Cryptids, et al in Popular Culture

Bigfoot, Yeti and the like have appeared for over a century in popular media. From movies, to television, they appear in the most unexpected locations.

Recently, while watching Open Season this became very evident. Within this film are two characters, and a wiener dog, who are seeking Homo saquatchensis. While they play a pivotal role in the film, it has nothing to do with their expedition in search of Bigfoot. But, it does bring up the pop-culture aspect of cryptozoology.

Computer animated movies are around every year, and they run the gamut from the kid friendly to borderline family fare. The best ones seem to have a bit for kids and adults, Toy Story is one of these due to its blend. Others have abounded that are entertaining, from Madagascar to Monster House, even Ice Age to the recent Happy Feet. Even the people behind the movies are characters in, and of themselves. For example George Miller the director of Happy Feet is the same director of the violent Mad Max films, quite a varied spread (but then again look at Sam Raimi who directed the recent Spiderman films and his origins in low-budget but affective horror films in the Evil Dead franchise).

But, I digress a bit here. Back to animated cryptozoology in films.

Two films stand out from recent time for their depiction of cryptozoology, even in passing. Open Season is one, and the other is Monsters Inc.

Open Season, came out in 2006 and was directed by a trio of people: Roger Allers, Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi. While not be spectacular in the box-office, perhaps in part due to its more mature usage of animation aimed at older children and adults, it still went on to gross over 100 million dollars worldwide. If you watch close, aside from the reference to BIGFOOT being sought, you'll also see a classic "grey" alien on the Bigfoot hunters RV wheel cover.

It was Monsters Inc that really used a cryptid well, although cartoony. In Monsters Inc, a clever creation called the Abominable Snowman is shown. Voiced by John Ratzenberger, the Abominable Snowman has a memorial part of the main characters journey in the film. Directed by Pete Doctor, this Pixar Animation film grossed over 300 million dollars worldwide.

Now these creatures pop up at regular intervals. We saw a classic Patterson Bigfoot stance in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, even a series of Sasquatch appear during the recent Jack Black film, Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny. These are mainstream movies, not independent horror of fantasy flicks, but show how cryptozoology, especially Bigfoot, creeps into our everyday lives. Even Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest featured an aquatic beastie.

It was only a year or so ago that prime time television has a show about sea monsters. While short lived, Surface did show a side of mystery investigation. Other shows have featured such mystery beasts as well, including the classic X-Files (there were those non-mythology shows with Jersey Devil, lake monsters and so forth), Special Unit 2 that featured at lest one episode with merfolk, even the original and remade Night Stalk shows. This is but, of course, a sparse listing of popular media representations.

Cryptozoology is present, and much like its contents, the spot sightings in movies are as elusive as the creatures themselves.

Perhaps one day, a cryptozoology cartoon in and of itself. Can you image the adventures of Ogopogo and Bigfoot together as they partner up with a Chupacabra and Cadborosaurus to rescue the Yeti and the Mongolian Death Worm from the clutches of the evil king Thunderbird and his Mokele-mbembe hordes?