A documentary about the American cryptid 'Bigfoot' may help us understand modern society, where conspiracy theories are rampant.

by duluoz cats

Bigfoot is a cryptid (unidentified mysterious animal) that has been sighted in the United States, and is rumored to be a large, bipedal ape-like creature about 2 meters tall. A new documentary about 'footage of Bigfoot' filmed in 1967 has been released, and the Wall Street Journal has discussed the Bigfoot phenomenon in the context of modern conspiracy theories.

A New Bigfoot Documentary Helps Explain Our Conspiracy-Minded Era - WSJ
https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/a-new-bigfoot-documentary-helps-explain-our-conspiracy-minded-era-f9ef6237

In 1967, a former cowboy named Roger Patterson filmed what is considered 'evidence of Bigfoot.' The video in question shows Bigfoot walking upright in an open area on the riverbank.

Patterson-Gimlin Film HD 60fps - YouTube


This video caused a huge stir, prompting people who believe in Bigfoot to begin serious searches and helping it become established as a part of pop culture. However, there have also been accusations that the video is a hoax and testimonies that some people helped to fabricate it, and the debate continues to this day.

The documentary film ' Capturing Bigfoot, ' which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2026, showed footage of Patterson and others 'rehearsing' for Bigfoot filming. Mark Evans, the director of 'Capturing Bigfoot,' commented, 'The test footage is the work of a director with a clear vision.'

According to Evans, he obtained the rehearsal footage from a colleague at Olympic University in Washington State. This colleague found the film in a safe belonging to his late father, who worked at a Boeing film processing lab. It's possible his father had secretly developed the film and kept it for himself.

You can watch the trailer for 'Capturing Bigfoot' below.

Capturing Bigfoot SXSW - YouTube


Having obtained rehearsal footage, Evans conducted extensive research to explore the impact of the Bigfoot phenomenon. Patterson, who passed away in 1972, self-published books about Bigfoot and showcased his own footage in shows that toured the United States, thus creating a massive Bigfoot industry.

However, as Patterson raised a large amount of money, he began to incur the displeasure of his friends, and his wife was forced to remain silent even though she knew the Bigfoot hoax was a hoax, Evans claims in the documentary. Patterson's son, Clint Patterson, was disowned by his mother when he tried to reveal the truth about 10 years ago.

Clint says that when his father returned from an expedition in 1967, he told him, 'I've got it on video,' but refused to look him in the eye. 'When my dad said that, he turned his face away from me and refused to look me in the eye. That has always bothered me,' Clint said.

The Wall Street Journal pointed out that Patterson's Bigfoot hoax had sparked financial disputes and feuds among family and friends. 'At a time when conspiracy theories are a daily threat due to the proliferation of internet rumors, disinformation bots, and AI-generated falsehoods, this shaky footage seems like the beginning of a wave of chaos that will engulf modern society and erode trust in the very concept of truth,' it stated.