Hollywood Comes To Texas! Big Name Director & Celebrated Producer Announce Cryptopalooza Appearance
Posted by: Loren Coleman on October 12th, 2012
Two of the big names behind the forthcoming Haxan Films’ and Court Five’s Bigfoot movie Exists will be making a joint special appearance at the forthcoming Texas conference, Cryptopalooza, on Saturday, October 20, 2012. The two film people are journeying to Texas on the 45th anniversary of the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot film, out of respect and tribute to this milestone moment.
Exists director Eduardo Sanchez (director, Blair Witch Project), and producer Mark Ordesky (executive producer, Lord of the Rings) will be appearing to share with Bigfoot fans some special news about Exists.
The setting for their Exists announcements couldn’t be better. The Cryptopalooza conference is taking place in the midst of prime East Texas Bigfoot country, the cryptofiction location of Exists.
The character “Bigfoot” is played by Brian Steele (Hellboy).
Exists, written by Jamie Nash, is about a group of young folks who take a trip to a cabin deep in the wooded wilderness and are methodically stalked by a Southern variety of Bigfoot. Producers are Mark Ordesky, Jane Fleming, Robin Cowie, and Andy Jenkins with Gregg Hale and Reed Frerichs being the executive producers, along with George Waud and D. Todd Shepherd of Miscellaneous Entertainment. I, Loren Coleman, worked closely with Gregg Hale and Haxan Films on the new version of In Search Of (as the senior series consultant) in 2002. The Haxan folks told me then how important Bigfoot was to their beginnings.
“Ever since we experienced the 1972 film The Legend of Boggy Creek, Haxan has dreamed of bringing Bigfoot back to the dark side,” says their early publicity about Exists. It is no surprise they found a way to return to their roots. (Haxan was also behind the “Civil War Thunderbird” creation on Freakylinks; the “Thunderbird” prop, 11 ft long, is part of the International Cryptozoology Museum today.)
“The film is the first in a trilogy exploring and reinventing the Bigfoot myth,” Sanchez told Variety last year. “We all remember the terror of watching such classics as The Legend of Boggy Creek, and I look forward to making Bigfoot scary again.”
The found-footage fictional film The Blair Witch Project took in more than $140 million domestically, mostly due to its online word-of-mouth push and viral marketing campaigns. The film grossed $250 million worldwide.
(Yes, Mark will autograph LOTR items brought by any attendees, and Sanchez will sign any Blair Witch Project items you might have!)
The Haxan Facebook page for Exists is here.
Cryptopalooza will celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Patterson-Gimlin footage in a family friendly setting.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
I’m all for a good yarn and “making Bigfoot scary again,” but this really got me thinking, and I hope this isn’t derailing the topic.
There are so many movies about blood thirsty Sasquatch, but are there any accounts of humans actually being allegedly physically attacked or even killed by one? I have read reports of stone throwing, stick banging, and other threatening behavior by Sasquatch, which seem to me to be probably more like a bluff from a mountain gorilla trying to chase an intruder off.
I don’t believe I’ve ever heard such a report of anyone being physically injured by a direct Sasquatch attack, so it’s interesting to see the Hollywood image of them as dangerous killing machines.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand the need for drama and story, and the fact that no one really wants to see a movie about Sasquatch peacefully going about their own business (unless it’s an actual real video). I’m all for these kinds of films. I’m just curious about what the report history says about these kinds of violent encounters.
Hopefully it’s gonna be good. Blair Witch and Altered were good.
@ mystery_man:
There have been historical accounts of actual attacks and even deaths placed at the doorstep, so to speak, of Bigfoot. If you read Ivan Sanderson’s book “Abominable Snowman: Legend Come to Life”, he relates at least a couple of such encounters back in the early 1800’s, if my memory serves.
The classic case of sasquatch homicide is actually related by one of those guys on Rushmore, Teddy Roosevelt. I’ve seen it in more than one place, but here’s one place.
There’s room for wondering what, if anything, happened there. But there you are: at least one President of the US has related a bigfoot tale that piqued his curiosity.
Another alleged killing is mentioned here (this article was my very first exposure to the topic, as a boy of almost 11 in 1968).
Hey there Mystery Man,
Possibly the most famous (infamous?) case, ‘The Bauman Story’, is contained in Teddy Roosevelt’s, ‘The Wilderness Hunter’.
“Wendigo” is a (documented) psychological disorder in humans which causes a craving for human flesh, it is also said to be a Bigfoot-like creature. Wendigo, like Yeti, is supposed to be carnivorous and aggressive… as opposed to omnivorous and reclusive like Sasquatch/Bigfoot. Wendigo is reputed to appear during particularly hard winters to waylay the unwary. Makes sense as Wendigo and Yeti (like the carnivorous Polar Bear) is supposed to inhabit more northern /mountainous habitats where edible vegetation is rare if not non-existent.
As for contemporary aggressive demonstrations by BFs, like you said, mostly harmless… though the “Broken Mirror” incident recently reported (by the BFRO site) here in AZ on the Mogollon Rim, shows (IMO) the creature’s increasing hostility towards Bigfoot “hunters” use of vocalizations and knocking to attract them. These behaviors (in gorillas) are aggressive, territorial displays… using them will produce aggressive, territorial displays in return (somewhat like “chumming” for sharks and how that changes their observed behavior from what it normally is when not exposed to this stimulus). I highly doubt anybody’s ability to “hunt” BF in the 1st place… imagine if Les Stroud and Bear Grylls had a baby and it got left out in the woods for the last 10000 years, it’s woodscraft so vastly superior to anything that humans can bring to bear that it seems almost supernatural. I’m in favor of more of a “fishing” approach (utilizing knowledge of their natural behaviors and curiosity).
Thanks everyone for information on those accounts of attacks on humans. That’s very interesting information I will examine it further. I knew I could count on the fine commenters here to bring some of these things to light. Thank you.
Could a Bigfoot “go Wendigo”? Is a Wendigo just a starving BF which has turned to preying upon humans? In my mind, this would be the most likely scenario of Sasquatch on human attack. Think what a 200 lb chimp did to that lady… what could a 600 lb Sasquatch do? A chilling prospect…
The problem with the scary Sasquatch story is I think the surviving members of the BF tribe are the most docile and reclusive of them… the more aggressive and self revealing ones were killed long ago by our ancestors (was Grendel a BF?). Maybe a BF is capable of doing a ‘Charles Bronson’: family massacred by humans… now he’s out for revenge! Sensational, it makes for a good story… but the truth is that they have much more to fear from us… here’s an interesting compilation of reports of BFs being killed by humans:
http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/why-has-no-hunter-ever-shot-and-killed-a-bigfoot/
Alamo- I don’t know about Sasquatch, but chimp attacks on humans are not as a result of them wanting to eat us or “going Wendigo.”
There are several factors behind why chimps attack humans. One reason is that male chimps in the wild engage in rather violent territorial disputes and display war-like behavior. This can be to acquire new territory or defend their territory. These confrontations are extremely violent and often end in death or severe injury. If a chimp thinks you are infringing on its territory and thinks of itself as more than your equal, then it could have disastrous results. If a chimp thinks it wants your territory and wants to claim it, it could end badly as well.
In addition to territorial disputes, chimps can attack in order to show or gain dominance over other chimps. If someone has a pet chimp and it decides it wants to be boss, then there is not much you can do to argue with it, and the sheer strength difference will guarantee injuries.
Another reason could be that they have at some point been abused by humans at some point, which would make them more aggressive towards us. In this case, if they perceived us to be in a state of vulnerability, they may decide to let out their frustration on us.
Attacks can also spurred on by other mental problems such as stress or depression. These are extremely intelligent animals that can get mental disorders just like us.
The case I believe you are talking about with regards to the 200 pound chimp who attacked a woman happened in Connecticut, and involved a pet chimp attacking and mutilating a woman, leaving her in critical condition. There are several factors here that could have contributed, none of which involved it wanting to eat a human.
In this case, first off, the chimp was a male and had a history of biting people. The woman had even been warned by officials that the chimp, Travis, may be dangerous.
On top of this violent history, the chimp in question was known to suffer from Lyme disease which is known to lead to fatigue, trouble concentrating, and other mental difficulties. In addition, the owner reportedly gave the chimp Xanax laced tea on the day of the attack. Xanax in an anxiety medication which sometimes has the side effect of problem behavior and confusion.
So we have here a male chimp, which are known to be aggressive and territorial, with this individual having a history of biting people. Added to that, you have potential mental disorders from Lyme disease and the added factor of possible side effects from the Xanax the owner herself claimed to have given it. It is a recipe for disaster and in light of these factors, should not be so surprising.
Chimp attacks are really not that rare. Chimps are known to bite people’s fingers through cage bars and display other violent behavior with seemingly little provocation. Those who work with or study chimps are extremely careful and exercise caution when around them. There are typically many safety regulations in effect at any facility which holds chimps.
This is not to say that every chimp is a killing machine out to get us. However, one thing that must be remembered is that these are not domesticated animals. They are highly intelligent, with a strong sense of self, and are also very territorial and inclined towards dominant war-like behavior in the wild. They are also extremely strong animals, much more powerful than us, that are difficult to control and with large canine teeth. They have to be treated with care and respect.
So considering these things, there are many reasons why chimps might attack humans. However, it is typically not for the purpose of eating us.
Whether that is true of Sasquatch or not, who knows?
Hey Mystery Man,
By “going Wendigo” I didn’t necessarily mean that they fall victim to some BF version of the human Wendigo psychoses (wouldn’t they eat other BFs in that case?)… more like starving and/ or suffering from mental defect.
Wendigo has a 3rd, perhaps more real world meaning, which is behavior that is not in harmony, that is cannibalistic in a sense that it benefits one at the expense of others of its kind and the environment in which it lives. A corporation taking out $100,000 ‘Dead Peasant’ insurance on the senior citizen that greets customers… Wendigo… another company making banner profits and then outsourcing jobs so they can make even more… Wendigo… the gluttonous, wasteful consumption and acquisition of more stuff than we could ever hope to use in a thousand lifetimes… Wendigo. So in a BF sense, Wendigo would mean extremely aggressive, self revealing behavior which would bring negative attention and danger to itself or others of its kind.
I mentioned chimps not because of any similarity in behavior (although I’m sure there are a few) but more to give an example of the horrendous damage that can be done by even a small (by BF standards) primate. A “Chewbacca Special” would be a distinct possibility (being beaten to death with your own dismembered arm).
Alamo- “Chewbacca Special.” Haha! Good one! Yes, I would say that would be a possibility.
I suppose Sasquatch could certainly suffer mental problems or psychological factors that may contribute to an attack on a human. This is possible with any highly intelligent animal, as we see with chimps and other great apes.
It also seems that Sasquatch are territorial to at least some extent, based on reports of rock throwing and other threatening behavior. I’ve always thought it was more of bluffing displays, but it seems it could go too far in some cases. With such an enormous gap in physical power, it would not take much for one to severely injure a human if even accidentally.
This is of speculation based on assuming they exist at all. Anyway, it is certainly interesting to consider just how violent Sasquatch typically would be, and the extent they would be willing to attack humans.
It seems to me by the incredible number of sightings reports compared to the apparent low number of actual reported attacks that Sasuatch are probably relatively non-violent and that attacks on humans are the exception rather than the norm.