“Are you a believer?”
I’m not a fan of found footage films. I’ll acknowledge the fact that The Blair Witch Project utilized the internet to perfection when it comes to marketing, but the final film was dull, boring, and not that good. As a co-host of the Filmsquatch Podcast, I’ve had to watch many, many found footage films as that is one of the easiest and budget-friendly ways to make an independent film. As a fan of Bigfoot, 2013’s Willow Creek had been on my radar long before I started the podcast with my buddy, Patrick Bennett, and I had already viewed it a few times. Yes, the fact that it was a Bigfoot film enticed me, but what really hooked me in, despite it being a found footage movie, was the fact that it was written and directed by comedian and actor Bobcat Goldthwait.
Goldthwait did an amazing job with this film. He utilized sounds and practical effects to scare the crap out of tons of people with this movie. It didn’t hurt that the film’s two stars, Alexie Gilmore and Bryce Johnson, ran with the outline of the story that Goldthwait gave them and improvised most of the film with ease. They were very believable as a couple going out to investigate the area where the infamous Patterson-Gimlin film was shot in the 1960s. The highlight of the film was a nearly eighteen minute one shot wherein Gilmore and Johnson react to sounds and movements outside of their tent. It was a very tense scene and one of my favorite scenes in all of cryptid cinema.
If and when you do watch this film (if you haven’t watched it already), I highly recommend watching it with commentary on from Goldthwait, Gilmore, and Johnson. The trio do a great job of recalling different things that went on during the production. One of my favorite moments is when, during one very tense moment in the film, we learn about how actress Laura Montagna earned the nickname “Cinnamon Tits,” essentially breaking the tension of the scene. I do recommend watching the film without commentary first, and then diving back into it with the commentary.
If you’re looking for a real creeper that forces you to see things with your mind, give Willow Creek a shot. It’s got plenty of terror, a good dose of humor, and a couple of surprising scenes that will definitely catch you off guard.
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