CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE
(1976)
Directed by Joy N. Houck, Jr.
Sterling Entertainment DVD
THE FILM
These days, men rarely embark on
real life adventures. Even if they
do, they probably have average names
like Jeff, Pat, or Larry. Ho hum.
Creature From Black Lake
presents two guys named Pahoo and
Reeves as they investigate a testy
Sasquatch, deep in the thick of
Oil City, Louisiana. See that? Cool
names, tough adventures. After only
one sentence, this film is a powerful
kick in the nuts to any semblance
of real life. You almost don’t
even need to see it! But really,
you should.
Before the wave of 1970s Bigfoot
films deteriorated into second-hand
blanks (all fingers point to Boggy
Creek II), you could set
your watch by the spooky mysticism
that propelled each movie. Creature
From Black Lake, a Louisiana
lensed jewel from director Joy N.
Houck Jr. (Night
Of Bloody Horror), is a
shining example. Houck and writer-producer
Jim McCullough (Mountaintop
Motel Massacre, Video Murders)
introduce a 'Squatch that is not
our friend. Nope, this violent B.F.
is all business. He'd just as soon
overturn your car as throw your
pet puppy across the farm. That's
good news for us. He even looks
ominous; no gorilla suit here! Even
better, the quirky drama that surrounds
the Black Laked One gets more entertaining
with each passing minute. Fried
chicken phobia? 'Nam metaphors?
An unearthly Yeti screech? Solid.
Pahoo and Reeves are students from
the University Of Chicago. Pahoo
looks really old and Reeves is a
shifty-eyed wild card. Equipped
with a white Chevy van and a curious
obsession with hamburgers, the guys
embark on a Bigfoot research project
in Oil City, Louisiana. Once there,
they meet a variety of good ol'
boy detractors. There's jolly Sheriff
Billy Carter (Larry Buchanan vet
Bill Thurman), scarred Bigfoot victim
Orville (writer Jim McCullough),
and drunken mess Joe Cantan (the
prolific Jack Elam), who's like
an adult Pig Pen from Peanuts.
After several violent creature attacks,
flashbacks, and near sexy time with
a couple of ladies, Pahoo and Reeves
find themselves trapped in the swamp
at midnight. The creature makes
like Lou Ferrigno and things get
serious. Very appropros.
Creature From Black Lake
is a non-documentary styled Bigfoot
film that actually works. Rare,
but true. Filled with cartoonish
characters, a bubbling score from
Jaime Mendoza Nava (The
Legend Of Boggy Creek,
Orgy
Of The Dead), and generous
amounts of goopy atmosphere, the
scum of the earth seeps through
every frame. More importantly, the
film sets out to embellish the Bigfoot
mythos with dark overtones, wisely
avoiding clear chances for dopey
comic relief (i.e. any scene with
Jack Elam). Shreveport, Bossier
City, and Oil City, Louisiana should
be forever proud; it’s not
every day your city gets to host
the filming of a Bigfoot classic.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
The letterboxed print is really
rough, but fitting. Faded, riddled
with dirt and vertical lines, and
not so clear. I liked it. Imperfection
only adds to the backwoods whiff;
the Black Lake setting wouldn't
feel the same without it. Compression
artifacting was barely there during
darker scenes. The mono sound was
loud. The opening and closing credits
are a little stretched. That's all
I've got for you.
EXTRAS
Just three worthless production
notes ("Creature From Black
Lake was filmed on location
in Louisiana") and brief bios
for Jack Elam and Dub Taylor, who
plays Orville's grandfather.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Creature From Black Lake
is an essential Bigfoot film, a
perfect mix of harmless fun and
surprising shocks. Long out of print,
the obscure budget-esque 2002 DVD
release from Sterling is tough to
find. Keep an eye out or wait until
a new release comes along, especially
if you've got a 'Saquatchy sweet
tooth.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 12.01.05 |
Pahoo and Reeves
Close encounter
On the wagon
Trust me, he looks good
|
