Capturing Bigfoot Review: The Documentary That Takes On the Most Famous Monster Film Ever Shot

On October 20, 1967, Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin pointed a 16mm camera at a clearing near Bluff Creek in Northern California. What they recorded lasts just 59 seconds. It shows a large, hairy, apelike figure walking away from the camera, glancing back over its shoulder before it disappears into the trees. The footage became known as the Patterson-Gimlin film, and the creature was nicknamed “Patty.” It has been analyzed and argued over for nearly six decades, and it remains the single most famous piece of evidence in the long history of Bigfoot.

Capturing Bigfoot arrives on the 59th anniversary of that day. Directed by Marq Evans, the documentary premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March 2026, and it opens on October 20, 2026, in New York, Los Angeles, and select theaters. It’s also available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the US and Canada. XYZ Films is the distributor, and the film runs 103 minutes.

A Reel Locked in a Safe

The story behind the film is as interesting as the footage itself. In 2022, Evans was given a reel of film that had been stored in a safe for decades. He says it took him about nine months to understand what he was looking at. Eventually, he approached Clint Patterson, Roger’s son, and asked whether he could shed light on the contents. That conversation became the backbone of the documentary.

Evans has said he always knew he’d make a Bigfoot film, though not because the creature fascinated him. The story had been in his family for as long as he could remember. His father grew up alongside people connected to the 1967 shoot, and it was passed down to him almost like an inheritance. That personal connection shows in the finished film. It’s less a monster movie than an inquiry into the people who made the footage and what it did to them.

The film also reaches for credibility. The production paid a $30,000 licensing fee to use the original Patterson-Gimlin footage, and it released a new 4K scan of the film taken directly from the original 16mm reel in the Patterson family’s collection. It’s the highest-quality version of the footage ever produced.

The Claim at the Center

Without spoiling the details, the documentary argues that the 1967 footage was staged. It points to the newly discovered reel, which, according to reports, appears to show Patterson and Gimlin rehearsing. Gimlin, who appears in the film, has long denied that the pair faked anything, so the film doesn’t present a settled conclusion. It presents evidence, and it lets the audience weigh it.

What makes the film work is how carefully it builds the case. The first act is patient, spending time with Patterson’s family and friends before it gets to the revelations. We meet Clint Patterson and others whose lives were shaped by the footage, and by the time the film reaches its biggest moments, we know the people involved. That makes the findings hit harder than they would in a standard talking-head exposé.

Believers, Skeptics, and Real People

The documentary doesn’t mock anyone. It includes believers, such as anatomy professor Jeff Meldrum and Hollywood makeup and visual effects specialist Bill Munns, who defend the footage as authentic. It also brings in the skeptical researcher Greg Long, with excerpts from audiocassettes of his interviews. The mix gives the film a sense that credibility keeps shifting from person to person, which makes it more compelling than a simple debunking.

The strongest scenes are personal. Roger Patterson’s widow speaks on camera about the matter for the first time, and she describes the film as something like a curse on the family. The film is as much about broken friendships, legacy, and belief as it is about Bigfoot, and it’s at its best when it focuses on the pain behind the legend. There’s humor too, thanks to playful music and a handful of colorful characters, but the film never loses sight of the fact that real people lived with the consequences.

It’s also worth noting that the film doesn’t ask you to stop believing in Bigfoot. It’s about one specific piece of footage and the people around it, not about whether the creature exists.

Where It May Test Your Patience

The film takes its time. Viewers who want to jump straight to the biggest reveal may find the early stretch slow, since it spends a lot of time introducing the cast of characters and the family history. Fans of a more sensational, monster-hunting style may be disappointed, because this is a character-driven documentary, not a creature feature.

Readers who already believe the Patterson-Gimlin film was a hoax may find the conclusion less surprising, although the way the film gets there is still compelling. For devoted believers, the film may be an uncomfortable watch.

The Verdict

Capturing Bigfoot is a smart, human, and surprisingly emotional documentary that treats a famous legend with curiosity instead of ridicule. Its newly uncovered footage gives it real weight, and its focus on the people behind the myth gives it heart. Whether you believe in Bigfoot or not, it’s one of the most interesting documentaries of the year.

Rating: 4/5

Watch the Trailer

Quick Facts

• Title: Capturing Bigfoot
• Director: Marq Evans
• Writers: Marq Evans, Michelle M. Witten
• Genre: Documentary
• Runtime: 1h 43m (103 minutes)
• Featuring: Clint Patterson, Bob Gimlin, Jeff Meldrum, Bill Munns, Greg Long
• Producers: Tamir Ardon, Marq Evans, Nick Spicer
• Cinematographer: Jason Roark
• Music: Jonathan Sadoff
• Distributor: XYZ Films
• Premiere: SXSW Film Festival, March 2026
• Release date: October 20, 2026 (select theaters and Prime Video in the US and Canada)

Where to Watch

Capturing Bigfoot opens in New York, Los Angeles, and select theaters on October 20, 2026, and is available the same day to rent or buy on Prime Video in the US and Canada for a limited time.

Have you seen “Capturing Bigfoot”? Share your thoughts in the comments below.