Cryptopalooza 2012 Marks the 45th Anniversary of the Patterson Film
Jefferson- Cryptid Hunters, film makers, scientists, writers, and enthusiasts gathered in Jefferson over the weekend for Cryptopalooza, marking the 45th anniversary of the Patterson Film. A lot of creatures lurk in the swamps and bayous near Jefferson, perhaps even Bigfoot. Numerous encounters with a hairy mythic creature have come out of Jefferson over the years, which made it the perfect location for the Bigfoot community to gather for a two-day conference and focus on those curious creatures whose existence has yet to be proven.
Cryptopalooza has been a long time in the making, but it finally became a reality this weekend. Over the years friends Michael Esordi, founder of Believe It Tour, and Craig Woolheater, founder of Cryptomundo, have tossed around ideas about the conference experience and how to make it even better for people. Out of those discussions the idea began to form of starting something new and unique.
Cryptopalooza featured several phenomenal guest speakers, including Loren Coleman, one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
“Who here believes in Bigfoot?” Coleman asked the audience.
Almost every hand went up into the air.
“Thats good. Who here believes in aliens?” Coleman then asked.
Again almost every hand went up into the air, although this time Coleman teased those who raised their hands.
Coleman laid out hope for cryptid hunters Saturday as he spoke about other creatures that were not discovered until after nearly 70 years of searching such as the Mountain gorilla and the giant panda. Scientists searched for the mountain gorilla for 55 years until they finally verified its existence in 1902, and for the giant panda for 67 years until verified.
“Passion and patience are the two most important things in cryptozoology,” said Coleman.
He also spoke about films that have set the search for Bigfoot back, such as “Harry and the Hendersons.” Coleman said such films have had an enormous impact on the Bigfoot research field, which has been mostly negative due to the humor and ridicule factor.
However, not all films are bad for Bigfoot’s image.
Next year you can expect one of the best, if not the best, Bigfoot movie ever to hit the big screen. Mark Ordesky, Executive Producer of “Lord of the Rings,” and Eduardo Sanchez, director of “Blair Witch Project,” have teamed up to bring you “EXISTS!” This film is sure dramatically change the direction of Bigfoot cryptofiction films.
“This film was made by believers for believers,” Sanchez said.
Ordesky added, “When we made “Lord of the Rings,” we made it for the fans.”
Both Sanchez and Ordesky hold the Bigfoot community in high regard and want to make a film that the community can appreciate. They came to Jefferson to reach out to believers.
“The first time Ed and I met we talked about Boggy Creek,” Ordesky said.
Sanchez also pointed out that Boggy Creek really inspired Blair Witch.
Most of the cast of “EXISTS” is from Texas. The film was shot earlier this year during the spring in the Lost Pines of Bastrop. “EXISTS” is set near the Big Thicket, an extremely bio-diverse place.
STAY TUNED for more information about “EXISTS.”
Jerry Hestand also spoke at Cryptopalooza. He has been involved in Bigfoot research since 2001 when he joined the Texas Bigfoot Research Center (later to be known as the Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy.) The Patterson-Gimlin film, as well as the movie “The Legend of Boggy Creek” were instrumental in his interest in the creature.
Jerry has spent many hours researching the phenomenon in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. His special interest is the Red River and Sulphur River corridor stretching across the northern part of the state of Texas.
Jerry has spoken at several Bigfoot related events, usually about the mysterious “Beast Boggy Creek” which was the subject of a book written by his good friend Lyle Blackburn. Also Hestand has been mentioned in several publications about the subject from local newspaper articles, magazines and books.
Other faces at the event included Ken Gerhard, Lyle Blackburn, Chester Moore, and Dave Coleman.
Austin’s Museum of the Weird was also at Cryptopalooza. They brought several of their oddities to Jefferson just for the occasion.
With the growing number of Bigfoot and cryptozoolgy conferences spreading across the country, it’s obvious there’s an interest in these topics and a need for events to bring people together.
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