‘The Wendigo’: Monstrous Found Footage Horror Rips Into Human Flesh
The Wendigo, a malevolent Algonquian spirit residing in the icy-cold wilderness of Northeastern America, possesses hapless souls who break certain taboos, the most common (and horrific) being cannibalism. Those who indulge in a forbidden helping of long pig are themselves devoured by the torment, turning into horrid monstrosities with tattered lips, glowing sunken-in eyes, and sharp claws … or a giant ice-monster with the taboo-breaker encased in its heart of ice… or a stag-headed beast with hooves and antlers. Some even interpret it as a variation of Bigfoot. It really depends on who’s telling the story if I’m being honest, as it differs based on tribe and even time period.
In fact, it’s been said many times that the modern Wendigo myth is less about a monster and more representative of the greed of European colonizers in America… which makes sense and is properly nightmarish. But that’s not as marketable as a bloodthirsty beast eating wayward hikers, so for today we’re focusing on that. We all like (literal) monsters.
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More specifically, we’re focusing on an upcoming found footage flick appropriately titled The Wendigo.
Now, if you’ve read my article on Holes in the Sky: The Sean Miller Story, you’ll know my feelings towards found footage flicks are… cold. However, since then I’ve been warming up a bit to the sub-genre. Not like heat from a roaring campfire or anything. More a dim candle on a chill dark night. In any case, if there’s one way to get me interested in something, it’s by putting a Wendigo in it. Fun fact: the Wendigo is your boy Giallo’s favorite monster ever, my obsession with the ravenous man-eater only rivaled by Larry Fessenden’s.
Well, I feel we’ve talked enough about the Wendigo monster to (at least) get an idea of what it’s all about. But what about The Wendigo movie?
I’ve been keeping my eye on this flick for a cool minute now, my excitement rising with each new development that crossed my dashboard. The concept of the Wendigo lends itself well to a found footage narrative, having plenty of potential for a fun feature. I mean, Wendigos stalk their prey, mimic voices, drive people to the brink of maddening paranoia, then tear their victims apart into bite-sized pieces… at least, in some interpretations. Others say they just charge right into a campsite and munch on everyone. Either one works!
Also Read: ‘Capture Kill Release’: The Perfect Anti-Romance Found Footage Horror
The director (and cinematographer and star) Jake Robinson seems to have a good grasp on all this, further raising my hopes that this movie will give some good representation to the myth… or at the very least, be an effective monster flick with some rad ideas. Between the production stills and the details released thus far, I feel it’s shaping up to be something worth throwing on your screen.
Of the story, Robinson says, “After Viral sensation ‘Logan Does It All’ goes missing, a rescue effort is made by his fellow influencers, who come face to face with folklore’s most invasive monster.”
Love it, fun concept! With all those Wendigo and Skinwalker videos popping up on YouTube, it seems like the perfect time to hit the iron while it’s cold… er, hot.
Shooting just wrapped up not too long ago, so it’s in the editing process as we speak. I believe they’re aiming for a 2022 release along with a couple of rounds through some film festivals, so I’ll be sure to keep y’all updated on everything.
Until then, check out its social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok) to keep up to date on its production, as well as this sneak peek video from Robinson himself. An Indiegogo is coming soon, so I’ll let you know when that’s up as well!
Until next time…
Ciao, friends!
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