With limited hard-evidence and the tendency to attract hoaxers like hungry mosquitoes, foundations of the Bigfoot field often feel flimsy. Regardless, some things are undeniable: thousands of people have discovered giant tracks far in the wilderness; thousands have encountered a large, hairy, ape-man; and thousands know in their hearts that they did not see a bear or a man in a costume. Could this many people be wrong? A very exciting, new Bigfoot docudrama hopes to strengthen the public’s belief in Sasquatch, while, of-course, scaring the shit out of them. Lone wolf filmmaker Christopher Garetano will place the sturdiest encounters and most legitimate evidence into the open, finally pulling back the curtain on our beloved beasts.
Who is making this Bigfoot docudrama?
The docudrama titled Bigfoot is the passion project of filmmaker Christopher Garetano. Widely known for 2014’s Montauk Chronicles – a deep dive into the darkness and controversy surrounding a U.S. airforce base in Long Island, New York – Christopher also directed the short films Inside (2004) & Cottonmouth (2009), and the documentary Horror Business (2005) about low budget, horror-genre film makers. Motivated by lifelong passion and a perfectionist spirit, Christopher wants to create the greatest Bigfoot movie of all time.
What inspired Christopher to create this film?
Christopher is no stranger to the arcane and mysterious. He grew up fascinated with Bigfoot sightings and the idea of something lurking in the same forests he often played in. Ever the imagination booster, the idea of Bigfoot propelled creativity and wonderment throughout his younger years. Like many modern day cryptid enthusiasts, he was particularly struck by Leonard Nimoy’s hypnotic presentation of Sasquatch on the TV show In Search Of… Drive-in flicks like the campy The Creature from Black Lake and docudrama The Legend of Boggy Creek cemented his interest. In fact, it appears Christopher’s Bigfoot docudrama will follow a similar structure to Boggy Creek: a blend of history, interviews, and dramatized encounters.
It’s just titled Bigfoot… Why so simple?
Rather than adopt a familiar Bigfoot movie name like the “blank monster” of the “blank place”, Christopher is sticking to the basic core. Either that or he’s paying serious homage to the cult classic Bigfoot of 1970. No, I’m joking. But Christopher feels that this is the most comprehensive way to label his film:
“It is appropriately titled “Bigfoot” because I realize there’s no singular movie in existence that seriously and properly covers the rich history as well as the modern science that surrounds the mystery of the Sasquatch.”
Will the film take a scientific look at Bigfoot?
Youthful daydreams of a giant, hairy beast stalking the outskirts of town no doubt flooded a lot of our young brains. Well, maybe just for the cool kids. But when you finally arrive at that intersection of reality do you really sink your teeth into the topic. Like many crypto-hounds, Christopher is inspired by the work of notable academics and their serious involvement in the field. Foot morphology and primate locomotion expert Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum headlines the list of professionals who believe that this species could truly exist. Christopher wants to present the first film that seriously details modern academic involvement in the subject.
So, what is Bigfoot really about?
No joke folks, Christopher wants to start at the beginning of life on earth. Taking an evolutionary approach, he hopes to detail ice age survival and the species’ rise parallel to man. He will follow that line all the way to modern civilization. Native American involvement is critical to the history of these creatures. Tribes like the Iroquois shaped the dark wild man of the woods as they told tales and experiences around the fire. Stories kept the legend alive, and, in my opinion, kept Native’s safe.
This Bigfoot docudrama will also feature horror sequences dramatizing legendary encounters. Throughout the film, Christopher will recreate the most infamous and dramatic Bigfoot run-ins: the 1924 Ape Canyon incident, Teddy Roosevelt’s frightening “Bauman” story, and, most notably, the Patterson/Gimlin encounter in 1967.
This sounds amazing. As they say, Christoper is going all in with this picture. Judging from everything I have read about him, I wouldn’t expect anything less than The Godfather of Bigfoot films. Don’t expect a teen-slasher, found-footage film or a surface-level reality TV show either. Christopher aims to make a picture that will not only bubble our adrenaline, but stir us on levels that haven’t been touched since we were cave dwellers.
To help this amazing project along, please check out Christopher’s Indiegogo page for donation information. Currently he is 25% complete with the film, but any amount would strengthen his vision: creature effects, period costumes, pyrotechnics, and a Tony Todd voiceover (awesome!). Check out the teaser above!! — AJ