With Bigfoot the Movie, director Jared Show — who co-wrote the movie with Curt Wootton — has crafted a monster movie with laughs. Calling it a horror comedy is almost off the mark since Bigfoot pictures fall a little more in line with creature features, but it’s definitely an entertaining picture which leverages low-budget charm out of every scene.
“I ain’t huffed gas in nearly four years. This is real!”
Right before the opening titles, the viewer sees two yinzers, Chuck (played by co-writer Wootton) and Dale (Nathan Magill), going after a monster with a nailgun and a Sawzall as one of the movie’s first visuals, and it sets the tone rather quickly. And, really, “quickly” is the operative word, here. Bigfoot the Movie doesn’t waste time getting going. After the opening scene of Chuck and Dale’s buddy, Daryl, getting attacked outside a barn while they’re drinking beer, the plot kicks right into gear.
“Is that moonshine?”
“Hey, I’m mourning!”
Beer factors majorly into the plot. It’s entirely possible that Chuck and Dale are under the influence of Yuengling for the duration of the film. It lends a certain wobbliness to their performances, but despite that, Chuck and Dale aren’t played poorly. There’s some real comedic timing and delivery from Wootton and Magill, and really, everyone from their buddy Burl (played by director Show) on through people like the doctor and Burl’s uncle act well, and at no point does Bigfoot the Movie seem cheap. This is a real blast from start to finish.
Show’s movie is really quite reminiscent of early ‘90s Full Moon Pictures’ releases: it has that perfect blend of low-budget action, oddball humor, and just enough gore to keep the fans happy. Set in the town of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, the movie’s very much of its region. There’s that accent native to the area all throughout it, and Bigfoot the Movie just feels like it was as much fun to make as it is to watch. The jokes can be a little hokey at times, but the humor’s actually pretty side-splitting when it hits. Failing that, there’s bound to be a grin on the face of anyone watching throughout the film.
The downside is that, much like Full Moon’s features, it’s more of an action / comedy hybrid than an actual horror flick. The scares — when they happen — are pretty good, thankfully. The Bigfoot is rarely seen in anything other than side or backlit until the end, and the viewer’s left more to imagine what’s happening via screams and sound effects than any direct attacks. That said, there’s a bar brawl, a hazy fantasy sequence soundtracked by a Van Halen knock-off song, and three montages, which more than makes up for any lacking gore.
Still, Bigfoot the Movie is an absolute delight to watch on one’s own, and it is likely to be a blast and a half when viewed with a crowd. Gathering up some friends and brews and putting Show’s horror / action / comedy / monster movie hybrid on the TV might just be the best way you can spend this weekend.
Wide Eye Releasing is responsible for the DVD release of Bigfoot the Movie. If you’d like to purchase you can visit multiple online retail stores such as Walmart, Target, or Best Buy. You can also purchase directly through bigfootthemovie.com.
