Director – Seth Breedlove (On the Trail of UFOs, The Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 3/5
Here it is! We are now entering the first full week of October and the Halloween season is strong. The air is now cooler, the leaves are changing color, companies are rushing out horror movies for store shelves. It’s my favorite time of year and it has nothing to do with October being my birth month. With Halloween approaching I’m digging deep into my favorite genre to see as many horror movies as I can this month.
As I broke open the Blumhouse Horror blu set that was sent over to me review I was asked to check out The Mothman Legacy from filmmaker Seth Breedlove of Small Town Monsters. As an avid crypto fan and West Virginian I couldn’t say no. Thanks Seth for allowing myself and Horror Society an early look at your new film!
**Spoiler Alert** The Mothman Legacy takes a look at Point Pleasant and cryptozoology in general and how it changed after the string of Mothman sightings in the 60s continuing to this day. The film discusses what people suspect the Mothman of being, witness descriptions, impact it has had on the local community, and how it has changed the lives of so many people.**Spoiler Alert**
Though this is not a traditionally horror film it does help get the viewer into the Halloween spirit. There is just something about cryptids and the unexplained that can make your skin crawl and give you goosebumps better than any horror movie can. The Mothman Legacy was a welcomed addition to my October viewing and another damn fine doc from Small Town Monsters. I really enjoyed it but I may be a little biased.
The interviews in this one are very informative and give us different looks at various aspects of the Mothman phenomena. We get a great look at how Mothman has changed Point Pleasant while discussing myths, rumors, and urban legends of the area before and after the appearance of Mothman. We also get a glimpse into how it forever changed John Keel and his life. The look at Keel is probably the most fascinating aspect of the film and I could see an entire film dedicate to Keel and his work with Point Pleasant and the Mothman.
The topics discussed in this one fit well with the legacy theme the documentary was going for. It wasn’t so much focused on the sightings themselves but the impact the creature has had on pop culture and other aspects. Aside from the Keel portion, I found it to be very interesting but some of the people interviewed tell their sightings in such an unenthused manner that it almost makes them boring.
Finally, the film is edited together smoothly. STM has been at this for sometime now and their films are always well polished and put together. They really have built up a legacy in the cryptid and documentary fields and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish next. Overall, The Mothman Legacy is another fantastic look at the weird world of our favorite cryptid and how it forever changed Point Pleasant, West Virginia and those involved. It may not be horror but it deserves a look this spooky season so check it out!
