Harry and the Hendersons (1987)

Tagline: According to science, Bigfoot doesn’t exist.

Curiosity: John Lithgow and Sasquatch battle crime!

Plot: Avid hunter George Henderson (Lithgow) and his family “accidentally” hit a strange creature on their way home from a camping trip. Upon discovering that it’s none other than the legendary Bigfoot (Kevin Peter Hall), George decides to bring the corpse home with him FOR SCIENCE.

Later that day, however, the corpse, now dubbed Harry, returns for revenge upon Seattle. A French… maybe French-Canadian hunter (David Suchet) stalks Bigfoot, much to George’s chagrin. Having learned that hunting is bad, George begins shouting a pro-vegetarian message to anyone who will listen.

Thoughts: Released in 1987, Harry and the Hendersons might be one of the most influential films on my childhood. At 25, I realize that this might be the film that introduced me to the fine art of saying everything “sucks.” It also possibly buried an animal rights/vegetarian agenda in my subconscious, which didn’t manifest itself until high school.

I also think the movie just warped the way I perceive cinema. On its surface, Harry and the Hendersons is a delightful, family friendly romp. But there are certain scenes that lend it a more adult-oriented air. There’s a surprising amount of profanity, for one. There’s also a scene between Harry and George’s daughter Sarah (Margaret Langrick) that haunts me. Harry brings Sarah flowers [Side note: When trying to determine Harry’s gender, Sarah is the only one to point out Harry’s massive dong]. When she smiles at his gift, Harry gently puts his hand on the side of her face… and knocks flying to the ground with a loud thud. It’s so violent and random. And that thud really pops. In my head, I pretend Harry straight up pulled an Of Mice and Men on Sarah, but that’s maybe too dark. Anyway, animal rights. That’s cool.

I now find myself well-stocked on Harry and the Hendersons stories. Did you know Harry (Hall) also played the Predator? And that he died of complications from HIV? Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London, Star Wars: A New Hope, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, and, um, Norbit) designed Harry. He won a fucking Oscar for that shit. The film was adapted for TV. The show ran for three seasons. Harry murdered several characters throughout the show’s 72-episode run. I find clips of the show oddly compelling:





Reflection: I forgot to talk about George’s adorably nerdy son Ernie (Joshua Rudoy)! He’s so cute!