Aliens, Bigfoots, and Monsters… Remembering the Age of the Weirdumentary

In the 1970s, during a period of social unrest and questioning of authority, the United States witnessed a resurgence of interest in the bizarre and unexplained. This fascination with the strange and unexplained drove the production of a series of films known as weirdumentaries by Utah-based Sunn Classic Pictures.

Sunn Classic Pictures, a Mormon-run production house, made a name for itself by releasing partially-dramatized "documentaries" that tapped into the public's curiosity about the paranormal and pseudoscientific phenomena. These films, which included topics such as UFOs, cryptids, and near-death experiences, were popular because there were few other outlets for such content during that time.

James L. Conway, a writer/producer/director at Sunn Classic, attributes the success of these films to the era's fascination with the unexplained. He recalls, "There were very few outlets back then to experience these things, very few TV channels. Through a theatrical window, we were able to make movies about these subjects."

One of Sunn Classic's most notable releases was the 1975 film The Mysterious Monsters, which featured actor Peter Graves and explored the existence of cryptids such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Yeti. This film was based on a re-edited and English dubbed version of the 1970 German documentary Chariots of the Gods, which had grossed over $25 million and was nominated for an Oscar.