BOGGY CREEK II (1981)
Directed by Charles Pierce
Media VHS
Reviewed 11.24.04
Review by Joseph A. Ziemba

THE FILM
Now this is unfortunate. Charles Pierce follows up The Legend Of Boggy Creek, the greatest Bigfoot film of all time, with...this. He even ignored 1977’s Return To Boggy Creek, made by some other crumbs, which in turn, ignored the first film. That’s right where the excitement begins and ends.

In this bland mash-up of Shriek Of The Mutilated and an episode of Dallas, any notion of mystery and suspense is thrown completely out the window. After the first five minutes, in which Bigfoot emerges from the murks of Texarkana and decapitates a deer, we see everything. No more far away pans ala the first film. No colorful real life local folk to add to the scent of “maybe it really happened” authenticity. Just big time, atmosphere-ruining close ups of Mr. Yeti (including awful rubber mask face shots), lots of daisy duke cut-offs, and sheer stupidity-drenched boredom. An outhouse poop scene with fart noises? Nope, I feel no comic relief.

Professor Lockhart (Charles Pierce hisself!) embarks on a backwoods expedition to track Bigfoot with the help of his super scanner computer. Along for the tow are two typical bimbos and a dorky guy (Charlie Pierce, Jr. -- call him “Chuck”) that spends most of his time sans shirt. While the quartet stares at the Vectrex computer screen and fends off an inexplicable mad dog attack, we’re treated to soft focus flashbacks told by the good doctor. Flashbacks of what? Why, local encounters with B.F., that’s what! Big surprise, none of these melees (the least of which being the previously mentioned outhouse scene) are the least bit scary, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself. The two girls try to leave camp by stealing the jeep. Yawn. One of the girls says “I think he’s sexy,” naturally referring to you-know-who. Eventually, these four geniuses meet up with “Old Man Crenshaw,” a dirt-covered mongoloid that lives alone in the marsh. But what kind of secret is he harboring? Could it be a totally ludicrous secret? The ending made me think of rainbows and marmalade. You know, good stuff.

Attempted “acting” and a fictitious story-line do not bode well for the Boggy one. In fact, nothing bodes well in this film. The style is drab, it feels like a cheap cash-in, and there’s never any tangible payoff. As much as it pains me to say it, Boggy Creek II was a big disappointment. Better luck next time, Chuck.

AUDIO AND VIDEO
The picture was just fine, maybe a little worn out. Looks like a typical old rental tape, no frills. The mono sound on the other hand...what’s with the crackle?! Highly annoying, but only appeared intermittantly.

EXTRAS
Oh yes. Trailers for Beverly Hills Brats, Stuff Stephanie In The Incinerator, and American Boyfriends.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Turning the Boggy mythos into a run of the mill scare film was a bad idea. Cheap, listless, and not very entertaining. Stop searching for this one unless you’re an absolutely crazy Bigfoot completist.

The troops


Real genius


Bath time


Boggy of the apes