The man, the myth, the legend – Seth Breedlove is back with another documentary that’s going to blow your socks off. I’ve stated my opinion before, but for those of you are are new to the works of Breedlove and Small Town Monsters, I’ll say it again. Seth is going to go down in history as one of the greatest documentary film-makers of our generation. Each story, each monster he chronicles is examined from every angle, down to the point of every single claw. What’s most incredible about his documentaries – outside of them being about the most well known cryptids of all time, or biggest UFO sightings in recent history – is the rate of production. I follow Seth on Facebook and Instagram, and I can see when he’s in the midst of production. He churns these documentaries out at a rapid pace, two or three a year, and never once has integrity, factual accuracy, or quality been sacrificed in the pursuit of Amazon Video chart breaking success. His films are top notch and impeccable, and it’s a mystery to me that he hasn’t struck a deal with TruTV, SyFy, or Destination America. His content certainly rivals anything they have on the air. Though I’m talking mostly about his previous endeavors, it’s safe to say that his most recent project, The Flatwoods Monster, falls into these sentiments as well.
September 1952. A bright object streaks across the skies of Braxton County, West Virginia. When it makes contact with the earth, curious folks in the small town of Flatwoods venture into the woods to look for answers. What they discover, though, is a black, gargantuan creature with glowing red eyes. The residents retreat, and the legend of The Flatwood Monster begins. Since then, townspeople, scientists, and other experts have tried to debunk or reveal the source of the mystery – all of which is explored in The Flatwoods Monster. Move over Roswell. West Virginia has another UFO case that propels it to become the biggest hub for alien contact in America. The Flatwoods Monster is written and directed by Seth Breedlove. The film features cinematography by Zachary Palmisano, special effects by Santino Vitale, animation by Chris Scalf and original scores performed by Brandon Dalo. This legendary UFO sighting, and this documentary from Small Town Monsters, may be the shortest entry in Breedlove’s category of cryptid history, but it’s probably the most invigorating due to its explosive, one-off event. Such a small fraction of time has absolutely frozen parts of West Virginia in a monster hunting mindset, and the story, the legend of The Flatwoods Monster, is about to recapture that craze of thousands of Americans across the country with this upcoming release.
Though The Flatwoods Monster is shortest in run time, I have to say it’s probably the most professionally produced item on the Small Town Monsters catalog. It’s apparent from the start that the crew has gotten better over time, and they pulled out all the stops to make this documentary look like a million-dollar production. The animation and scores were fantastic and on point. The narrations were crystal clear and sounded like they belonged to a new voice. The graphics, effects and fonts were very 1950’s/1960’s, which fit the time period the original monster sighting took place. Very cohesive, very charming, very old school scary. Again, way better than anything you’ll find on TruTV and Destination America. The Flatwoods Monster, and all Seth Breedlove documentaries really, is ready for its television debut. Someone give it a chance! A monster that emerged from a crashed UFO, strange smells and hysteria, and a captivating small town mystery await viewers in this exciting documentary; the first to dive deep into this subject matter. Educate yourselves when The Flatwoods Monster hosts two screenings in April and June. Find more about them, here: Facebook.
Per tradition, The Flatwoods Monster takes us to the heart of the sighting; showing us all of the most important locations in the real town of Flatwoods, West Virginia. Not only that, but the documentary features several interviews from residents who were in the town during their most exciting blip in history. All of these inclusions leave little to the imagination in terms of setting and location. You get to see it all, first hand, for yourselves and that’s what makes it so enthralling. You literally feel like you’re walking through Flatwoods with Seth Breedlove. Where did the space ship go? Did the fabled UFO ever make it home? Did the government cover it up? Did strange events take place shortly after the crash? What do folks have to say about it? What do Flatwoods Monster enthusiasts have to say bout it? Was it just an owl and a small fire? Most importantly, where can I buy some of the Flatwoods Monster merchandise I saw in the gift-shop interviews? I need to know, but more importantly – you need to know. While The Flatwoods Monster isn’t quite up there with the awesomeness that is The Mothman of Point Pleasant and Invasion on Chestnut Ridge, it’s still pretty fuckin’ fantastic. Tremendous re-watch-ability and the perfect film to ignite the fanaticism in you. You’ll want to believe. You’ll want to catch the sickness. You’ll want to see this documentary! Trust me. Final Score: 9 out of 10.
