Bigfoot - The Patterson-Gimlin Film

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Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Unless you have something new to add to the suit discussion? So far, it doesn't look like I have missed anything. :D

I don't hang around the BFF. I don't post at the BFF, or anywhere else regarding bigfoot.

I'm sure if you prove anything, or come up with any new evidence, it'll get to me. :D

The long shadows made by Bob Gimlin and the pack horse while riding towards the PGF site near "noon" on the day of the filming are much more interesting to me at the moment. :D

[qimg]http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/william_parcher/25c950ad.jpg[/qimg]

I'd take the time of day its location and the actual day itself with a grain of salt. More likely than not its just poetic license for fleshing out the documentary Patterson was hoping to make. In any event the shadows are anything but long during the creature segment.
 
Aepervius: So your contention is "process of elimination" is not a scientific method? Fascinating.

You say "NO MATTER how extensive your knowledge, you cannot prove patty is a true bigfoot this way" Did you read my premise in my first post? Did I say I am trying to prove Patty real? No, I said I was trying to determine if materials of the time can produce a figure as appears in the film, which is in motion. You are the one misunderstanding my premise. And as I have stated repeatedly, I still have not offered any conclusion. You are jumping to one.

Bill, from what I gather in reading your many posts, you seem to want to approach this using scientific methodologies. I'd say that it a good thing. Peer review is a very important part of this process. That means presenting a concise and coherent hypothesis to the community of costume designers. The members of BFF and JREF probably do not constitute proper peers for this sort of review.

There is at least one existing hypothesis on the origin of the suit. This involves starting with a specific Philip Morris gorilla costume, and making various modifications to it in order to achieve the appearance of a "Bigfoot". That suit was constructed of black Dynel furcloth, and could have had modifications done to this synthetic fur. Do you have any plans to acquire (and possibly perform experiments with) the exact same Dynel furcloth which was readily available in 1967?

Mr. Parcher: Well, my analytical work (as you quoted of me) is leading to "the option of a suit seems less and less likely." That is correct. And I have stated repeatedly I have not reached any conclusion yet and continue to study the issue. I have made no secret of my preplexity at the hip/pelvic area, in patricular.

I get the impression that the BFF community is of the understanding that you are working towards showing that Patty is a real Bigfoot. If you divert from that path, it will no longer be a friendly place for you to conduct your research-in-progress. I hope you know what I am talking about. The initial premises you gave there (and are now mentioning here) mean little more than the fine print on a bag of potato chips. So many of your posts there give the strong impression that you arrived with spare time, expertise, and motivation... and importantly with an existing skepticism of Patty being a man in a suit. You are being treated with great gobs of admiration and respect because they could sense this right from the start. They trust that delicious potato chips are inside that bag.

Now, allow me to simply throw out a hypothetical here, which I have not seen anyone mention:

If it were to be proven that material physical properties of flexibility, limited elongation and patterns of deformation in standard artificial fur materials and tanned hides of real animals, when such materials are tailored into a suit of the shape depicted in the film, and worn by a human and performing as shown in the film, if said materials cannot physically replicate the motions due to their material physics, and a suit is thus excluded, is it posible the figure in the film is a human female with hypertrichosis?

Has this option been explored, because it does not require a suit, and does not require any criptid biologic? It is an existant option. Just curious.

Well, I don't know if anyone has given this a determined effort as an experiment. I think that every single furry costume ever put onto film or video is something of an experiment per se. It may or may not be possible to determine what materials were used in standard entertainment productions. It may be more difficult to make a determination when it comes to a suit that was intended as a hoax (true fraud in this case) with no clear origin, materials used, or chain-of-custody.

On to the photo of the head and a "clasp". I have no conclusion on this, and would suspect a photo artifact of the grain structure. Simply from my experience as a suit fabricator, I'd never put any kind of clasp there and don't know anybody else who would. Don't see a point for it, unless somebody with a wicked sense of humor made Patty with an ear piercing.

Well, this analysis comes from MK Davis. He uses a similar (or same) process of manipulating color layers in PGF film copies as does Owen Caddy. You may have already seen some Davis works such as the two-frame breast twitch, or the moving mouth. These are hardly different from what Caddy does.

The 'hair braid with bone clasp' is surely a film grain formation that can only be seen after color layer manipulation. AFAIK, it can only be 'seen' in one single frame that Davis uses. Ironically, Davis himself publicly said, "A still photo can fool the heck out of you" at the same time he presented the 'braid'. Davis believes that Patty is some form of wild human. The braid with bone clasp indicates to him that this 'wild tribe' has culture.
 
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kitakaze

An afterthought to my earlier reply to you:

You like the word "incredulity" when you speak of my opinions. (your post, #12259, last paragraph, for reference).

And you have described me as "undistinguished", a purely judgmental evaluation. And you seem to feel the breast shape issue is a major point of contention, saying "Those breasts are like nothing in nature that I have ever seen."

All levity aside (including my suggestion of your needing to see more breasts). let's simply construct a logical argument here.

1. You have introduced an appraisal of me as being "undistinguished" into a discussion of opinions of anatomy. Since a responsible skeptic only introduces relevent facts to a discussion (ideally) and we shall start with the presumption you are a responsible skeptical thinker, than your introduction of "undistinguished" means it has relevence the discussion, to my opinion, my credibility (because it's my being "undistinguished" you are referencing).

The prevailing perception of our culture is a "distinguished " person's opinion has more weight or merit or reliance than that of an "undistinguished" person.
So I may conclude that you feel that a "distinguished" person's opinion has more weight or merit than the opinion of an "undistinguished' person. (Presumption of regularity)

2. You refer to the "incredulity" of my opinions (incredulity defined in Random House dictionary as: noun for incredulous, "not willing to believe or trust")
You offer your opinion, and say I am " talking nothing about what we are looking at". Seems a unambiguous dismissial of my perception.

So I may conclude that you feel that a "distinguished" person's opinion has more weight or merit than the opinion of an "undistinguished" person.
And you dismiss my opinion while advocating yours, not even conceding mine has equal merit to be discussed, apparently.

So, if a "distinguished " person's opinion has more weight or reliance than that of an "undistinguished" person, and you find my opinions "incredulous" when I do not dismiss yours similarly, that it would seem that you regard yourself as more distinguished a person than I in terms of anatomical knowledge. If so, a responsible person may ask you to validate that more "distinguished" stature by some resume of academic, professional, scientific or cultural accomplishment and honor.

If you prefer not to be a "distinguished" person, not offering any such evidence (your right, to be sure), and choose to say a person's level of distinction does not have relevence toward the merit of one's opinion (as I prefer to believe such) than my "undistinguished" status is irrelevent, and you have demonstrated yourself to be a less than responsible critical thinker by introducing an irrelevent personal characterization into a discussion.

So, is one's "distinction" or lack of same an issue here? yes or no?

Is the merit of one's opinion weighted by measures of distinction? Yes or no?

Do you acknowledge I may find your opinion as incredulous as you find mine, or do you reserve that incredulity only toward mine while exempting yours, and if so, please explain why.

Conclusion: Can you just set aside the "incredulity" junk and just say "Bill, I disagree with you!"

And if you want to keep up with the cheap shot about "undistinguished", should I introduce my "Best in World Awards (very distinguished), my "Minestones" of career achievement, and my patent for a digital software (a distinction most "distinguished" EFX guys don't have), and ask you to put up your resume of "distinctions" to compare.

So how about it. gesture of good faith; Set aside the "incredulity" and the "distinguished/undistinguished" issue and just say your opinion, my opinion, equal right to be heard, neither prevailing over the other. Facts prevail.

Bill
 
I'd take the time of day its location and the actual day itself with a grain of salt. More likely than not its just poetic license for fleshing out the documentary Patterson was hoping to make. In any event the shadows are anything but long during the creature segment.

Just how many different poetic licenses are we supposed to take before the authenticity of Patty becomes strongly suspect? These licenses do not stop at Patterson either. His supporters and promoters represent this scene as being shot right before Patty was encountered. Can't these people see the problematic shadows as well, or do they simply not care?

Is it any wonder that this whole PGF thing looked like a bad joke right from the start, and looks even worse now?!
 
Your impression of me is wrong. I want to see if facts can settle the issue and I'll go where the facts lead, if they can make a determination. But you are entitled to your opinion of me.

Hi again Bill

To be honest, the comment was more about CF seeing you as the great BFer saviour - Ill respect your impartiality until you start making gargantuan mental leaps to arrive at an obviously pre-determined outcome.

You certainly wont be debating anything with me however - Im here more as a spectator, since I find the whole Patty thing hilarious (how can anyone watch the film and not think 'man in suit'?). For me the case was closed 10 seconds after watching the film.

Enjoy the ride however. Youll find some pretty cluey guys around here.
 
Mr Parcher: from your post #12282

(Quote) "Bill, from what I gather in reading your many posts, you seem to want to approach this using scientific methodologies. I'd say that it a good thing. Peer review is a very important part of this process. That means presenting a concise and coherent hypothesis to the community of costume designers. The members of BFF and JREF probably do not constitute proper peers for this sort of review."

You are correct. And I don't plan on offering any final conclusion without such peer review. But I'm still formulating the research agenda and looking at logistics of accomplishing same. So peer review is a ways off.

On your appraisal of the BF community, I am becoming more aware of people's agendas and their attempts to take my work and bend it to their own advocacy (for or against BF). You, in all fairness, were the worst (gotta call it as I see it). But you are now demonstrating yourself to be a reasonable person willing to talk, and I thank you.

(Quote) "Well, I don't know if anyone has given this a determined effort as an experiment. I think that every single furry costume ever put onto film or video is something of an experiment per se. It may or may not be possible to determine what materials were used in standard entertainment productions. It may be more difficult to make a determination when it comes to a suit that was intended as a hoax (true fraud in this case) with no clear origin, materials used, or chain-of-custody. "

I personally feel that if fundamental material dynamics are studied, they apply to all suits so constructed, and then testing every costume should not be necessary. Obviously, the experiment, it's criteria, and such factor into how large a sample is considered "acceptable"

On the suit side, the issues of chain of custody, etc, are a secondary thing (from my perspective), in that you only need to explore them if a conclusion allows for a suit. Then you get into "who made it, when, etc." If a conclusion ruled out a suit, it voids the who who, when, how thing, chain of custody thing. I personally am looking only to the immediate idea of my premise.

Suffice to say, other researchers (on both sides of the issue) do continue to pursue other research issues, each hoping theirs proves a conclusion to their
issue.

We have a mystery. That is fair to say. Different people research different elements of the mystery based on their inclination, knowledge, and time and resources. And each person has their starting premise. A researcher in the woods of the Pacific Northwest with night vision goggles and a tape recorder isn't looking for a guy in a suit. And a skeptic like yourself is examing material, issues and people because you find the known circumstances suspicious and you want to follow those suspicions. You do your research, the guy in the woods does his, I do mine. Seems we should be able to get along as we each do our thing.

I know Owen, but not MK Davis. I'm aware of their photo enhancement efforts. I'm not well versed on MK Davis' complete studies. As I've said (not to beat a dead horse here) but I'm focusing my attention on suit material capabilities, moreso than any final determination of what a real alternative specifically would be. If it's real, I don't know what it is, other than a primate.


devnull

"To be honest, the comment was more about CF seeing you as the great BFer saviour - Ill respect your impartiality until you start making gargantuan mental leaps to arrive at an obviously pre-determined outcome."

And if I make such a foolish leap, show me no mercy. Seems fair.


Bill
 
William I consider the horseback photos and film as the filler for the documentary. But one thing this photo may demonstrate is that Patterson had more than one change of clothes with him. He appears to have light colored pants and the light colored jacket he's seen wearing in the print cast pose. Didn't someone do a light angle study here with Patterson's shadow during the cast making? Why not do it with the pack horse/road photo.
 
William I consider the horseback photos and film as the filler for the documentary.

I consider Patty to be filler for an autobiographical documentary on The Con Man: Roger Patterson.

But one thing this photo may demonstrate is that Patterson had more than one change of clothes with him. He appears to have light colored pants and the light colored jacket he's seen wearing in the print cast pose.

Why do you say this is Patterson riding in that scene?
 
Hi Bill,

Wellcome to the forums. Fist of all, thank you for addressing my comments. Its really interesting and exciting to discuss this subject with people who are really intersted in dicussing it and do have real information to exchange.

Forst of all, I will need, at least throuygh the following two weeks to be very brief on any interchange; I'm a bit overloaded with work.

...snip...I explain exactly why suits, in general need helpers. I've worn them for movies. And I explained how people can condition themselves to more endurance in a suit. And I explained how amateurs can wear them as well. I explained about padded suits and suits that allow for air circulation inside (like stroller costumes for theme park employees. I covered all the considerations. You just failed to read them.[/
No, I haven't- at least those made in the last month or so. Sorry, I haven't had the time to check BFF after this, so I will not be aware of any new stuff.

I must stand by my statements; basically I feel that a person, specially if used to hard work, could perform as Patty, specially because he (whoever he was) would have two helpers. Or at the very least, one. Not to mention that the "Patty performance" was not very long.

Now, do you agree or not? If not, why?
The principle difference in technologies, between stop motion animation and real time filming is that the fur can be groomed before every single frame of film is taken (for a stop motion model). In live performance filming, one can groom a suit only until the camera roll, then the suit and the motion of the actor inside may ruffle the fur and expose seams, and the assistant grooming the fur has no potential to step in during filming to correct it. Live filming represents an entirely different set of rules about how fur can or cannot be groomed. Comparing it to stop motion work is truly apples and oranges, in terms of seam hiding processes and potential.
I partially agree with you, and my posts on the issue shows why. Of course the building and filming techiches are different. The true question is: Considering seams can be hidden in miniatures filmed at close range (by a number of means) would the seams of a full-sized costume be visible at PGF's resolution?

My opinion is no or barely.

Now, from this point, let the discussion begin.

"Curious that you feel one person's expressing his opinion is a "red flag regarding his objectivity". Don't every one of you here in this forum express your opinions in nearly every thread. I said the breasts tend to be more humanistic than apelike, and that I didn't see anything about them which I felt was particularly unnatural in that context. And I discussed at leangth exactly how a person could fake them, with 60's technology. Did I base any conclusion on a perception of "looking natural"? No.
Bill, here's the problem:
"I didn't see"
Its the very same issue we've been dealing with for a long time. Personal impressions. As you just said, you did not see anything particulary unatural. Well, I see. In this particular issues, saying "it looks real for me" is just not enough. You certainly are familiar with Monty Python's "The meaning of life". Well, there's a scene of several bare breasted women running. No silicone. Please point me to a single one whose breasts move like Patty's breasts.

Frankly I don't think they're an issue that determines true or false. They could be real, they could be fabricated. Arguments can be advanced either way. Neither would be conclusive in my opinion.
I would agree with you if it weren't for the words you wrote above, regarding not finding anything wrong with Patty's breasts.

"Lack of anatomic understanding/knowledge is not expected in an individual whose work is costume making and building animal replicas. "

Interesting criticism, considering I won two "Best In World Recreation" awards at the World Taxidermy Competition, 1988 and 1992, for my anatomically perfect sculptural figures of real animals, including primates. I was invited back in 1995 and 1997 to judge and lecture at that event. And Breakthrough Magazine published over a dozen articles on my realistic wildlife sculptures and techniques. Correa Neto, may I ask your resume of anatomical study or expertise as well, so you can verify that you have anatomical understanding and knowledge. Or must I presume yours while defending mine?
Bill, I think I was clear from my posts. I see I wasn't. So, I will try to be more clear.

I think that regardless of your qualifications, personal bias have seeped in your analysis of Patty's breasts. Please understand that qualifications apart, what impress me and can make me change my mind are evidence and arguments. So far, the reasons you exposed to back your positions on how hard it would be to build a Patty costume, specially the parts I have outlined, have failed to convince me, regradless of your CV. These are two things apart.

Now, if you want to know more about my personal background, please drop me a PM and I will send you some info.
 
I consider Patty to be filler for an autobiographical documentary on The Con Man: Roger Patterson.



Why do you say this is Patterson riding in that scene?

White hat, light jacket, short legs. The rider looks pretty small atop that horse which is in keeping with Patterson's dimunitive size.
 
William after further inspection the jacket dosen't look right as the light colored jacket Patterson wore in the cast pose photos. Yet the hat and rider size say Roger more than they do Gimlin at least to my eye. Does it matter whose on the horse the issue brought up earlier was the length of shadows and the implied time of day.
 
William after further inspection the jacket dosen't look right as the light colored jacket Patterson wore in the cast pose photos.

What makes you think that is a jacket instead of a shirt? Are you saying the cast display scene was taken right after the Patty castings were pulled from the sandbar?

Yet the hat and rider size say Roger more than they do Gimlin at least to my eye.

What hat was Gimlin wearing at Bluff Creek? Whose horse is that, and how big is it? I'll give you a hint, since you do not read and/or retain information from posts in this thread. (Chico is a tall quarter horse)

Does it matter whose on the horse the issue brought up earlier was the length of shadows and the implied time of day.

Does it matter if Chico is at Bluff Creek?
 
A long overdue hello and welcome to you, captain koolaid. I can tell you are not new to The Boss of the Woods phenomenon.
 
I can assure you sir, I have read the entire thread (as painful as it was as of late). Recently it's just been idle bantering and word games.

As Bill Munns just stated:



Shall we?

You are correct that the thread does lapse into nonsense from time to time but IMHO some fairly significant facts have been brought to light. Your post made it seem like nothing has been of any use until now........and yet you keep reading.
 
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