As long as I can remember I have had a fascination with Bigfoot. This elusive creature has gone by many names such as, Sashquatch, Yeti, Red Gorilla, and Abdominal Snowman to name a few. My fear of the Abdominal Snowman went all the way back to my young years with the animated movie, “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”. You laugh, but you all know that he scared you as well. Then in 1972, I went to the theatre with my friends to see the film, “The Legend of Boggy Creek”, about the “Fouke Monster”. This semi-factual documentary-type film dealt with the alleged Bigfoot like cryptid that was seen around Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940’s. The film partially features interviews with witnesses that have had encounters with the human-like creature and reenactments of those encounters by actors. Charles B. Pierce used an old movie camera and hired local high school students to make this 89 minute film. The reenactments are cheesy by modern standards but as a young kid, it scared the crap out of me.The Legend of Boggy Creek is out to track down the existence and legend of the “Fouke Monster” as seen by those living in and around the town of Fouke for many years. This Bigfoot has been described as having a foul odor, covered with reddish-brown hair, standing at least 8 feet tall and probably weighing around 300 pounds. It appears to have three toes as reported from the tracks that have been seen in the farm fields. Many of the locals that have seen or came across this elusive Bigfoot are seen in the film as themselves telling their stories. They tell stories of how the creature killed many animals as well as 100 pound h
ogs, and then ate them. We also follow some hunters with their dogs looking for the creature. The dogs sense something in the air and will not move or give chase. The narrator of the movie tells us that people have shot at the creature in the past but it has been able to escape without harm. Other stories are from locals including a police deputy of having the creature dart out in front of their car while driving down a dark road. The most frightening story of the whole film was the story of the attack of the Ford family in their own home in May of 1971. According to Elizabeth Ford, the creature tried to seize her through a screen window, while she was sleeping on the couch. The next day Bobby Ford had his own experience while on his front porch. The creature grabbed him on his shoulders, throwing him to the ground. He had to be treated at the hospital for mild shock. The Fords said they have heard something moving outside their house many times especially on the nights of the encounters. The next day they found footprints, heavy scratches on the porch and damages to the house’s exterior. At the end of the movie, the narrator questions whether or not the “Fouke Monster” is still alive or still out in the marsh lands in and around Fouke, Arkansas.The question to whether it is still alive could be a resounding yes because of the reports of sightings to this day. The “Fouke Monster” has also been referred to as the legendary swamp creature the “Skunk Ape” which gets its name from the nasty skunk-like odor it leaves. Many Bigfoot enthusiasts as well as cable shows like MonsterQuest, have sent investigators and Bigfoot experts out in the woods or murky swamps to track down some evidence that this creature does indeed exist. You can watch the entire movie on youtube.com if you are interested.
