'Strong turnout' greets premiere of Bigfoot movie set in Conecuh County

Killer Beaz, Jon Miller and Steven Jenks. (Photo by John Millington)

“Bo McGraw and the Legend of the Alabama Bigfoot,” a feature-length movie set and partially filmed in Conecuh County, debuted Saturday at the Crescent Theater in Mobile, and director Jon Miller said that there was a “strong turnout” for the movie’s premiere.

Directed by Jon Miller and starring Steve Jenks, this “fun, family movie” is a comedy about Bo McGraw, a “bumbling outdoor enthusiast” who “clumsily attempts to capture the elusive Bigfoot” after a “series of unexplained creature sightings make news in rural Alabama.”

“We had a strong turnout” for Saturday’s premiere, Miller said. “I don't know exactly how many we had, but it was nearly to capacity in the theater. We had several folks from the movie come out to see it including (comedian) Killer Beaz, (Mobile radio personality) Uncle Henry, Jason Cooper (Sock Cop), Keone Fuqua, David McHenry, Ashley Blanks and my cousin, Ethan Miller, who played Bigfoot. We had lots of good feedback on the movie, including folks saying how happy they were that it was clean enough that they could bring their kids.”

The plot of the film is set in the fictional community of Pine Straw, Alabama, which in the movie is said to be located just outside of Evergreen, the “Bigfoot Capital of Alabama.” Filming for the movie began in late January and footage in the film includes more than a few landmarks that residents of Conecuh County will recognize, including Booker’s Mill, Bull Slough Bridge, the Evergreen water tower at Exit 96, the old Bank of Evergreen building, the fountains in downtown Evergreen, Evergreen City Hall and the Old L&N Depot in downtown Evergreen.

Jenks, a Clarke County resident who plays the lead role of Bo McGraw in the movie, said he was excited by the size of the crowd that turned out for the movie premiere at the Crescent Theater, which is located on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile.

The theater “was pretty full, and that was exciting for us,” Jenks said. “We had about seven people drive down from North Alabama to watch and some others from Brewton and, of course, Clarke County, so it made it a fun debut.”

Miller and Jenks both noted that they are interested in the possibility of showing the movie in Conecuh County, ideally somewhere in or around Evergreen. As of earlier this week, Miller and Jenks were both considering possible screening venues in Evergreen and the possibility of perhaps showing the movie at future public events like the Conecuh Sausage Festival.

“We are wide open with the possibilities,” Jenks said.

Miller also said on Tuesday that talks are already in the works about a possible sequel to the movie.

“Folks have also already been asking about a sequel or follow up, which is a good sign I think,” Miller said. “I would definitely like to do that. I've got lots of ideas about it but nothing officially planned.”

In the meantime, those who were unable to see the movie on Saturday will be able to watch it online through Amazon Prime or Vimeo On Demand in about two weeks. For more information about the movie and to watch a trailer for the film, visit the website BoMcGraw.com.