The Making Of Bigfoot [Hardcover]

 

 

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In this book Greg Long has presented an overwhelming array of evidence that, to an unbiased and impartial reader, will finally put the so-called "Bigfoot controversy" in its proper place as perhaps the greatest hoax of the last century. Mr. Long does this by detailing the life of the chief perpetrator of the hoax, Roger Patterson, by painstakingly interviewing most of the principals involved--or, at least those willing to talk--and by presenting a carefully reasoned analysis of the "holy grail" of Bigfoot evidence, Roger Patterson's October 20, 1967, 16mm film.
Mr. Long's book might very well have been titled "The Unmaking of Bigfoot," because that is precisely what Mr. Long has accomplished in the 466 pages of his narrative. This book took six years to research and write, and although there are times when I'd rather not care to know what kind of soft drinks and snack food Mr. Long prefers, this books holds the interest of the reader like the well-crafted detective story that it is.
The public seems to be divided into two camps regarding the existence of Bigfoot: those who believe and those who don't. A look at the Internet sites devoted to Bigfoot will demonstrate that the "believers" are many. This book may sway some of those Bigfoot "believers" to the truth, but it will probably not convince those whose minds are closed by the over-riding need to simply "believe" in Bigfoot or those with a financial interest in feeding and perpetuating the controversy. To those folks, Mr. Long and his book will become objects of hatred and derision. In defending their "faith," the wrath of the Bigfoot cultists will surpass that of Tomas de Torqemada in his pursuit of heretics in fifteenth century Spain. After all, Mr. Long's book has, in effect, destroyed their Bigfoot-based "religion."
This book is noteworthy not for its findings--after all, the evidence has been out there all the time--but that it took so long for someone to dig out the facts and publish them. One simple and devastating truth emerges from a reading of this book: the Bigfoot cultists have never been able to produce one single shred of indisputable, physical evidence proving that Bigfoot exists in the 37 years since the Patterson film was shot. In spite of this inconvenient fact, their "faith" in the existence of Bigfoot is undiminished, if not downright fanatical. How sad that there are people out there who have built their lives around sixty seconds of grainy and amateurishly done "home movie" film. These people are Roger Patterson's true victims. One wonders how much richer the lives of these people might have been had they devoted the same amount of energy and passion to more worthwhile pursuits. Oh, well...different strokes, as a great philosopher once said. Read this book if you have an open mind on the Bigfoot controversy. Even if you don't, read it anyway and then attempt some critical thought. It won't hurt a bit and you might even enjoy the experience.

I used to think that the bigfoot in the film simply could not have been faked in 1967, now I am less certain of that. It still seems that the creature just looks too "real" to have been the result of a costume that Patterson created or bought and modified. However, Long does point out some things on the film that are suggestive of a hoax such as some odd things about the feet and what appears to be the meeting of the bottom and middle part of the suit. Much of his case is just based on criticisms of Roger Patterson's character and Heironimus' story. I am more inclined to think it was a hoax than I used to be, I mean what is the alternative, that is was a real bigfoot? Which explanation is really more believable? However, the only way I can be convinced it was a hoax is to see someone put on a suit and recreate the film, all atttempts I have seen by people to do this are easilly spotted as a man in a monkey suit.

I did't really like Long's writing style and he didn't seem like a real pleasant person. But he MAY be onto something here. A pretty good book and must read for anyone really into the subject.

A fascinating book, well researched, and eminently convincing unless cherished beliefs must be clung to no matter how high the stack of facts.

The book is based primarily on interviews with a host of people connected in one way or another with Roger Patterson, the maker of the (in)famous Bigfoot film. Long taped his interviews with these people, and the transcripts bring the witnesses to life far better, and far more convincingly, than paraphrasing. There are a lot of interviews, and naturally there is a lot of redundancy in their stories. I don't consider this a drawback, I consider it a preponderance of evidence.

I liked Long's format. He puts the results of his research in the context in which he collected it-in the car with his wife heading over the mountains yet again, sitting in someone's living room or a roadside restaurant, sorting through piles of papers, starting yet another manila folder of info. You find out he drinks coffee and diet pop, he is crazy about his wife, it rains a fair bit in the Northwest, and he is baffled by how Patterson could rip off so many people with such style that they forgave him and often came back for more of the same treatment. It was interesting to read about his own thoughts yet still have the actual evidence in the interviews remain inviolate.

I especially liked Long's investigation of the film processing angle and Patterson's preposterous claim that the footage was shot on a Friday and viewed two days later. The evidence is quite convincing that the film was shot earlier and processed within a typical timeframe. (And I daresay if the results had not been satisfactory another filming excursion would have been in order. Who knows how many trial sightings ended up in the trashcan because the fakery was too obvious.)

In future editions, I think a map of the Bluff Creek filming area (in addition to the Yakima area map already in the book) would be helpful, as I had to pull out an atlas for a couple of the chapters. A visual timeline would also be useful-once I plotted the events chronologically, the degree and depth of the scamming was nothing short of amazing.

For folks without blind spots about Patterson and Bigfoot, this book is a tremendous resource. I recommend it highly.

Lastly, in response to some other reviewers comments and questions --

> Why didn't Patterson confess on his deathbed if the film was a hoax?

A small guy, Patterson apparently had a whopping big ego. The pro-Bigfoot claim that Patterson not revealing the hoax before he died is proof that the film is valid just doesn't wash. Would Patterson prefer to be immortalized as the Great White Cinematographer of one the wonders of the world, or a con artist? Would he cut off the cash cow for his widow by confessing? Sorry, unlikely. That secret he would reasonably take to his grave.

> Was the suit made of horsehide or synthetic?

Bob H's claim that Patterson said the suit was made from horsehide can't carry much weight, given Patterson's track record for honesty; however, Long's research is convincing that the suit was altered, and if the hide was free it might well have been used in the alterations, because thrift (to the point of theft at times) was Patterson's style.

> Is Long just out to make money?

Well, I daresay anyone would love to rake in big bucks from a bestseller, but if he can make a living wage based on all the hours and driving time that clearly went into this book, good for him, and good luck. If he really wanted to make money, he would have written a pro-Bigfoot book, the perfect setup for minimum effort for maximum return. (Speculation at 100 words per minute, no research time-although actively suppressing facts could add hours, and a market that is both rabidly enthusiastic and gullible to point of painfulness. I could see him feeling guilty about taking their money, but I must assure him that I have no problem with him taking mine.) And let's not forget that for those who don't want to fund such heresy, there are public libraries so they can get the info without lining Long's pockets too heavily.

> What about the hernia and the baby sasquatch on the right shoulder?

Mom's right; the streets are not safe.

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1.0 out of 5 stars Jealous of a dead man?
Why exactly does this guy hate Roger Patterson so much? The first chapter alone give a good indication where this book will be headed. Read more

Published on Jun 2 2005 by Neal Busby

4.0 out of 5 stars very convincing
The author does an excellent job at interviewing all the witnesses of bigfoot. He is very careful to re-check anybody's story. Read more

Published on July 17 2004 by babyblue

5.0 out of 5 stars A Knockout Punch! Adios, Bigfoot Hoax
I honestly wasn't expecting a whole lot from this book. I knew from the reviews I'd read that the author had no "smoking gun" to prove his thesis that the famous Roger... Read more

Published on July 17 2004 by David A. Reitzes

1.0 out of 5 stars Something to bear in mind.......
In a recent radio interview, the author Greg Long refused to answer a simple question.

Simply put, he was asked if he, Kal Korff, or Bob Kiviat (who also has an interest in this... Read more

Published on July 6 2004

2.0 out of 5 stars the mystery remains
seems to be too many contradictions and heresay for me to be taken as gospel, just like many pro-bigfoot stuff... Read more

Published on Jun 30 2004 by Karen L. Monson

5.0 out of 5 stars H. Baker
This book shows why the Bigfoot film taken by Roger Patterson in 1967 is of no value to anyone trying to prove the existence of Bigoot. Scientists require solid evidence. Read more

Published on Jun 21 2004 by Hobart G. Baker

4.0 out of 5 stars This story would make a great movie
There's something fascinating about this book, the story of a lying, finagling entrepreneur who blazed his way across the national headlines in the late 1960s with a far-fetched... Read more

Published on Jun 16 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Bigfoot Steps in Big Pile...
This book was an interesting read. Granted there are some inconsistancies in the testemonies of the people involved but overall the evidence is quite damning to the validity of... Read more

Published on Jun 12 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Read It - The Biggest Fake Finally Proved
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a bright light shown on dumbed-down fake "scientists" (the Bigfoot "community") who really blew it on this one! Read more

Published on Jun 5 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy This Book!!!! A Great Read and Terrific Expose
The Making of Bigfoot is a terrific book. I now know why so many Bigfoot idiots keep populating sites with their same stupid attacks. Read more

Published on Jun 3 2004

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