Film Review – Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes

November 29th, 2012 | POSTED BY Chad Eng

Some people like movies where the “monster” is shown, and some people like it when the suspense and action put images in your head that could never be adequately visualized on film (sadly, fans of computer generated imaging don’t believe in the latter). Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes is an independent film from Steve Barker, shot as a documentary. This film doesn’t show the monster, and supports that decision by providing plenty of suspense and hints to keep the viewer stuck to their seat. Despite the running, yelling, and flashes of …something… in the woods, the film is surprisingly well put together and competent.

Sean is shooting a documentary on the Lost Coast in Northern California—an area of the Northwest with the most Sasquatch sightings in the country. He’s tracking down Bigfoot. He brings his small crew (including his ex-girlfriend) to find the man who claims he’s found a dead body of Bigfoot. Sean is paying this mountain man, Drybeck, a lot of money to interview him and spend some time filming in his secure compound deep in the woods.

During the initial interview with Drybeck, the crew is interrupted by noises in the woods. Drybeck rushes some of them inside as the generator is destroyed, but the film crew is there to get to the bottom of this legend/hoax. Sean is convinced it is Drybeck’s associate playing tricks on them, but their confidence begins to erode a little bit, especially when Drybeck abandons them. The crew has some good footage to this point, but should they risk continuing the shoot, or should they try to get to safety and abandon the project?

The film is really well shot, even for a handheld-heavy “making of a documentary” film, with impressive suspense moments, especially considering there isn’t any music soundtrack to help. The parts are played pretty well by the actors, even though Drybeck is a little bit over the top at times. They play him up as being an eccentric to cover the fact that he’s a little flashy with his lines. There are plenty of self camera shots with screaming and blood, but I didn’t get motion sick like I did with The Blair Witch Project. It is a much better production and story than that early handheld “real-life” film. Yes, you’ll have to suspend belief in a few instances, and yes you’ll see a few things coming plot-wise, but overall, the film is worth watching, especially if you’re into the legend of Bigfoot at all.

Final Grade: B

Ashley Wood, Bigfoot, Corey Grant, Drew Rausch, Frank Ashmore, Noah Weisberg, Rich McDonald, Sasquatch