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Bigfoot is one of those rare myths that somehow never seems to fade from public consciousness. True believers will die on the hill of the existence of a super race of elusive apes living in the mountains, and others perpetuate the tale out of entertainment value.
On Aug. 29, director James Chick will make his first contribution to Bigfoot mythology with Feet of Death, a sasquatch-centric thriller debuting at Kiggins Theatre in Vancouver, Wash. The film will be released on Amazon Prime and Tubi at a later date, meaning this will be the film’s only theater screening. Feet of Death is also the first film Chick’s written and directed.
The movie follows a social media creator, Chris—played by Eric Berger—as he attempts to get to the bottom of a series of murders at the base of Mount St. Helens. At the same time, U.S. ranger Jason and police sheriff Ken, played by Andrew Brown and Jack Vanover, respectively, investigate the same mystery, with the investigators eventually all crossing paths.
Chick is quick to reassure viewers that the famed primate is not the big twist, as Bigfoot is front and center in the film’s marketing. While Bigfoot doesn’t seriously come into play until later in the movie, his inclusion is what may draw people in. “The third act has the monster, but that’s not the resolution to the mystery,” Chick says. “Making this kind of film, Bigfoot is my tease. I don’t have a Tom Cruise, Bigfoot is my Tom Cruise. I couldn’t really hide the fact that it’s a Bigfoot film.”
Chick is persistent that Feet of Death not look like just another cheap indie film, though its budget is very small.
“I’ve been in the film industry for years, and I’ve helped out on a ton of other people’s projects, both big and small,” Chick says. “I kind of know how to do all the different departments, so I ran a really lean crew and relied on my knowledge.”
Chick, partially out of budget constraints and with a particular understanding of what monster movie fans look for in a film, chose to have Bigfoot be primarily practical, only using digital effects for facial expressions. Chick’s Bigfoot will also differ from traditional mythology, acting more like a monkey. “Originally, I really wanted my Bigfoot to be more simian and apelike,” Chick says. “As soon as I started mentioning or talking about that on [Meta] groups, I got torn apart because people have very strong opinions on what the Bigfoot is. Our creature runs on all fours as well as being [bipedal], so he’s got a little bit of both.”
At the premiere, the practical Bigfoot will appear at the theater, finally giving people the opportunity to snap a photo. After the screening, guests are invited to a Q&A with Chick. While it will certainly be a small film debut, Chick is hoping to cultivate the theater experience that can make films feel so special. “The more people in a theater that you’re watching together just makes the moviegoing experience better,” Chick says. “The laughs are funnier, the scares are bigger, just seeing it in that group community environment is so much better.”
SEE IT: Feet of Death premieres at Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main St., Vancouver, Wash., 360-816-0352, kigginstheatre.com. 7 pm Thursday, Aug. 29. $15. All ages.