Bigfoot Archives | Otaku No Culture

The Siege of Ape Canyon 100 Years Later: Rediscovering the Gold, Grit, and Ghosts of Bigfoot’s Most Famous Encounter

Cougar, Washington—the gateway to Mount St. Helens—anchors this century-old legend. Director Eli Watson’s film revisits the Siege of Ape Canyon through surviving family memories and quiet reflection, honouring how this local mystery became part of Pacific Northwest folklore.

Coming to VOD Nov 11
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Although the gold rush was technically over, a handful of prospectors — Fred Beck, Marion Smith, Roy Smith, Gabe Lafever, and John Peterson — believed there was gold to be found in The Siege of Ape Canyon. This area near Mount St. Helens was still relatively unexplored in the 1920s; little did these men know it was also home to creatures of legend. Mass sightings of Bigfoot did not begin in earnest until after their encounter. And even after the eruption of the volcano, speculation remains rife about how many survived—or whether any did.

While Indigenous lore regarding the Sasquatch receives little emphasis in this documentary, what director Eli Watson presents is a focused examination of how the legend has gained notoriety. Producer Seth Breedlove (Small Town Monsters) backs a production that privileges storytelling and folklore over rigorous anthropological framing.

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My Bigfoot Life and the Owlman Problem

My Bigfoot Life aims to explore one man’s entry into the Bigfoot hunting community, but it falters in execution. While Daniel Lee Barnett’s passion is undeniable, staged moments and questionable “evidence” weaken the documentary’s credibility. The result works better as a personal story of determination than as serious cryptid research.

Now Playing in Select UK Cinemas
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Although My Bigfoot Life is framed as a story about joining a larger community of cryptid hunters, I couldn’t help but feel something was missing. Somerset, UK, is steeped in supernatural folklore, and the film barely nods to it. Glastonbury Tor—long linked to King Arthur’s burial—and the Beast of Exmoor are famous fixtures of local legend. Including them would have rooted Barnett’s journey in a much richer cultural backdrop. Instead, the focus shifts away from a giant cat to the “world’s number one ape” (sorry, Kong).

I can’t fault directors Daniel Lee Barnett and Monika Gergelova for wanting to make their mark. This seems to be Barnett’s first feature-length project, and while the effort is obvious, the execution falters. Although his father is far more emotional about supporting his son’s endeavours, it’s best to take some moments in this documentary with a grain of salt. I recommend checking out his better-produced podcast, Mythical Legends.

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When Shadows in the Desert: High Strangeness in the Borrego Triangle are Afoot, Who Are You Going to Call?

Just how many mysterious triangles exist? Besides the High Strangeness in the Borrego Triangle, I’ll present a list of other famous places too.

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When not everyone knows where Shadows in the Desert: High Strangeness in the Borrego Triangle lay, perhaps it’s best to check those road maps! Thankfully, cryptozoology podcasters Derek Hayes (Monsters Among Us) and David Flora (Hysteria 51) know where it is, and I have to commend them for daring to do what others will not–to go camping overnight! Although this region of Southern California is not as famous as others, there’s still plenty of folklore attached.

As for whether they involve aliens or ghosts, just what’s said to lurk here is just as haunting. One of the first places they hit was Solano. Here, the residents had a lot to say, and with no surprise the first topic was Bigfoot! I shouldn’t be surprised, even though I wouldn’t expect this creature to frequent the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park region. I had to do some additional research, and mention the area stretches from Hemet to the Salton Sea and down to the US-Mexico border near Jacumba Hot Springs. Also, I imagine the chupacabra is also lurking nearby.

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[Fantasia 2024] The Search for Kryptic, or Should That Be “Who You Are?”

July 22, 2024 6:15 PM Salle J.A. De Sève
July 24, 2024 12:15 PM Salle J.A. De Sève

Art photographer-turned-filmmaker Kourtney Roy has a film that explores the stranger side of life and cryptozoology. And when she makes her stamp on Kryptic quite surreal, if not erotic, I’m quite curious. Also, when this movie takes place in Southern British Columbia, where I live, I have to take an interest!

I find nothing wrong with making a film with some suggestive pornographic elements. And that’s because of what’s presented. This film isn’t too different from Sasquatch Sunset, to which I’ll post a review later this week.

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On the Trail of Bigfoot: Land of the Missing and More Alaskan Mysteries

Some say Alaska is the Last Frontier, and in On the Trail of Bigfoot: Land of the Missing, perhaps that saying is taken for granted in the lastest look at Small Town Monsters.

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Seth Breedlove is back with another episode of Small Town Monsters! This time, both he and his team of cameramen are ready to search the Great Alaskan frontier for people willing to talk about the Sasquatch. Like previous instalments, On the Trail of Bigfoot: Land of the Missing, the focus is on conversing with folks with firsthand experiences.

This latest is no different in style. This episode has this filmmaker right in the action, but this time he’s rented a cabin in the woods for his team to get an authentic experience. Afterwards, they have gone searching for the elusive creature, and found people we haven’t seen before to give their stories. As the title implies, Missing persons is the primary focus here. Continue reading “On the Trail of Bigfoot: Land of the Missing and More Alaskan Mysteries”

Hot on the Trail of Bigfoot. Last Frontier Offers the Latest Theories on Wood

The latest documentary in the series, Small Town Wonders is The Trail of Bigfoot: Last Frontier. The people he talks to here in Alaska have some fascinating stories that any researcher will want to hear!

Release Date: Jan 17, 2023 on VOD
1091 Pictures

On the Trail of Bigfoot: Last Frontier is Seth Breedlove‘s latest documentary under the label of Small Town Wonders. Where he heads to now is Alaska, and the people he talks have some fascinating stories that any researcher will want to hear! They hail from various towns that are strewn throughout the State, but as for whether we should believe them or not depends on wanting to believe. By my estimate, they’re just everyday folks and they have no reason to lie.

This filmmaker loves delving into urban myth, and I believe he’s far more genuine than those speciality network series. His work demonstrates he’s not approaching the subject with him in front of the lens all the time. What he discovers has an air of authenticity, and unlike his look into the legend of the Jersey Devil (review) and Rougarou, this one sees him a lot more invested in the subject. Like his past works where he’s on the trail of the elusive giant, his focus is on the west coast. These can be found on Tubi, and they tend to focus on the Pacific Northwest, and in this latest, he’s travelling north!

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