The Legend of Boggy Creek *** (1973, William Stumpp, Willie E Smith, John P Hixon, John W Oates) – Classic Movie Review 13,217

Charles B Pierce’s 1973 American widescreen monster horror docudrama film The Legend of Boggy Creek tells the story of a 7ft Bigfoot-type creature sighted in and around Fouke, Arkansas.

Charles B Pierce acts as producer, cinematographer and director for the 1973 American widescreen monster horror docudrama film The Legend of Boggy Creek, starring William Stumpp, Willie E Smith, John P Hixon, and John W Oates.

A seven-foot-tall Bigfoot-like creature is living in a local swamp and scaring the residents of an Arkansas small town, in this rough but ready shocker, supposedly true story about the Fouke Monster, allegedly seen since the 1940s. Staged interviews with residents claiming encounters with the creature mix with re-enactments of the supposed encounters.

This junior-league, independently made documentary-style back-country monster movie chiller is quite creepy and pretty well done on its obviously low budget ($160,000).

Director Daniel Myrick acknowledged it as influencing his film The Blair Witch Project (1999).

It was a huge hit, ultimately taking $20 million or possibly $25 million at the box office, and sequels followed: firstly two unofficial sequels, Return to Boggy Creek (1977) and Boggy Creek (2010), and then Charles B Pierce’s direct sequel to the original film, Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (1985) .

It was shot in Fouke, Arkansas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Texarkana, Texas.

Advertising salesman Charles B Pierce raised finance from a local trucking company and hired the town high schoolers for the film. Apparently he forgot to pay the actors, who sued. The case was settled after more than three years for $90,000, and each actor got $1,000.

It was released on August 8, 1972.

For years, it was incorrectly thought to be in the public domain and there were many different VHS and DVD releases of low quality. Much later, in 2018, Pierce’s daughter Pamula Pierce Barcelou acquired the rights to the film, and a 4K restored remastered version premiered at the historic Perot Theater, Texarkana, TX on June 14, 2019.

The Legend of Boggy Creek is directed by Charles B Pierce, runs 87 minutes, is made by P&L, is released by Howco International Pictures, is written by Earl E Smith, is shot in widescreen Techniscope and Technicolor by Charles B Pierce, is produced by Charles B Pierce and is scored by Jaime Mendoza-Nava.

The cast are 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 Haltom as Mary Beth Searcy, Mary B. Johnson as Mary Beth’s sister, George Dobson as George, Dave Hall as Dave, Jim Nicklus as Jim, Flo Pierce as Bessie Smith, Glenn Carruth as Bobby Ford, Bunny Dees as Mrs Sue Ford, John Wallis as Mr Don Ford, Aaron Ball as Baby Ford, Sarah Coble as Mrs. Carter, Dave O’Brien as Mr. Charles Turner, Sarah Coble as Mrs. Ann Turner, Billy Crawford as Corky Hill, 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, and Denise Newsom as herself.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,217

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