Roger Patterson’s complete book “Do Abominable Snowmen of America Really Exist?” with an update Supplement on the famous Patterson/Gimlin Bigfoot film. Hancock House 253 pp.
by Roger Patterson and Christopher Murphy

Two for one

The Bigfoot Film Controversy is really a collaboration of sorts. Christopher Murphy republishes the original Roger Patterson book with a supplement added at the end of the book. Roger Patterson’s book, Do Abominable Snowmen of America Really Exist? is one of the early attempts to prove bigfoot’s existence through the written format. Patterson’s book is not so much a written apologetics of bigfoot but actually reads like a scrapbook and diary of an unabashed bigfoot believer.

Patterson’s book is peppered with bigfoot news articles from the 50’s and 60’s along with some of the classic bigfoot stories. These include Albert Ostman’s story of how he was kidnapped by a male bigfoot and Fred Beck’s famous recalling of the Ape Canyon incident. Articles by Ivan Sanderson are included along with the author’s own personal drawings and sketches.

Patterson’s book was copyrighted in 1966 so all stories take place before the famous Patterson/Gimlin film taken in October 1967. Patterson occasionally inserts his own thoughts and feelings on the subject but allows newspaper articles and others to tell the story for him. You might say Patterson is not unlike a lawyer presenting evidence to prove his case as he describes and presents the public’s numerous encounters with the hairy cryptoid.

The Story of the Patterson/Gimlin Film by Christopher Murphy is an in-depth retelling of that fateful day of October 20, 1967, when two men filmed what many believe to be the only footage ever shot of a bigfoot. Murphy recounts the day’s events along with the whirlwind of activity that followed after the film was taken. Murphy shares that although the scientific community at first showed some interest, eventually that interest turned to skepticism and then disinterest. Only a few Russian scientists have given a thumbs up to the film.

Murphy’s supplement comes with some excellent still frames from the Patterson/Gimlin film and various pictures of footprint casts from the film site and the footprints themselves. This section also contains various people’s conclusions about the film. All of them seem to be in favor of it being authentic. There is a brief mention of Bob Heironimus and his claims that he is the man in a bigfoot costume in the Patterson/Gimlin film. There is also a parting shot at Greg Long, author of the book The Making of Bigfoot, The Inside Story which alleges that the whole Patterson/Gimlin film was a hoax.

ISBN: 0-88839-581-7
240 pages
5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches, trade paper

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