Enter The Bigfoot

After "The Tent Video" was released by Rick Dyer, the story came out as to where this all went down and how.

Rick Dyer was participating in a Documentary by Minnow Films http://www.minnowfilms.co.uk/in-production/Shooting_Bigfoot.html called "Shooting Bigfoot". Of course this was not the working title of this documentary when it was being filmed. It was called, I believe "Of Monsters and Men".

 Review by Drew Taylor at the Doc NYC premier:

Matthews begins the movie by claiming to have been enraptured by the Bigfoot mythology as a child and shocked that, even as the supposedly real footage of the creature was revealed to be a series of elaborate hoaxes, that the “cult of Bigfoot is still very much alive.” Wondering what drives people who are openly flying in the face of scientific fact, Matthews travels to America and embeds himself with four amateur Bigfoot hunters, each with their own unique angle on tracking the mythical monster.
 

In Ohio, we meet Dallas Gilbert and Wayne Burton, a pair of backwoods Bigfoot hunters who claim that they have regular encounters with hairy beasts (Dallas, who appears to be missing most of his teeth, says that they prefer to be called “Sasquatch” instead of “Bigfoot”). They’re both low rent “Bigfoot researchers” who have spent years taking fuzzy photographs in the woods where they live in rural Ohio. (These photos are wallpapered in Dallas’ crummy “research library” in his home.) They are utterly convinced and lack any kind of self-awareness. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Texas, a homeless woman places a 911 call to local law enforcement reporting that a “big thing” covered in fur terrorized her camp in the woods and devoured an entire deer carcass right in front of her. Matthews arrives in Texas shortly after Rick Dyer, a self-described “Bigfoot master tracker” who has a Chevy truck emblazoned with his own photo. 

For a while you think that this could be the crux of the documentary: the very human squabbling over a very inhuman monster. But this idea is only teased out for so long. While interviewing Biscardi at his home in northern California, the documentarian (who has interviewed countless Bigfoot eye witnesses, including our friends Wayne and Dallas) shows Matthews footage from his latest opus: “Anatomy of a Bigfoot Hoax.”  Biscardi is desperate to clear his name; apparently in the community, helping to forge a Bigfoot discovery is akin to wearing a big, furry scarlet letter.
 

Each of the so-called experts, either fed up with Matthews’ smart-alecky British attitude or wanting to prove his line of questioning wrong, invite the filmmaker along on their Bigfoot hunts: Wayne and Dallas in Ohio, Dire in San Antonio, and Biscardi in god-knows-where. Each section of the movie develops its own rhythm and tempos, feeling almost like three separate buddy movies, or maybe road movies (with a bit of a “fish out of water” vibe thrown in for good measure). With Dyer, the mood is prickly and antagonistic. When Matthews asks him how one gets qualified to be a “master tracker,” Dyer snaps back, “What are your qualifications on being an asshole filmmaker?” In the Texas woods, the two meet a young homeless man, which leads Dyer to open up about his own upbringing, and it’s a touching, poignant, insanely human moment in a movie that’s otherwise filled with larger-than-life characters chasing even larger dreams.
 

Biscardi has the kind of foul-mouthed, amiable attitude of an optimistic East Coast gangster. After interviewing an eye witness whose story seemed to drag on forever, Biscardi snaps, “Ask the guy the time and he builds you a fuckin’ watch.” The “team” Biscardi puts together, including members of his own family, has its own ramshackle charm, like a state-of-the-art platoon that was just unleashed from a psychiatric ward.

And Dallas and Wayne are just … Dallas and Wayne. They amble around the backwoods of Ohio without much purpose but with a lot of drive. It’s like watching “Prince Avalanche” but with more Bigfoot mating calls and “shamanistic” chanting. At some point Dallas recounts an accident he had where they had to graft his skull using sheep bone, something that he says gives him an advantage into the animal world because their DNA mixed. But they’re the most genuine of the bunch; good old boys without much to do but who truly believe that they’re tracking an elusively mythological beast.

“Shooting Bigfoot” is riotously entertaining, from the opening animated title sequence (complete with plucky banjo music) to the final moments which threaten to ruin the entire movie (apparently the huckster allure of phony sightings is too much to resist). Matthews is a funny, intelligent documentarian who has clearly modeled himself on the similarly dry, quick-witted British journalist Jon Ronson, and who paints three separate portraits of everyday people who are desperate to believe. Whether or not that extends into delusion is something that the viewer can make up their minds about. But for us, we were happy to just be along for the ride.

Here's another review:

By Ben Rawson-Jones

Released on Sunday, Jun 23 2013

Director: Morgan Matthews Starring: C. Thomas Biscardi, Wayne Burton, Rick Dyer, Morgan Matthews; Running time: 90 mins

BAFTA-winning documentarian Morgan Matthews has emerged bruised and shaken from the San Antonio woodlands armed with a compelling and hilarious movie that's created a palpable buzz at the 2013 Edinburgh Film Festival.

Shooting Bigfoot tracks various individuals, governed by delusion and determination, during their desperate attempts to prove the existence of the elusive creature that's been the subject of countless hoaxes. But is the movie itself a hoax?

Much like its mysterious subject matter, there are clear bones of contention about the degree of its authenticity and veracity. That's surely the intention of Matthews, to make the viewer embark on their own quest for truth and thus mirror the basis of the film. It all boils down to it being a quasi-religious exploration of faith.

Various tragi-comic individuals are encountered along the way, spanning the generations and using highly amusing methods like tinned mackerel and urine to entice Bigfoot out into the open. Many displays of their delusion provoke howls of laughter that resemble the hirsute beast's mating call, a sound that one elderly hunter frequently produces to attract his target.

Yet, according to a quick trawl through the web, these people are real. It's a strange world we inhabit, although the editing does these people few favors. Morgan, whose inquisitive 'Brit out of water' style evokes a more abrasive Louis Theroux, mostly stays behind the camera until the bold finale takes the movie into Blair Witch territory.

An extremely mirthful, eminently quotable ("Jane, get me a Snapple") and provocative movie that also features an amiable former Navy Seal called Chico, Shooting Bigfoot has the potential to cross over into the mainstream and become a surprise hit.

And one more for good measure:

By Kevin Scott

By turns uproariously funny, disturbingly sad and downright exhilarating, Shooting Bigfoot jumps headlong into a strange subculture and emerges as an immensely rewarding entertainment. It finds a group of people so committed to proving the existence of a Sasquatch that they will go to unimaginable lengths to discover any shred of evidence. Though it's hard to identify with their methods or their logic at times, they possess such a fevered belief in the idea of giant upright creatures living in the woods that we can't help but want to temporarily step out of the realm of reality with them.

As he follows three separate groups of hunters on trips to places where Bigfoot has supposedly been spotted, director Morgan Matthews' British accent and skepticism naturally lend scenes a fish-out-water comic tilt. In Ohio, he joins Wayne and Dallas, who teach us that the beast apparently prefers the term Sasquatch. They try to lure it out of hiding with a can of mackerel when not bellowing primal screams into the forest, occasionally pausing to listen for a reply or point to a dark spot in the trees they think it might be.

Rick Dyer, who we know is a "master tracker" because he has decal-ed his car with so many stickers stating this, journeys into a stretch of San Antonio woods where a homeless woman had been scared enough to dial 911 after a close call with an unidentified creature. He stakes out alone for days, becoming increasingly irritated with the light from the camera shining on him at night, as if it were exposing his failure.

The most organized of the bunch, Tom Biscardi, has a team of experienced men at his disposal, including a tracker whom he affectionately calls Young blood and a Navy Seal named Chico. This doesn't make him any more credible, though, having already been associated with Dyer in a 2008 hoax. A blowhard with a short fuse, he's frequently losing his temper and overreacting to the most trivial of discoveries.

Individual scenes and lines are so funny and the characters so exaggerated yet deadpan that you'd be forgiven at times for thinking this was the newest Christopher Guest mockumentary. But then, just when you think the film is about to arrive at the obvious conclusion that these people are all delusional, there is a surprising climax that induces chills.

Whether what happens is legitimate or simply another hoax is sure to be discussed in the days to come but what's undeniable is how effectively it rattles the rational mind and, at least for a moment, makes you wonder.

 

Here's the trailer for this Documentary, pay attention to the commentary and what happens at the end.
 

The reason Rick Dyer was in San Antonio Texas looking for Bigfoot was because he heard about the 911 call from a homeless woman talking about a sighting she and her husband had in their homeless community. Here's the written transcript of the call. You can also find the audio on YouTube, but I don't want to get into trouble using someones YouTube videos.

911 Dispatch: 911 San Antonio Do you need Police Fire or EMF.

Caller: I'm not real sure mam, Um I just watched the biggest creat-critter, but it smelled real bad. I'm a homeless female I live right in the middle of the woods around 151 and Calebra. Just north where the light is? This thing was 75 ft away from me, smelled awful, devoured a deer carcass and then took off and like screamed, screeched; and took off across the street. And I know you guys are going to think I'm crazy, but I'm dead serious,there was something very big. Bigger--a lot bigger than me (heh) -- out here. So we thought it was something you should know, really dont know what you can do about it.

911 Dispatch: Uhh, how long ago did this happen?

Caller: This I'm um. How long? Like immediately. Like I just, yeah. (Second voice in distance) I dont know if animal control? I mean its...

911 Dispatch: Ok, again, now tell now tell me where was it? This was is at 151 and Calebra?

Caller: Ok yeah like, you know the light right at 151 just up from calebra on 1604 like where 1604 splits and you can get off on the access road to calebra or you can take 151?

911 Dispatcher: Right.

Caller: That light right in there? Its, yes, right in there It is a very large scary animal of some kind!

911 Dispatcher: Now was it standing on two or four?

Caller: Well if I told you it was standing on two legs, your gonna think I'm crazy, but I'm serious it ran off breaking limbs in trees. And it kinda screeched/howled. And a very creepy scary thing and like I said I live in a tent, um, here in the woods. So..Never...

911 Dispatcher: You live in a tent?

Caller: Yes mam I'm a homeless female, I live in a tent, in the woods and I just saw this creepy scary very large creature devour a deer and run off clear across the road so um...

911 Dispatcher: Okay is there any way we can have an officer contact you?

Caller: Uh yeah, I guess at this number. Um but I really prefer like animal control or somebody bigger than me. i appreciate it, I just thought somebody should know that there is a very large animal in the vicinity

911 Dispatcher: Now the deer was walking around and...?

Caller: No. The deer was dead and it got devoured, it was a carcass.

911 Dispatcher: Okay and did you see signs of um a dead deer? Blood or whatever?

Caller: Um actually Mam uh I'm not-I'm not going to check it out right at this moment. Is that ok?

911 Dispatcher: That's fine.

Caller: I'm waitin' for daylight, I got...I don't own anything but a machete and a hatchet. So, I'm kinda creeped out. I just thought, like I said, I just thought somebody should know theres a very large something big enough to eat a deer

911 Dispatcher: Are you with someone there?

Caller: Uh, yes mam.

911 Dispatcher: Did they see it too?

Caller: Yes mam.

911 Dispatcher: How about I have an officer contact you guys out there?

Caller: Um, I'm not going to leave my camp right at the moment, I mean if you want to come look at the light. (to her partner) She wants to send an officer

Caller's male partner: Like Hell!

Caller: eh huh, we're not leaving where we're at, is like what we're trying to say. I'm a little bit scared and its raining. And um, I just want somebody to maybe check it out in the morning when its not dark.

911 Dispatcher: What i can do right now is have the officer patrol the area. Which direction did it run?

Caller: It ran across um the light at 151, like towards the water tower on two feet. Like my husband said. Something very weird. I just wanted make a documentation to animal control.

911 Dispatcher: Have you ever seen or heard anything like this before?

Caller: No mam,I lived in the woods a while

Caller's Husband: I lived in the woods for 6 yrs. I'm gonna tell you right now, I lived in the woods for 6 yrs, i swear to god I ain't never seen anything like this! the sonuvabitch was bigger than me!

Caller: And it had a very odd smell.

Caller's Husband: I'm 6'3", I'm 6'3". it was bigger than ME!

Caller: yeah so.

911 Dispatcher: Its bigger than 6'3"?

Caller: Yeah its bigger than 6 foot 3, its very large!

Caller's Husband: (muffled) He carried the carcass off!

Caller: Yeah.

911 Dispatcher: What did he say?

Caller: "He carried the carcass off!"

911 Dispatcher: Oh he carried it!

Caller: I mean it was like nothing. Like Just. Like, I want to believe it was like a large cat or a bear but I'm...

Caller's Husband: Bulls#!t, bulls#!t.

Caller: I'm thinkin', I'm not going to tell him what I think it is.

911 Dispatcher: What does he think it is?

Caller: (to her husband) What do you think it is?

Caller's Husband: What I think it was? I don't know. I would be a liar if I said I thought I knew what it was. But I know it picked up that deer and run--on two feet!

Caller: Yeah, its very large something. It smells bad and it's bigger than we are.

911 Dispatcher: So you saw it walk or runninin' or walk in which direction?

Caller: Uh, towards the light at 151 and 1604.

Caller's Husband: It went towards the water tower area.

Caller: Yeah, it went towards the water tower area and it screeched/howled. (to husband) Yelled?

Caller's Husband: Yeah.

Caller: Yeah my husband's very large. Nothing has ever scared him. Ever. And um.

Caller's Husband: I saw it too!

Caller: I mean we both saw it, so.

911 Dispatcher: Did it have any type of clothing?

Caller: No No, It was fur.

911 Dispatcher: OK

Caller: As far as I can tell, I mean its a pretty light night out due to the overcast, we doused our fire. I have this like blanket thing hung up and we saw it over the top of that. And when it ran it cracked branches. yeah it was large, like the size of the grizzly bear! Imagine that! So...

Caller's Husband: (to caller) It had two feet momma!

Caller: I know.

911 Dispatcher: Okay and did you? What is your name?

Caller: Jennifer, Jennifer. yeah its raining now and we can't hear nuthin' outside. Its kinda scary.

911 Dispatcher: Okay alright we'll have an officer patrol that area and see what we can find.

Caller: I know, I mean you guys might find--or animal control might be able to find some tracks or something in the morning. Its hard to find tracks (inaudible, then to husband) She says she's going to send a patrol to the area. So.

Caller's Husband: Go to the light and sound your sirens.

Caller: Go to the light and sound your sirens, and we'll come out of the woods and talk to you.

911 Dispatcher: you guys, you guys have you camp set up at 151 and Calebra?

Caller: Um not exactly, um yeah in the area. Just go to the light and sound the sirens and we would hear you (from) where we're at.

911 Dispatcher: At 151 and 1604. Right?

Caller: Yes. mam.

911 Dispatcher: OK

Caller: Alright?

911 Dispatcher: Alright.

Caller: Thank you

911 Dispatcher: Your Welcome.

I think that's enough to ponder over for now. Remember this was "Documentary". By Morgan Matthews. These are some of his credits:
 

Morgan Matthews

 

BAFTA winning director Morgan Matthews has been directing documentaries for over ten years, establishing a distinctive style. His earlier work included the Bafta, RTS and Grierson nominated Taxidermy: Stuff the World, the RTS nominated Channel 4 series My Crazy Parents, and the feature length Beautiful Young Minds, which was also Bafta, RTS and Grierson nominated. Morgan founded Minnow Films in 2006, starting with a Grierson nominated film for Channel 4 Battleship Antarctica, then going on to make The Fallen, a three-hour film for BBC2, remembering every British serviceman and woman killed in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. It was named best single documentary of 2008 at the RTS awards, and won two Bafta’s including Best Factual Director. At Minnow Films, Morgan is committed to developing new talent whilst also attracting some of the best established directors in British documentary including Charlie Russell, Nick Holt, Daisy Asquith, John Dower, Henry Singer, Jessie Versluys and Ben Anthony. Recently the RTS nominated Minnow series for Channel 4 Fighting on the Frontline embedded three directors with British troops in Afghanistan. Whilst exec producing at Minnow, Morgan continues to direct, making the powerful Scenes from a Teenage Killing, chronicling every teenager who died as a result of violence in the UK over one year. The film premiered at the Sheffield DocFest, where it won the audience award and was also Bafta nominated for best documentary. Most recently, Morgan worked with Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald on the ambitious Britain in a Day project, and is now working on his next documentary, a proposed theatrical co-pro between BBC Storyville and the BFI. The BFI and BBC Films are also working with Morgan on a feature film inspired by his documentary Beautiful Young Minds.

I highly doubt that this film maker would be involved in a "Mock-u-mentary". And if it was, I'm sure that's what it would be advertised as.

The more you find out about this film and Rick Dyer, the deeper we go into the rabbit hole! Hang on it's only the Beginning. Stay tuned for the next blog.

In the mean time I suggest you join https://www.facebook.com/rickdyerofficial and http://bigfoottoday.com/
for up to date information about the discovery of lifetime.