The Legend of Boggy Creek – 1973
A True Story.
Director
Charles B. Pierce

Writer
Earl E. Smith

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

Cast
Vern Stierman – Narrator
Chuck Pierce – Jim as a boy
William Stumpp – Jim (adult)
Willie E. Smith – Willie
Lloyd Bowen – Himself
B.R. Barrington – Himself
J.E. ‘Smokey’ Crabtree – Himself
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

Review by Gary F Taylor

The Legend of Boggy Creek (1973)

The Fouke Monster in Pseudo-Documentary,
Folklore suggests sightings as early as the 1850s–but old tales aside, something has troubled the tiny town of Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940s right up to present day. Residents claim it is a tall, hairy creature with hands like a man and glowing red eyes. And after a series of somewhat spectacular sightings in the early 1970s, director Charles B. Pierce decided to make a movie about it.

I saw LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK in original theatrical release when I was twelve or so, and it scared the blazes out of me. When I found this inexpensive DVD version, I grabbed it for the sake of nostalgia–and discovered that what scared me at twelve can barely elicit a raised eyebrow nowadays. It may still frighten the kiddies, but from an adult point of view, LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK is pretty tame and lame.

Although the film has a few effective moments, they seem to have happened by accident instead of design. The cinematography is a weak effort at a documentary style, and the costume for the Fouke monster is hardly more than a long-haired suit, but now and then they do combine to give you pause–especially in shots when the creature is largely motionless and obscured by trees. But on the whole, the movie consists of a mix of interviews, scripted actors, and the occasional pause for some hilariously bad “ballad of boggy creek”-type country music.

My final take on the whole thing: if this has some nostalgic appeal, by all means buy it, but don’t expect too much. And if you’ve don’t have those childhood memories to fall back on, pass it by, because that’s really all this DVD has going for it.