The Patterson-Gimlin Film

59.5 seconds of 16mm film that changed cryptozoology forever. Is it the best evidence for Bigfoot—or the greatest hoax in history?

The Filmmakers

Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin were searching for Bigfoot in Northern California:

• Patterson was making a documentary about the creature
• Gimlin was an experienced horseman and tracker
• They had been searching the Six Rivers National Forest
• October 20, 1967 was their breakthrough

The Encounter

Around 1:15 PM at Bluff Creek:

• Their horses became agitated
• They spotted a large, dark figure across the creek
• Patterson’s horse reared; he fell but grabbed his camera
• He ran toward the creature, filming
• The creature walked away, glancing back once
• It disappeared into the forest

The Film

The footage shows:

• A large, bipedal, hair-covered creature
• Female (visible breasts)
• Estimated 7 feet 4 inches tall
• Muscular build with long arms
• Distinctive walking gait
• The famous “Frame 352” head turn

The Debate

Evidence for Authenticity

• Biomechanics experts say the gait is non-human
• Muscle movement visible under the hair
• Proportions don’t match human anatomy
• No one has successfully replicated it
• Both men maintained their story until death (Patterson in 1972)

Evidence Against

• Patterson needed money and publicity
• Some claim a man confessed to wearing the suit
• The “suit maker” claims have surfaced (disputed)
• Convenient timing for Patterson’s documentary

Scientific Analysis

Dr. Grover Krantz (Anthropologist)

Concluded the creature was real based on:

• Foot anatomy from tracks
• Walking biomechanics
• Body proportions

Dr. Jeff Meldrum (Anthropologist)

Continues to study the film:

• Analyzes the “compliant gait”
• Documents muscle movement
• Considers it compelling evidence

Hollywood Effects Artists

Mixed opinions:

• Some say impossible to fake in 1967
• Others claim it could be done

The Legacy

The Patterson-Gimlin film:

• Defined the “Bigfoot” image in popular culture
• Spawned countless investigations
• Remains the gold standard for cryptid evidence
• Has never been definitively debunked or proven

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After 50+ years, the film’s authenticity remains one of cryptozoology’s greatest mysteries.