One of the rarest first fiction films about the hairy creatures of the forests to locate today is Bigfoot (1970), directed by Robert E. Slatzer. It is a modest movie made for the drive-ins involving, in the jargon of the time, “babes and bikers.” Director Slatzer’s claim to fame, other than this movie, appears to have been that he was a former husband of Marilyn Monroe, and the director of Hellcats (1967), another biker movie.

Starring in Bigfoot are John Carradine (“Jasper B. Hawks”), John Mitchum (“Elmer Briggs”), Joi Lansing (“Joi Landis”), and Christopher Mitchum (“Rick”). Of some interest to us is the actor Nick Raymond who played both “Slim” and “Evil Bigfoot.” Villians always get top billing, but what I find remarkable about this movie is that it portrayed a Bigfoot family, a rare element in early hominology cinema. Of course, there was a family of Snowmen in the 1957 Japanese film, Half Human, which coincidentially also starred John Carradine in the American revised and dubbed version. But Bigfoot/Sasquatch families are not that frequently shown.

Anyway, here are the actors for Bigfoot’s family: James Stellar (“Lead Bigfoot”), Jerry Maren (“Child Bigfoot”), Gloria Hill (“Female Bigfoot”), Nancy Hunter (“Female Bigfoot”), and Alesha Lee (“Female Bigfoot”).

I recently finished an article for a forthcoming fall 2007 issue of TAPS Paramagazine about Bigfoot drive-in movies, and this specific one certainly ranks as one of the major films of the genre.

With the advent of YouTube, I discovered that a long clip from this scarce film has just been uploaded. Here it is for your viewing pleasure, a piece of Bigfoot popular culture from the days of drive-in movies (please pass the popcorn). Note the quality of cinematic Bigfoot costumes, circa 1970: