Saturday, April 7, 2012

Vermont Paper Critical of Finding Bigfoot and Matt Moneymaker

Intro credit to Penn and Teller's show Bullsh*t.

Finding Bigfoot is coming to Vermont on April 14th. The Times Argus, a daily morning newspaper serving the capital region of Vermont has been less-than-favorable towards Finding Bigfoot and Matt Moneymaker in particular. The paper cites two topics that could be considered sore spots for BFRO and Matt Moneymaker. The full Times Argus article is at the end of this post, but first we want to highlight the two topics.

TOPIC ONE: Sonoma video hoax by Penn and Teller.
"On November 14th, 2005, a video purportedly recording a bigfoot sighting in Sonoma County, California, surfaced on the Internet. On Dec. 11, 2005, the BFRO publicly declared that it was an authentic video and that it could not have been a man in a suit. Following the broadcast of [Penn and Teller's] program, all references to the Sonoma video were removed from the BFRO website and no mention was ever made of it again." Src: Sasquatchopedia

Below is an excerpt from the Penn and Teller Episode (warning: explicit language)



TOPIC TWO: Finding Bigfoot cast complains about show's misleading editing.
"Cast members from the TV show have commented in various online forums that they are bugged by the heavy-handed editing done by producers of the series, and are not happy that they seem to be putting false words in their mouths. To say nothing of using tricks to make their actual findings more seemingly groundbreaking." Src: Gather.com

Read the complete Times Argus article below:

Show looks for Bigfoot in Vermont
By Gordon DritschiloStaff Writer - Published: April 7, 2012
RUTLAND — Is Bigfoot lurking somewhere in the wilderness of Vermont?
The producers of Animal Planet’s “Finding Bigfoot,” which has yet to locate the elusive sasquatch after 18 episodes, are hoping he might be. According to a release sent out Friday by the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce, the representatives of the program want to hear from Vermonters who believe they might have seen Bigfoot and will organize a town hall meeting on the subject April 14.
While a call to producer Natalie Hewson was not immediately returned Friday afternoon, the chamber did forward an email address for people to report sightings and get information on the meeting: Vermont.bigfoot@gmail.com.
While Vermont is best known in cryptozoological circles for its supposed lake monsters, Bigfoot sightings are not unheard of in the Green Mountains.
Reports have popped up in Chittenden, West Rutland and across the border in Whitehall, N.Y. The late Warren Cook, who taught anthropology at Castleton State College, was a Bigfoot enthusiast who collected purported evidence including footprint casts and hair.
The program follows the investigative efforts of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, headed by Matt Moneymaker.
Before “Finding Bigfoot,” Moneymaker fell prey to a prank by magicians Penn and Teller, who hosted a Showtime program (whose name is not printable in a family newspaper) dedicated to debunking various phenomena.
The duo created and distributed a fake Bigfoot video, which Moneymaker said he was confident was genuine, saying he had seen a number of hoaxes, according to the Bigfoot lore repository squatchopedia.com. Moneymaker stood by that claim when Penn and Teller announced the hoax in the lead-up to the show, according to the website, but then took down his statements after the program aired.
Last year, Moneymaker was quoted on multiple websites complaining that the editing of the show was misleading. He described sounds being added after the fact by the production team and shots cutting away from mundane animals that should have been identified as not being Bigfoot.

'Blair Witch' Director Reinvents Bigfoot in 'Exists'

Brian Steele has been cast as Bigfoot  in Exist, past credits include
Hellboy, Predator, Underworld and Terminator Salvation (click pic to enlarge)
"The film is the first in a trilogy exploring and reinventing the Bigfoot myth. We all remember the terror of watching such classics as THE LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK, and I look forward to making Bigfoot scary again." -- "Exist" director Eduardo Sanchez.

Another Sasquatchploitation movie. (Read our top 51 Sasquatchploitation movies) Except this one has a big budget behind it. Not only does it have a familiar director, Eduardo Sanchez from "Blair Witch" fame, it will star creature celebrity Brian Steele as Bigfoot whom will be costumed and designed by WETA workshop, famous for Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and Avatar.

Exist is in the News againa as Casting has been complete and production has been given a start date; April 9, 2012. Below is a collection of reports from around the web, conveniently collected for you fans.

VARIETY -  JUN 27, 2011
Bigfoot 'Exists' in new film
By DAVE MCNARY
Haxan Films and Amber Entertainment are looking for Bigfoot, setting an October start date for lensing "Exists," with "Blair Witch Project" director Eduardo Sanchez to helm.
"Exists," written by Jamie Nash and Sanchez, follows a group of twentysomethings who take a trip to a cabin deep in the wooded wilderness and are methodically hunted by a Bigfoot-like beast.

"The film is the first in a trilogy exploring and reinventing the Bigfoot myth," Sanchez said. "We all remember the terror of watching such classics as 'The Legend of Boggy Creek,' and I look forward to making Bigfoot scary again."

Robin Cowie, Gregg Hale and Andy Jenkins of Haxan and Jane Fleming and Mark Ordesky of Amber are producing.

Weta Workshop and Spectral Motion are collaborating with the production team on the design and build of the monster, to be portrayed by Brian Steele ("Hellboy," "Predators," the "Underworld" trilogy). The film will be shot outside Austin, Texas, at Spiderwood Studios, and casting will begin in August with a focus on unknown actors. SRC: Variety

FEARNET - APR 6, 2012
Cast Selected for "Exist"
by Alyse Wax

Eduardo Sanchez, the man behind The Blair Witch Project and the upcoming Lovely Molly has announced his next film: Exists.  Hit the jump for more.
Returning to the found-footage style that launched his career, Exists follows a group of friends on a weekend camping trip who discover they are being stalked by Bigfoot. Jamie Nash (Lovely Molly, Altered) wrote the script, with an ensemble cast that includes Dora Madison Burge (Humans Versus Zombies), Roger Edwards (Spy Kids 4), Denise Williamson (Spirit Camp), and newcomers Chris Osborn and Samuel Davis. SRC: FearNet.com

WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS - April 5, 2012
Haxan Films And Amber Entertainment To Start Production On EXISTS April 9, 2012
By Michelle McCue

Haxan Films and Amber Entertainment announced today they will start production on EXISTS on April 9th at Spiderwood Studios in Elgin, TX with Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project, Lovely Molly) directing.

Produced by Robin Cowie, Jane Fleming, Andy Jenkins and Mark Ordesky. The screenplay is written by Jamie Nash. The ensemble cast includes Dora Madison Burge, Samuel Davis, Roger Edwards, Chris Osborn and Denise Williamson. Brian Steele (Predators, Hellboy), the well-known “suit actor” will play Bigfoot. The film’s Executive Producers are Gregg Hale and Reed Frerichs.

EXISTS is Sanchez’s first foray into found footage since The Blair Witch Project. The film is a horror-thriller that chronicles a group of friends who set out into a remote Texas woods for a weekend of fun and are stalked and hunted by Bigfoot.

This is the second film produced under a multi-picture collaboration between Haxan Films (Blair Witch Project) and Amber Entertainment (The Frozen Ground). The first, Lovely Molly garnered critical acclaim after bows at the Midnight Madness lineup at Toronto and SXSW and is being released by Image Entertainment on May 18th. Production Designer Andrew White and Cinematographer John W. Rutland are also returning.

Sanchez and Haxan Films are repped by APA, Caliber Media and Stuart Rosenthal. Burge is repped by Tag Talent with Davis, Edwards and Osborn repped by Collier Talent. Williamson is repped by Pastorini-Bosby Talent. SRC: WeAreMovieGeeks.com

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Frozen Bigfoot Hoaxer to be Interviewed on "Extinct?" Podcast

What a way to celebrate April Fools Day, then to interview the biggest hoaxer of the millenia. True we are only 12 years into this millenia, but so far Rick Dyer wins.

Rick Dyer with Tom Biscardi during a 2008 Press conference.

You may Remember rick Dyer from the 2008 Frozen bigfoot hoax that was all the craze. You can go back in time and follow our complete coverage, including CNN video at our Georgia Gorilla link.

Today our friends at The Bigfoot Report, the folks responsible for the EXTINCT? series, are interviewing him live at  http://www.thebigfootreport.com/p/watch-extinct-podcast-live.html. Tune in at 2:00pm PST/2:00 EST! Michael Merchant (a/k/a SnowWalker Prime) has already expressed his excitement on his YouTube Channel.



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