Search - Snowbeast on DVD

A GREAT DEAL IS LEFT TO THE IMAGINATION -- PERHAPS TOO MUCH

Heather L. Parisi | St. Augustine, FL USA | 10/21/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"FIRST THOUGHTS: WITH GORE DOMINATING THE HORROR GENRE IT'S NICE TO SEE THE IMAGINATION CALLED UPON AGAIN

For me it is sad to see that most people found 'Snowbeast' to be boring and trivial. I say this because I have enjoyed watching this admittedly tame TV creature-feature with my daughter for the past 15 years. I introduced it to her on Video, having recalled seeing it as a TV movie when it was first released in 1977.

Yes, 'Snowbeast' promises more than it delivers, but I was able to feel OK when allowing my youngsters to watch this rather tame creature-feature which kept their interest without giving them nightmares.


IN A NUTSHELL: SNOWBEAST MAY BE A JAW'S RIP-OFF BUT JOE STEFANO IS AN EXCELLENT SCREENWRITER

One of the reasons that I wanted to see 'Snowbeast' when it was first on TV, nearly 30 years ago, was that the screenwriter, Joe Stefano, was the screenwriter for the original 'Psycho', directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and many of my favorite 'Outer Limit's' episodes. He always gives a good account of himself by forcing the viewer to use his/her imagination to enrich the experience. This works for me, but clearly the expectation of many creature-feature fans is for more explicit action and a more original plot. I do agree about the originality of the plot, but as for a more explicit tone, I think that sometimes less is better. This can of course be seen by some as promising more than is delivered. It is interesting to note that the film 'Tremors' which has been very well recieved, is even more of a rip-off of 'Jaws' than 'Snowbeast', yet it is a well-crafted film which includes quite a bit of gory horror.


-----> THE PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS THE PRODUCTION TEAM "

Not bad at all!

Vincent Kersey | Anchorage, AK | 08/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't get all of the negative reviews. This is a good horror movie. The acting is really good, the snowbeast scared the crap out of me, and the whole movie is just done well. No, this is not as good as Hammer Film's The Abominable Snowman, but it still is a good Yeti flick. Check it out, if you like Yeti movies, I think you will like this."

"Tonight on the C.B.S. late-night movie"

John D. Page | usa | 04/02/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you grew up in the 70's like me you remember that phrase well. In a time before cable and V.C.R.'s, us old timers had to watch what came on and even had to go to the T.V. to change the channel(unless you could afford the high priced remote T.V.'s of the day). Every Friday night children like myself were treated to an episode of "The Night Stalker" (The best show ever to me at the age of 11) and at least one or two horror movies. "Snowbeast" was one of about five movies that showed up regularly on those long ago nights("Shock waves, "The Devil's Rain", "Race With The Devil" ,and "Terror At 37,000 Feet" rounded out the others) and at least every three to four months one would play.
The story, about a Bigfoot like snow monster was played as "Jaws" in the snow. At the age of 11 this movie was silly,but very cool and even scary at times. With fond memories I bought this one and sat down to get lost in it again one Friday night. Well I'm not 11 anymore and most of the scares are very lame now, but i still felt some magic as this piece of cheese unfolded in front of me. The actors try hard to give this "chiller"(snow, chiller get it!) some life and sometimes in spite of it's self it works.
Not for all taste to be sure, but if you are old enough to remember it, some small amount of fun can be had watching it, I recommend a snowy Friday night at about 12:00 o'clock"

... The Crown!!! The Crown!!!

Jeremy Williamson | Brooklyn, NY | 04/23/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Admittedly an acquired taste, Snowbeast is nonetheless a fun and scary film. I was a huge fan of this film as a child when it used to scare the Hell out of me, and I still frequently revisit this Bigfoot masterpiece to this day. Ok, as an adult most of the scares are conceptual, and probably only fully appreciated by Bigfoot film afficianados, but it's still a great film and to my knowledge alone in it's use of a white "Bigfoot," unless you count Man Beast (1956) which boasts similar looking creatures though they are distinctly Yeti.

The film is an almost exact re-telling of Jaws (Widescreen Anniversary Collector's Edition) with a vicious Bigfoot at the helm ... Small town, upcoming winter carnival, disappearing guests, questions, Conspiracy and cover-up to save the winter carnival, Grizzly Bear blamed, Grizzly killed, attacks continue, mutilated body, Bigfoot theory put forth, initial disbelief, crazed Bigfoot attacks gymnasium full of screaming kids, the hunt is on ... The parallels are uncanny.

Truth be told, though you are lead to believe that it is a malevolent Bigfoot that has wandered out of the wilderness and into the resort area, the creature is in fact more closely akin to the "weather beaten old mountain hunter, named Bauman"'s decription of the creature which stalked him and murdered his trapping partner in the lonely mountain pass with the evil reputation, "something either half human or half devil, some great goblin-beast," as told to Theodore Roosevelt and recounted in his 1892 classic The Wilderness Hunter...Hunting Trips of a Ranchman & The Wilderness Hunter.

Snowbeast is fun and effective on many levels. The plot and story line being blatantly lifted from Jaws it makes for simple and effective storytelling, and it's especially fun if, like myself, you'd have preferred if Jaws were a pernicious Sasquatch.

The film is well cast, and the acting is solid considering it's subject matter. Robert Logan as Tony Rill is perfectly cast. His cool demeanor, tight ski suit and big hair speak for his inherent abilities in dealing with a rampaging Sasquatch. And Bo Svenson as Gar the has-been ski champion has some classic cuckhold moments as Tony casually seduces his very sexy and equally disillusioned wife Ellen (Yvette Mimieux). I am at a loss as to why they didn't include her in the hot tub scene with Logan and Svenson which was kind of gay otherwise.

SPOILER ALERT: The only real problem I have with the film is what I like to call the Snowbeast "Magic Logs" theory. During the creature's attack on the motor home it rolls a huge pile of logs down an embankment crashing broadside into the motor home knocking it over, but these "Magic Logs" (in full defiance of the laws of physics) inexplicably manage to end up INSIDE the motor home, thereby trapping Sheriff Paraday (Clint Walker) and literally securing his demise.

If your a fan of any of the original style non CGI Bigfoot/Sasquatch/swamp creature films like Curse of Bigfoot, Night of the Demon, Creature from Black Lake, Legend of Boggy Creek, Sasquatch: Legend of Bigfoot, Capture of Bigfoot, Boggy Creek 2, Terror in the Swamp, Man Beast, etc, then Snowbeast is definitely for you, and will most assuredly take it's place as a cherished part of your collection.

... The Crown!!! The Crown!!!

"