While the title may make it sound like some of the more dubious erotica e-books available on Amazon Bigfoot’s Bride is not Sasquatch porn. If that’s your thing there’s always 1971’s The Geek. Instead, what writer/director Erick Wofford has given us is one of the most bizarre films about the big hairy guy I’ve seen in a long time.
A mostly unseen creature kills a pair of hunters. A fisherman catches and guts a couple of fish and Bigfoot eats the discarded heads. Bigfoot (Daniel Wofford) is not what you might expect. He looks like some kind of mutant wearing mechanic’s overalls bearing the name Fred. He also wears what looks like an old fake fur jacket and wrap. We also occasionally get to hear his thoughts.
Meanwhile Heather (Jessica Megan Rivera) argues with her ex by phone before setting up camp. She catches the big guy’s attention when she wanders into the woods. And captures his heart when she drops her shorts to take a leak. We see pee but not any naughty bits, remember what I said about this not being erotica. Or maybe it is if you’re into water sports.
After sitting watching her for a while and holding up a diamond ring he has in his pocket, Bigfoot wanders off to kill a few random campers. He returns to proclaim his love. Needless to say, things do not go as he anticipated.
There’s also a subplot involving another hunter (Joel Rogers) and a couple of women Bigfoot has tied up in an abandoned barn, Rebecca (Meghan Marie Otis) and Jody who’s played in some scenes by Xia Orozco and others by Jordan Phipps (Close Calls, 10/31).
On its Film Freeway page, the film compares itself to a Roger Corman film. But I didn’t sense that kind of vibe from Bigfoot’s Bride. With its Georgia locations, frequent use of nature footage and the number of cast and crew with the last name Woffard it felt more like one of the regional drive-in films of the 70s. Something that family outfits like the Ormonds (The Exotic Ones) or the Sebastians (Gator Bait) would have made and sent around the various theater chains.
The equally frequent use of psychedelic colored filters and faked film scratches also help to give Bigfoot’s Bride a 70s feel. Though the animated blood spray and I mean cartoon animation, not CGI, give it more of a Troma feel than anything.
Overall Bigfoot’s Bride is just such a strange mix of styles it feels like it crawled out of a grindhouse. I found it tremendously amusing, though I know a lot of people will have just the opposite response. I do wish it had stayed truer to its grindhouse inspiration and carried through on the promise of some skin. However, if you sit through the end credits you’ll not only get to hear the song Bigfoot’s Bride there’s a final scene that just adds to the insanity. it also made me think of another bizarre Bigfoot flick, Demonwarp.
Bigfoot’s Bride won’t be for everyone but if it sounds like your kind of film give it a chance. It’s getting ready to head out on the festival circuit. You can check for updates on its Facebook page.