Movie Review: American Werewolves

Last night, my husband and I decided to have a lil' impromptu home movie night. Being as we're cheap, we popped some popcorn, snuggled into bed, and brought up the Tubi app on my tablet to see what was available. Our original plan was to find a pretty bad B-level sci-fi horror to riff on ( awhile back we watched a horribly hilarious movie called Christmas Twisters, but the title card was misspelled as Christams Twisters and we still laugh about it to this day). But, Tubi has really stepped up its level of programming, especially when it comes to paranormal documentaries, and is even carrying quite a few of the Small Town Monsters selections!

As a native West Virginian, I've been following Seth Breedlove and the rest of the STMs crew almost since the beginning. I've loved their work on films featuring West Virginia favorites like the Flatwoods Monster and the Mothman...and I've (almost) forgiven them for leaving me out of the UFO feature---I swear, it felt like I was the only WV researcher NOT interviewed for that one, and I've actually seen quite a few UFOs in addition to my documentation of old UFO cases. Anyway, I digress. I try to keep up with all the new releases, and when I contributed to the 2022 Kickstarter, American Werewolves was one of the projects I was most looking forward to. 

Each STM movie is its own documentary. I've enjoyed seeing the the filmmakers' style evolve with each new production, but not just evolve. Each movie really is unique in the way it is shot and laid out. American Werewolves is a rather dark, atmospheric documentary that relies almost entirely on eyewitness accounts. There's a little folklore and history thrown in for context, but for the most part American Werewolves is a collection of stories told by the people who lived them. And these stories are absolutely terrifying.

When I think of an American werewolf, my thoughts go straight to the rougarou of the southern states. That's not really the focus of this documentary, however. Rather, the focus is on what cryptozoologists generally have come to call dogmen, a phenomenon largely associated in the case known famously as the Beast of Bray Road (Wisconsin). The dogmen of American Werewolves, however, are tales mostly from Ohio and Kentucky,  but especially an area of Tennessee known as The Land Between the Lakes. I kind of wish that the distinction between a dogman and a werewolf was explained a little more thoroughly, but to some, there really is no distinction, as we have no idea exactly what these 'dogmen' are. It's interesting to note, however, that many of the witnesses who told their stories, despite describing flesh and blood bipedal creatures with a canine head and ears, swore that they felt there was some sort of supernatural element to these beings. They weren't just animals; they were truly monsters beyond our current realm of understanding.

I don't want to give away too much of the actual stories because I really think you need to watch this film. But, I'm pleased that they mentioned a few things that research has seemed to link with these sightings, such as encounters being reported near Adena burial mounds and near sources of water. With all the Adena burial mounds that were (and the many that still are standing) in West Virginia, I'm really surprised that we don't have a ton more reports of dogmen. However, that may be a good thing, as another common thread in many of the stories shared in American Werewolves was a theme of violence. At best, the encounter left the witness with a feeling of fear and dread. At worst, people were presumed to be massacred. 

Overall, I'd definitely recommend giving this film a watch. It's a little under an hour and a half long, and is available on a variety of streaming platforms. Even a die hard skeptic who might not necessarily give much credence to eyewitness testimony alone, can still enjoy these tales for simply just being well told spooky campfire stories---in some cases, literally. American Werewolves is an interesting look at a cryptid that doesn't seem to get as much attention as some of the others in this field, but if there is any truth at all to these claims, it's definitely a phenomenon that warrants all the attention we can give it. It might just save someone from becoming the next victim of the dogman. 

Small Town Monsters Website

Small Town Monsters YouTube

Theresa's Travels: In Search of the Braxton County Monster (Part III)

It's finally time for the culmination of Theresa's Travels: In Search of the Braxton County Monster! Today's blog is about the whole reason we decided to take a day trip into Sutton/Flatwoods in the first place:  The world premier of Small Town Monsters' The Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear!

I have been following the Small Town Monsters crew, consisting mostly of filmmaker/producer/writer Seth Breedlove, since meeting them at the Mothman Festival last year. They make good, quality documentaries about spooky stuff, such as Mothman, the Minerva Monster, and the Boggy Creek Monster. So, when I heard that a new Flatwoods Monster film would be coming out, I was excited.

We could have just bought/rented the movie when it was released on April 7, 2018. It was/is available on Amazon and Vimeo---but what's the fun in just sitting at home watching a movie when you can travel just a short 90 minutes from home and experience the premier in an historic theater, just minutes away from where the sighting originally took place?!?

And, that's precisely what we did! We pre-ordered our tickets online, which were an absolute STEAL at $5 a piece and made plans to get to the Elk Theater in downtown Sutton a little early to get good seats.  Well, we arrived a few hours early in order to explore the town, which you've hopefully read about in Part I and Part II of my Theresa's Travels series! But anyway...

We arrived at the Elk Theater about 35 minutes before the 7pm showtime, and seats were already filling up fast. I bought my son Luke and I matching T-shirts, and Aaron stood in line for our popcorn and drinks. By the time he met me back at our seats, the place at sold out. In fact, so many people were turned away at the box office, that a special matinee showing for Sunday at 3pm had to be scheduled.

During the few minutes we had before the film got started, we got to chat with our seatmates, which was very sweet. A local man and his daughter sitting in front of us gave us the scoop on the historic theater and a little about the town of Sutton. An older couple beside them giggled at Aaron's near-miss in regards to my concession stand order. And, a dad and son all the way from New York sat beside us and we talked like we'd known each other forever. Les O'Dell, from WV's Cryptids and Strange Encounters, who we ran into at the Museum (and at several of the chairs throughout the day) had arrived at the theater the same time we did, so we got in a few more minutes of chatty-time. We also saw (and sat near) a small group that we ran into at both the museum and The Spot AND another couple who we spoke with briefly earlier, also while at the Spot!

I was fired up for the film, and after a few brief words, it began. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet and wants to, so I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.  However, if you have a basic understanding of the story, spoilers are a moot point, lol. The film is about the weird and wacky evening of September 12, 1952 when a group of kids playing football saw SOMETHING over the skies of Flatwoods, WV. The object appeared to either land or crash on a nearby hill, so the boys, led by brothers Freddie and Eddie May, went to investigate, stopping at the May home where they were joined by their mother, Kathleen and a 17 year old relation named Gene Lemon. The group proceeded to the Bailey Fisher farm, where they would encounter SOMETHING that would scare the bejeebus out of them, and change them, and the town of Flatwoods, forever. Over the years, that creature would be known as the Flatwoods Monster, the Braxton County Monster, and even, the Flatwoods Green-eyed Monster. Sometimes its referred to as just..."the Creature."

I really enjoyed the film. At 45 minutes long, it didn't go too in-depth about the theories as to what the creature was. However, it was an excellent overview and introduction to the case, which I think is one of the most fascinating in WV UFO lore. Unfortunately, most of the witnesses are now deceased, but Seth managed to get both Freddie and Eddie (now known as Fred and Ed) May to tell their stories, stories that are unassuming and haven't changed since the original events took place.

Also featured in the film (and who were present for the Q and A afterwards) were John Gibson, who is responsible for the popular Flatwoods Monster lanterns, paranormal investigator Dave Spinks, who tells a fascinating related tale of a similar (or same?) monster in the area, Andrew Smith, executive director of the Braxton County CVB, and a really cool lady (for the love of all that is holy, someone remind me of her name, please!) who told a chilling tale from her grandmother that seems to relate directly to the Flatwoods Monster event of of September 12.

Q and A Panel at the Elk Theater

Original interviews were enhanced with some creepy animation and a haunting score. Historical photos and audio recordings, and even some 1950s UFO movie footage gave the film a really cool, vintage vibe. The 45 minutes flew by and left me wanting more!  Luckily, the Q and A provided it.  Usually these things are boring, stuffy, and awkward, as no one really wants to get started in asking the questions. I was pleased, though, to see people jumping right in, and asking really good questions about a variety of things. Seth and the rest of the panel were not only informative, but they were fun to listen to. Everyone had a great sense of humor and was really personable---which fit perfectly into the whole atmosphere of the evening.

My only issue was with the film itself...and honestly, its NOT an issue. I understand that the filmmaker had a set vision---to tell the tale of the Flatwoods Monster and how it affected a small community. But, being someone who appreciates the bigger picture when it comes to these things, I would have loved to have seen more on what was happening throughout the state and throughout the East Coast of the country that same night as evidence suggests that our little freaky Flatwoods critter was NOT the only one of its kind to visit that night. I also realize that much of that story was the passion project of another researcher, Frank Feschino, and that certain things were left out of the film, not only to keep the narrative focused on the vision, but also to not step on any toes, legal or otherwise! If you see The Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear and YOU'RE left wanting more, you might want to read Frank's book, The Braxton County Monster.

Overall, though, this weekend was an absolute blast! I don't mean to sound too hard on the movie, because in all actuality, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was well done, entertaining, and informative. Getting to see it premier live at the Elk Theater in Sutton was icing on the cake---it makes me really sad that I didn't take the time to make it to the State Theater in Pt. Pleasant when they showed the Mothman film.  Not only did we see a great movie among a group of other fans of WV's spooky history, but we got to spend an afternoon exploring some of the awesome, off-beat attractions that have grown out of a renewed interest for this strange, yet important tale of the Flatwoods Monster. If you missed the premier, you can still see the movie. You can buy/rent a digital copy from Amazon or pick up a DVD from the Small Town Monsters website . And although the movie is no longer showing at the Elk Theater, there is still a ton of great things to do in the Sutton/Flatwoods area, for fans of monster lore, history, outdoor sports, as well as many other interests. It's also about an hour or so drive from Weston, which makes a trip to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum for a tour, an easy thing to add to any itinerary!

Make sure you visit the previous posts in the "Theresa's Travels: In Search of the Braxton County Monster" series:

Part I---Braxton County CVB/Monster Museum and The Spot Dairy Bar
Part II---Flatwoods Monster Chairs

Theresa's Travels: In Search of the Braxton County Monster (Part I)

Braxton Co. CVB/Monster Museum

Last week, Aaron and I decided to pre-order tickets to the Small Town Monsters' world premier showing of their new film, The Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear. The movie, followed by a Q and A with producer/writer Seth Breedlove and a few of the people who appeared in the documentary, was held on April 7, 2018 at the Elk Theater in Sutton, WV.  I'll be discussing the movie more in Part III of the 'Theresa's Travels: In Search of the Braxton County Monster' series....but first, I wanted to share the REST of our day!

We live about 90 minutes away from the Flatwoods/Sutton area, so we wanted to make sure we arrived in town with plenty of time to explore before the movie. The main location I wanted to check out was the new Braxton County CVB/Monster Museum, located at 208 Main St. in downtown Sutton. 

Piece of tree near sighting

Back in November of 2016, I had stopped in at the CVB when it was located in the Flatwoods Outlet Mall, and it was a nice little experience! The collection of Braxton County/Flatwoods Monster stuff was neatly displayed, yet browsing was a little awkward---the CVB shared space with something I can't remember (a realtor/travel agency/insurance company?) and there was a guy at a desk talking with two clients as I'm a few feet away snapping photos, lol. 

Horvath Collection

The awkwardness is all gone with the new building, thank goodness! It's located in a historic, downtown storefront, complete with a soda fountain behind the counter. Admission is FREE, its open until 4pm on the weekend/5pm on weekdays, and its closed on major holidays. Check out the website for further details. It's also important to note that the building IS still the CVB, so you're going to find a lot of brochures and tourist information NOT related to local monster lore.  However, if you're there just for the monster lore, you won't be disappointed.  With much more room, and plenty more to grow, the ever-increasing collection of Flatwoods Monster memorabilia is well organized, visually appealing, and easy to browse through. Plenty of comfortable seating and a friendly and knowledgeable staff are added bonuses, adding to the coziness of the experience. Ample street parking out front was also appreciated!

Aaron chatted with our museum host for awhile, and was surprised to find out that they actually had met before and ran in the same gaming circles. So, while they discussed those sorts of things, I had some free time to really take in all the museum has to offer.  Some of my favorite exhibits included:

*The original lantern molds, by John Gibson (and plenty of lanterns for sale!)

*A piece of wood from the tree that the monster stood by in 1952

*3 different costumes, one a mystery, one from a youth play in the early 2000s, and the current one you've seen me with during last year's Mothman Festival!

Aaron has found his kith

*David Horvath's colorful toy monsters

*And...just about everything else there, lol.

I had a great time looking at everything, and an even better time getting to chat with Les O'Dell from WV Cryptids and Strange Encounters, who just happened to come in shortly after us! It's always a lot of fun to meet others with a passion for the strange and unusual, and its especially cool to bump into someone whose work you really admire! He and his son were really cool, and had some fascinating stories to share. If you're not familiar with his page, please go check it out!

I could have sat in the comfy little museum, talking all day and buying everything that had a price tag (actually, I think we DID buy at least one of each thing aside from the poster and the lantern, which we already own), but we hadn't eaten yet and were getting hungry. Not sure where we wanted to stop, we were pointed in the direction of The Spot in Flatwoods.  Holy cow, we could not have found a better place to eat on our own!  This little quick-stop-spot was similar to our local Dairy Freeze or Dairy Queen. The staff was extremely friendly, the food was good, and they had a whole bunch of specialty sandwiches with UFO/Monster-themed names. They even had a little display case set up with additional souvenirs. More lanterns and t-shirts were available, but they also offered decals, and adorable hand-made Flatwoods Monster figures, earrings, necklaces, and keychains. I couldn't leave without taking home a figurine and a necklace, along with a novelty beverage cup (FREE refills!) with the Monster on it.

Outside, The Spot has some patio dining space, and a few Flatwoods Monster posters. Adjoining the property, you can get your photo taken with the Spot sign, and right across the street, you can find one of the five Braxton County Monster Chairs...but more on THOSE in the next post!  You can find more photos from our trip on Theresa's Haunted History's Facebook page, and keep checking back for Part II and Part III!