Valley of the Sasquatch

Last updated
Valley of the Sasquatch
Valley of the Sasquatch poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed byJohn Portanova
Written byJohn Portanova
Produced by
  • Matt Medisch
  • Brent Stiefel
Starring
  • Miles Joris-Peyrafitte
  • Jason Vail
  • David Saucedo
  • D'Angelo Midili
  • Bill Oberst Jr.
CinematographyJeremy Berg
Edited byDavid Phillips
Music byJon Bash
Production
companies
  • The October People
  • Votiv Films
Release date
  • February 20, 2015 (2015-02-20)(NFF)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Valley of the Sasquatch (also known as Hunting Grounds) is a 2015 American horror film written and directed by John Portanova and starring Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Jason Vail, David Saucedo, D'Angelo Midili, and Bill Oberst Jr. as a group of hunters who encounter a family of Sasquatches. It premiered in February 2015 at the Nevermore Film Festival.

Contents

Plot

After his wife dies, Roger forces his son Michael to go on a hunting trip in rural Washington with a family friend and Roger's brother-in-law. When they reach their cabin, they find it has been broken into and is a mess. Thinking nothing of it, Roger and the others enter the nearby woods, where they encounter a family of hostile Sasquatches.

Cast

Production

Valley of the Sasquatch is Portanova's debut. [1] Portanova, a Washington native and Bigfoot fan, included local stories from Washington in the screenplay. Shooting took place entirely on location, including at Snoqualmie Pass and Meany Lodge, [2] [3] over 23 days. [1] The monster suit was designed by Doug Hudson. [4]

Release

Valley of the Sasquatch premiered on February 20, 2015, at the Nevermore Film Festival. [5]

Critical response

Ken W. Hanley of Fangoria rated it 2/4 stars and, though he praised Portanova's skill at directing and Hudson's special effects, wrote the writing is too generic. [6] Mark L. Miller of Ain't It Cool News wrote the film fulfills all the criteria necessary for a good Bigfoot film: a new story, good action scenes, and a good costume. [7] Ari Drew of Dread Central rated it 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "While Valley of the Sasquatch does not necessarily bring on the horror in a major or fresh way, it is at times a very effectively atmospheric film with some interesting ideas behind it." [8] Michael Juvinall of Horror Society rated 4.5/5 stars and called it "the best this subgenre has to offer". [9]

Mike Wilson of Bloody Disgusting gave the film a mixed review, writing, " Portanova certainly knows his way around with the camera, and the actors, for the most part, gave the effort necessary. The film just falters at attempting to mix a human drama with Bigfoot, being let down by the writing. Rough as it is, it’s still worthwhile to see it if you’re a fan of Bigfoot films, and you temper your expectations." [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 Rahner, Mark (2015-05-12). "SIFF 2015: Director John Portanova's Sasquatch Massacre!". Seattle Weekly . Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  2. ↑ "Sasquatch coming to SIFF". KING-TV . 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  3. ↑ Kay, Tony (2015-05-22). "PNW Filmmaker Ventures into the 'Valley of the Sasquatch'". City Arts Online. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ↑ Klauss, Nicole (2015-05-13). "Movie filmed in Roslyn to debut". Daily Record . Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  5. ↑ "Valley of the Sasquatch". Nevermore Film Festival. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  6. ↑ Hanley, Ken W. (2015-05-11). ""VALLEY OF THE SASQUATCH" (Film Review)". Fangoria . Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  7. ↑ Miller, Mark L. (2015-04-08). "VALLEY OF THE SASQUATCH (2015)". Ain't It Cool News . Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  8. ↑ Drew, Ari (2015-11-25). "Valley of the Sasquatch (2015)". Dread Central . Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  9. ↑ Juvinall, Michael (2015-05-15). "Valley of the Sasquatch (2015) Review". Horror Society. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  10. ↑ Wilson, Mike (4 January 2017). "[Review] 'Hunting Grounds' Packs the Bigfoot, Forgets the Writing - Bloody Disgusting". BloodyDisgusting.com. Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
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