Harry and the Henderson’s
“Harry and the Hendersons”
Growing up ESPECIALLY in this area of the country we all knew “that Guy” you know the guy that was convinced that Bigfoot was real. Whether it be from the dozens of billboards that were all over 67 Highway of the Call of the Wild “museum not exotic dance club version” or guys who just really believed it. So even though we don’t live in the pacific northwest, the heart of Bigfoot country, we still live in the land of the believers. So being a kid when this movie came out was a joy that only helped fuel the imagination to run wild. Because you see they took the different angle they went “what if not only Bigfoot was real” but also “what if he was super kind and gentle too and FUNNY” how cool would that be.
Well this movie answers just those questions and more like if they were real what would they do to your house if they were in it? Harry and the Hendersons is written and Directed by William Dear all special effects were handled by the Master and special effects legend himself Rick Baker. Acting fronted by the incredible John Lithgow, the delightful Melinda Dillon who with this movie along with also playing the mom in A Christmas Story is one of my favorite on-screen moms ever. Don Ameche is wonderful as always M. Emmet Walsh plays his part as only he could and I think the one he played the best in movies is the bumbling idiot with a heart of gold but a ten cent brain. The bad guy Jacques Lafluer is played by David Suchet, a brilliant character actor that you have seen in a million things. For the money guys to find a better, more entertaining family friendly movie for both kids and adults to enjoy together you will be hard pressed to find one.
In the end this movie shows us all that sometimes things are not at all what you perceive them to be and that friendships can be made of the most unlikely of pairs no matter what the circumstances. It also shows us that people no matter how hard headed they can be, that it's not too late for a tiger to change its stripes. In the end we all get the happy ending we are looking for with a ray of discovery at the end. This is a must watch in my opinion but purely for sentimental reasons, but if you have kids you gotta show them this one before they get too old and jaded for the magic to not work.
*This movie review was originally published in The Current River Observer as the River Reels article written by Jeffrey Riggs
