	Baby
Ken McElroy	...	Doctor
Sarah Brewers	...	Nurse
Glenda Page	...	Nurse

Directed by
Charles B. Pierce

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Earl E. Smith		screenplay

Produced by
L.W. Ledwell	....	executive producer
Charles B. Pierce	....	producer
Earl E. Smith	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jaime Mendoza-Nava

Cinematography by
Charles B. Pierce

Film Editing by
Tom Boutross

Art Direction by
John Ball

Sound Department
Baird Bryant	....	sound effects editor
Heather Holden	....	sound effects editor
Jack C. May	....	sound effects editor (as Jack May)
David Musseimer	....	sound
Bill Peck	....	sound
John Post	....	sound effects editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Ramp Boyd	....	gaffer
Travis Crabtree	....	key grip
John Knight Jr.	....	gaffer

Other crew
Tommy Clark	....	production assistant
J.E. 'Smokey' Crabtree	....	consultant
Steven Ledwell	....	production assistant
Lynn Lindsay	....	production assistant
Steve Lyons	....	production assistant
Ann Peak	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• P & L

Distributors

• Hen's Tooth Video (USA) (DVD)
• Hen's Tooth Video (USA) (VHS)
• Howco International Pictures (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• Live Video (video)

Runtime:

90 min | 87 min (DVD version) | USA:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:G

Filming Locations:

Fouke, Arkansas, USA

Company:

P & L

Trivia:

Ralph McQuarrie, who went on to work with George Lucas and created the majority of the visual art for the “Star Wars” movies, painted the original poster artwork for a sequel to “The Legend of Boggy Creek” that was not filmed. It was an image of two 'creatures' (one 'adult' and one 'child') similar to that in the original poster, and was the first film poster Ralph McQuarrie created.

Goofs:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Shrieking (2008)

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.