Director Charles B. Pierce Dies at 71 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 03-10-2010, 06:19 PM

Charles B. Pierce, Director of "Boggy Creek", Dies at 71
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 10, 2010

DOVER, Tenn. (AP) — Charles B. Pierce, an independent filmmaker whose inexpensively made documentary-style 1972 horror movie “The Legend of Boggy Creek” influenced the hit film “The Blair Witch Project” decades later, died on Friday at a nursing home here. He was 71.

His death was confirmed by Wayne Anglin of Anglin Funeral Home. No cause was specified.

Mr. Pierce grew up in Hampton, Ark., and as an adult lived in nearby Texarkana, where he was running an advertising agency when he made the movie that became a hit at drive-in theaters and gained him fame.

“The Legend of Boggy Creek” was based on the local legend of a Sasquatch-like creature known as the Fouke Monster, said to live in or near the small Arkansas town of Fouke.

Shot in a quasidocumentary style that included interviews with local residents as well as dramatizations of their supposed encounters with the creature, the film was an acknowledged influence on “The Blair Witch Project,” the hit 1999 horror film that took a similar approach.

“We just wanted to make a movie that tapped into the primal fear generated by the fact-or-fiction format, like 'Legend of Boggy Creek', ” Daniel Myrick, one of the directors of “Blair Witch,” said in a 1999 interview with The Tulsa World.

Mr. Pierce’s daughter Amanda Squitiero said autobiographical notes made by her father indicate that “The Legend of Boggy Creek” was made for $160,000 and ultimately made $25 million.

Among the other films Mr. Pierce directed were:
“Bootleggers”
“The Town That Dreaded Sundown”
“Winterhawk”
“The Winds of Autumn”
“Grayeagle”
“The Norseman”
“The Evictors”
“Sacred Ground”
...as well as “Boggy Creek II”

As a writer, his credits include the story for the 1983 Clint Eastwood film “Sudden Impact.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/arts/10pierce.html

Torgo · 03-10-2010, 08:51 PM

What a bummer. He made three of my favorite 70's schlock movies- Legend of Boggy Creek(which partly started my love for the whole bigfoot type creatures sub genre), The Town That Dreaded Sundown, and The Evictors.

Boggy Creek II was bad, but one of the best MST3K episodes.

Marvo301 · 03-10-2010, 09:02 PM

Charles B. Pierce

catlover79 · 03-10-2010, 09:33 PM

03-10-2010, 06:19 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,140	Director Charles B. Pierce Dies at 71 *Charles B. Pierce, Director of "Boggy Creek", Dies at 71* By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: March 10, 2010 DOVER, Tenn. (AP) — Charles B. Pierce, an independent filmmaker whose inexpensively made documentary-style 1972 horror movie “The Legend of Boggy Creek” influenced the hit film “The Blair Witch Project” decades later, died on Friday at a nursing home here. He was 71. His death was confirmed by Wayne Anglin of Anglin Funeral Home. No cause was specified. Mr. Pierce grew up in Hampton, Ark., and as an adult lived in nearby Texarkana, where he was running an advertising agency when he made the movie that became a hit at drive-in theaters and gained him fame. “The Legend of Boggy Creek” was based on the local legend of a Sasquatch-like creature known as the Fouke Monster, said to live in or near the small Arkansas town of Fouke. Shot in a quasidocumentary style that included interviews with local residents as well as dramatizations of their supposed encounters with the creature, the film was an acknowledged influence on “The Blair Witch Project,” the hit 1999 horror film that took a similar approach. “We just wanted to make a movie that tapped into the primal fear generated by the fact-or-fiction format, like 'Legend of Boggy Creek', ” Daniel Myrick, one of the directors of “Blair Witch,” said in a 1999 interview with The Tulsa World. Mr. Pierce’s daughter Amanda Squitiero said autobiographical notes made by her father indicate that “The Legend of Boggy Creek” was made for $160,000 and ultimately made $25 million. Among the other films Mr. Pierce directed were: “Bootleggers” “The Town That Dreaded Sundown” “Winterhawk” “The Winds of Autumn” “Grayeagle” “The Norseman” “The Evictors” “Sacred Ground” ...as well as “Boggy Creek II” As a writer, his credits include the story for the 1983 Clint Eastwood film “Sudden Impact.” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/arts/10pierce.html Attached Images

03-10-2010, 08:51 PM	#2
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,037	What a bummer. He made three of my favorite 70's schlock movies- Legend of Boggy Creek(which partly started my love for the whole bigfoot type creatures sub genre), The Town That Dreaded Sundown, and The Evictors. Boggy Creek II was bad, but one of the best MST3K episodes. Attached Images
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03-10-2010, 09:02 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,456	Charles B. Pierce
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03-10-2010, 09:33 PM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382
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