Creature from Black Lake (1976)

Two college students, one relatively normal and the other possibly inbred, go searching the Louisiana swamps for Bigfoot. They talk to several eccentric characters before encountering the creature itself. In the years following the classic Legend of Boggy Creek, there were a string of low-budget Bigfoot movies. This is one of the better ones. It's similar to Boggy Creek in some ways. The usage of flashbacks and Southern locales, for example. Unlike Boggy Creek, it doesn't have the same level of atmosphere or creepiness. Still, I enjoyed the country locations and people. You don't see a lot of that in films, then or now, unless it's non-Southern actors doing terrible accents and usually being condescending to the region and its people.John David Carson wears a stylish neckerchief so you know he's cool. Comic relief Dennis Fimple is in his mid-thirties and too old for the role of a college student. But I suppose in a movie like this, it doesn't matter much. The scene where Fimple's character Pahoo suddenly reveals he experienced the horrors of the Vietnam War is sure to elicit derisive snorts from viewers. Character actors Dub Taylor and Jack Elam are always a treat to watch.It's not particularly scary but it sure is fun. The creature costume is not bad, though we don't see it much. Honestly, there is some fun to be had at the movie's expense but it's not a stinker. It's an enjoyable movie about two goobers searching for Bigfoot. You can take it as it is or laugh at it -- either way, it's a good time

Two college students go down South looking for bigfoot. The locals try to warn them off. They get into some mild trouble with local girls, one of whom is naturally the sheriff's daughter. But the real fun begins when bigfoot shows up.Many of us who were children in the 70's harbor a certain misbegotten affection for bigfoot movies. Many of these were actually "documentaries" or "docudramas" that are pretty hard to find these days. Another one, "Snowbeast", is a pretty decent TV movie. This may be the best, certainly one of the better at least, of the purely fictional, cinematic movies. It's pretty tame like most of these movies were (with the exception of the wonderfully gory "Night of the Demon" and the short-lived "bigfoot-rape" movies), but it has some pretty good suspense and likable characters (including the guy who played "Ponce de Leon in the 70's cult classic "Pretty Maids All in a Row"). It was a local production made in the South by a director with a great affection for the region, who for once doesn't treat small-town Southerners like a bunch of dumb hicks (OK, maybe they really ARE a bunch of dumb hicks, but its still refreshing).This movie kind of fell into the shadow of the similar but more successful "Legend of Boggy Creek", but I personally liked this one a lot better. Tragically it's not available in widescreen yet, but I'd still recommend it.

This was one of the many low-budget Bigfoot movies made in the 70s, all of which were probably attempts to cash in on the success of "The Legend of Boggy Creek," which somehow took in $20 million. Despite being unoriginal, I think this is a MUCH better movie than "Creek" and possibly the best Bigfoot movie ever made, take that as you will.Whereas "Creek" suffered from having no plot, no main characters, and insane musical numbers, "Lake" has a tense, engaging story with a great cast. The last 15 minutes are unexpectedly suspenseful and had me hooked. It also has some very funny scenes, especially during the second half when we are introduced to Trapper Joe (played by fantastic character actor Jack Elam). Joe is hilarious, although I'm still slightly creeped out by the fact that he had a large doll hanging by a string in his bedroom. Besides the characters, I also just like the look and feel of this movie, with the brown, dusty backgrounds and eerie forests. The settings are great and create an unforgettable atmosphere. If you're looking for a low-budget thriller that, while not exactly scary, is at least fun and exciting, this one is hard to beat.

Boring, obvious "horror" film about 2 idiots who go to search for the title creature. Obviously this is just another ripoff of the legend of Bigfoot.I saw this back in 1976 at a local theatre when I was 14. I went because the local paper gave it a positive write up. I also dragged along my 9 year old brother and his friends. Basically they LOVED it. They said it was scary and "cool". I did not agree at all. I was bored and extremely angry--I expected them to SHOW the creature but (except for one half-way clear shot) they don't. You hear it's roar and you might see a hand or a foot but that's about it. In retrospect this was probably a good idea--the unseen is much more scary than what we CAN see. But when you're a young kid you could care less about subtlety--you want to SEE the monster.This movie came (and went) without a trace. It hasn't popped up on VHS or DVD yet (and hopefully won't). I give it a 4 because it IS an OK monster movie for kids--YOUNG kids. All others--stay away.