Capturing Bigfoot Fallout

 

Capturing Bigfoot is a new documentary film by Marq Evans claiming to have "Exposed!" the "Truth!" about the Patterson-Gimlin film. The movie is based on several books about the subject that have been around for a while. ("There's always a book!") There have long been accusations against Roger and Bob that have been going on in one form or another almost continuously ever since their film was published, but this new one is different; it supposedly reveals definitive proof that the 1967 "Bigfootage" is a hoax. Capturing Bigfoot was unexpectedly put on general release a couple of days ago on the 20th, National Bigfoot Day. I'm curious to watch it, but unfortunately it is not yet available in my country. As soon as it is I will; however, although I try to avoid reviews of films I have yet to see, I have not been able to avoid the blowback on social media. The film has been harshly criticized from many experts in the Bigfoot research community while other former believers in the PG film have lamented that their dreams have now been shattered by reality. The backslappers bolted desperately in a race to be the first one to agree. As I've noted before, one thing backslappers cannot bear is naiveté in themselves; or, more accurately, to be regarded as naive by others. Conversely they love naiveté, or perceived naiveté, in others; in fact that is their oxygen, sustenance and lifeblood. In themselves though it is anathema. Being taken in by anything false is their worst nightmare, see: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2026/04/pie-andrew-dominae.html. Some began posting even before the film dropped. Patrick from Vetted did not win the coveted race, but he made a valiant effort. He Tweeted: "I saw the film too. I'd say the case is closed on the infamous footage." Source: https://x.com/VettedPodcast/status/2112548225790124195.
 
I've stopped watching Patrick of late. This is a pity because I generally like him and we got on well when we met; and I really enjoyed his film Psionics, see: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2026/06/psionics-movie.html. However, I've started to find his bottomless negativity irksome, to say the least. He uses the word "bombshell" in all his video titles ironically; because, according to him, there never is a real bombshell. I wonder if Patrick has also studied the critics of Capturing Bigfoot as well. The problem is that backslappers always feel uncomfortable doing that because it might be regarded as "naive!" or "hope porn!" I see this obstacle all the time in UFOlogy; in fact the Travis Walton fiasco is a good example, see: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2026/03/travis-accused-again.html. When it comes to a mysterious phenomenon case, in order to maintain their street cred it only takes the tiniest briefest whisper of the word "fake" and they drop it like a hot potato and run. It never occurs to them that a claim of something being faked can itself be a deception. The documentary premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival and it was revealed then that somebody had found an old 16 mm film reel. Its content was allegedly shot by Roger Patterson in 1966 and shows an actor wearing a Bigfoot costume. This is supposedly a rehearsal for the real hoax the following year. The man in the suit was somebody who has always been regularly accused of being an accomplice, Bob Heironimus. I have seen a clip of this found footage on Twitter and I do not find it at all convincing. That being said, I've yet to learn the full context and so shall reserve judgement until I've watched the movie; but from what I've heard from people whose opinion I've always found reliable, Capturing Bigfoot is not the great skeptic exposé it boasts to be.
See here for background: https://hpanwo.blogspot.com/2022/11/cryptozoology-portal.html.
And: https://hpanwo.blogspot.com/2021/08/skeptics-portal.html.