The Legend of Boggy Creek is a 1972 American docudrama horror film about the "Fouke Monster," a Bigfoot-type creature that reportedly has been seen in and around Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940s. The film mixes staged interviews with some local residents who claim to have encountered the creature, along with reenactments of encounters. The film's director and producer, Charles B. Pierce, was an advertising salesman who convinced a local trucking company to invest in the film and hired locals (mainly high school students) to help complete it.

‍

The forerunner of an entire generation of locally produced independent films, this rarely seen Arkansas classic is a 1972 American docudrama horror film about the "Fouke Monster," a Bigfoot-type creature that reportedly has been seen in and around Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940s. The Fouke monster festival still happens in Fouke every year. If you’re in town, visit the Monster Mart!

The film's director and producer, Charles B. Pierce, was an advertising salesman In Texarkana who convinced a local trucking company to invest in the film and hired locals (mainly high school students and smaller kids) to help complete it. Some of the extras live in Little Rock today.

Once completed, Pierce had trouble securing distribution for the film, so he rented a theatre in Texarkana. The huge success of the film there led to the rights being bought, and the film went on to make many millions of dollars on what was probably less than a $160,000 budget.

The film has been praised for its atmospheric depiction of the Arkansas swamps and its mystery. As the Arkansas Gazette said at the time, "Scene after scene of almost pristine wilderness is a visual feast ... its sheer honest, rigid adherence to authenticity ... is highly persuasive that there is indeed, a ‘Fouke Monster.’ It's scary and charming ."

Pierce suddenly found himself with a career, and went on to make other Arkansas films such as The Town that Dreaded Sundown, westerns, and even a Viking movie. Ultimately, he moved to the west coast and worked with Clint Eastwood, penning the story for the Dirty Harry film Sudden Impact (“Go ahead… Make my day.”)

As a pioneer of low-budget Arkansas film, it is true that Pierce sometimes had trouble paying his actors, but in 2008 he was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the late, lamented Little Rock Film Festival.

We are proud to  continue their tradition, and to honor Pierce’s legacy as one of the first of those who strove to make independent films in Arkansas. After years of poor-quality copies and the rights being finally secured a few years ago , this is  a new restoration produced by Pamula Pierce, Pierce’s daughter. This will mark its Little Rock premiere.