Bigfoot Terror

Actually, this is a moderately fun package of low-budget schlock films from Retromedia (though Legend of Bigfoot is more of a schlock-doc, I guess). The transfers are about as good as can be expected considering the obscurity of the titles. And for the most well-known of the four, "Shriek of the Mutilated", it's the best the presentation has ever looked on video or DVD, for what that's worth. The disc starts with the Wisconsin quickie The Capture of Bigfoot (1979) is an affable enough affair with a bunch of dimwit dogsledders squaring off against a couple of charming yeti-type creatures. The picture is not great for this one, though it was far from unwatchable.... Shriek of the Mutilated (1974) is the only of these four films that has really established any sort of cult status, and it's an enjoyably warped little tale with a E.C comics plot, and a monster that isn't quite what it seems to be. Or maybe it is, if you were expecting a guy in a fur suit and a ridiculous rubber mask... Search for the Beast (1997) is a shot-on-video nudie flick with a cameo by classic schlock director David F. Friedman (Blood Feast). It's by far the best of the four for [...], and it's divertingly silly, but there isn't much in the way of terror, aside from a couple of glimpses of blood and a mildly disturbing Bigfoot-rape scene. But the emphasis is on cheap, here. It looks like someone shot it while they were on vacation or something. And the Bigfoot? Oy!... The Legend of Bigfoot (1976) is a lovely bit of balderdash about a lonely, pathetic old guy that wanders around Alaska looking for Bigfoot. It's supposed to be a documentary, and it concludes with some supposed footage of Bigfoot that is probably too good to be true. This one is probably okay to have running in the background while you are busy, or out of the room completely, but I expect it's too dull for most people to watch. When I was a kid there was sort of a Bigfoot rage, complete with loads of Bigfoot documentaries like this one, so it has a slight sentimental appeal for me.

I am a devotee of Trash cinema and bad films, so when this four DVD set appeared from retomedia entitled, "Bigfoot Terror" and featured films focused on one of low budget cinema's favorite monsters, I jumped at the oppurtunity. Man, these films are bad.
The first film is called "Search For the Beast", which is labelled as being made in 1997, even if the copyright says 2005! This one is a camcorder epic that dosen't know if it is a straight-up Horror/Action or a spoof. There is no real plot to speak of(why don't these digi-movies EVER have plots? I mean if you can't afford effects at least write interesting dialouge or something, er, nevermind...) and the film just drags on as an actor in a gorilla suit with ping pong ball eyes beats up en with rifles and mediocre looking topless chicks.
The production is weak and there is no sense of direction as the camera set ups are boring and repetitious and the acting is terrible. Parts of it also appeared dubbed and the on screen dialouge that is voiced over reminds one of the kind of nonsense from movies like "The Beast of Yucca Flats"(1961) or Zombie 90:Extreme Pestillence(1990).
A truly terrible film.

The next film is "The Legend of Bigfoot"(1976), and unintentionally hilarious "documentary" about an anthropologist who is out to discover the real sasquatch.
Instead he finds some people in silly monkey suits,eating and drinking in a forest. And in the last five minutes. That bigfoot SURE is exciting! Sort of a snooze fest, this still can get some yucks from bad film aficionados.

"Shriek of the Mutilated"(1974) is probally the most famous film on this set, an early 70s Splatter flick that ranks among the worst Horror films ever made. The print utilized is probally the best yet available for this cinematic montrosity. The plot tells the story of a college professor who takes his tudents to cabin to find the yeti, only to get picked off one by one by a guy in a cheezy white ape suit.
Hammily acted and cheesy, this film is far too nihilistic too be a real bad film classic and features a real cheater ending. Turns out that the Yeti is a fake(surprise! surprise!) and the professor and his partner are cannibals(!) who head an entire cult! At least there's that funny scene where a married couple kill each other with a electric carving knife and a toaster...for no discernible reason.

The last film in this set is the 1979 non-classic, "The Capture of Bigfoot". That's a rather misleading title for this sleep inducer since the great white ape is not even captured until the final fifteen minutes or so. In the film Bigfoot is randomly beating the crap out of people while many disconnected sub-plots go on and on forever in between scenes of the Monster bash-em ups and will cause catatonia to anyone except the most devoted Bad cinemaphile. There's supposed to be a humanistic message to the film about protecting the man ape, but after seeing him pummel so many innocent people it just comes across as ludicrous. Another winner on this set.

You were warned. Other than Bad Film fanatics, this is one HARROWING DVD set of the beloved Monster and anyone seeking quality entertainment should go elsewhere and steer clear of this!

The "Bigfoot Terror" set of 4 movies isn't the worst thing you could find but not too great either. I have a copy of the "Legend of Bigfoot" on several other sets and would have liked to see something different instead included. "The Capture of Bigfoot" is probably the most entertaining of the bunch for me. However, I would like to have seen more of the creature. It is a nice little bigfoot feature for those who like to watch these movies. "Shriek of the Mutilated" is hilarious and rather poorly done. The creature is laughable, though, there is more to it then initially meets the eye. "Search for the Beast" is just terrible. There is little focus or direction and many things seemed to be included to simply increase the run time. If you are into it, give it a look but not my cup of tea overall.