History

"If you're ever driving down in our country along about sundown, keep an eye on the dark woods as you cross the Sulphur River bottoms… you may catch a glimpse of a huge, hairy creature watching you from the shadows."
– Narrator, The Legend of Boggy Creek

The Fouke Monster

The "Fouke Monster" - or "Boggy Creek Monster" as he is sometimes referred to - is a Sasquatch-like creature said to haunt the network of creeks extending from the Sulphur River Bottoms in southern Arkansas to the town of Fouke. Over the years, the creature has been seen by countless people, including respected citizens, experienced hunters, famous musicians, and even a police officer. He has inspired several movies, most notably The Legend of Boggy Creek, which became a drive-in sensation, netting nearly $25 million during its run.

The newspaper accounts of the early 1970s may have brought the creature to worldwide fame, but sighting reports did not stop after Hollywood moved on. People are still reporting encounters with this mysterious creature, even today!

The Beast of Boggy Creek will always be a standout among America's spooky legends due to his movie fame and continued popularity. The creature is often mentioned in television documentaries, including Monster Quest, Lost Tapes, Weird Travels, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Ripley's Believe it or not, National Geographic, and even ABC's Wife Swap as well as on numerous other podcasts, newspapers and magazines.

The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)

Legend of Boggy Creek was the directorial debut of the late Charles B. Pierce (The Town That Dreaded Sundown), who put aside a career in advertising to pursue indie filmmaking. A resident of Texarkana in the early 1970s, Pierce was drawn to the sensational newspaper reports describing the hairy, bigfoot-like creature that haunted the creeks near Fouke, Arkansas. Hoping to capitalize on the frenzy, Pierce borrowed some money, got a camera, and set out to make a movie based on the alleged beast.

The result was a truly frightening film (at the time) that became a bona fide box office sensation. The success was remarkable but not completely surprising to Pierce, who knew he had something special, judging from its premiere at an old Texarkana theater in August 1972. Initially turned down by Hollywood distributors, Pierce rented the theater, cleaned it up, and began showing the movie. In no time, there were lines of people five blocks long. After Hollywood finally joined in, the film went on to gross more than $25 million as it brought the tale of the Fouke Monster to international audiences.

Not only was The Legend of Boggy Creek successful in its own time and has now become a cult classic, but it also has bragging rights for being one of the first horror films shot in a docudrama style. Whether intentional or not, the film's gritty, piecemeal production and first-person accounts impart a sense of realism, making the incredible story seem all the more believable. This technique, common today, was way ahead of its time and is a major reason why this cult gem still endures despite any shortcomings. Modern filmmakers, such as the directors of the Blair Witch Project, have cited Pierce's pioneering work as a huge influence on their own movie-making. In a 1999 interview with The Tulsa World, Blair Witch Project co-director Daniel Myrick was quoted as saying: "We just wanted to make a movie that tapped into the primal fear generated by the fact-or-fiction format, like [The] Legend of Boggy Creek."

Pam (Pierce) Barcelona has upgraded the original movie into DVD, Blu-Ray, and recently into 4K.

For fans of cryptozoology, creatures, and vintage horror films, The Legend of Boggy Creek still stands as an important film.

A man walking in the water with his feet up.