Snowbeast (1977) Review

An annual Colorado skiing event is terrorised by a Yeti.

Over the years, I've revisited Snowbeast more times than I care to admit. I first caught it as a child, long before Blu-ray or YouTube, and the film etched itself into memory. For some, it was just another TV movie, but for me-growing up on Tales from the Darkside, Creepshow, and Tales from the Crypt-it struck a chord. Monsters were my entry point into horror, and this snowbound Yeti tale felt both familiar and unsettling.

The film was shown a number of times on UK television, including 20 September 1980 (LWT), 7 August 1987 (LWT), 22 June 1997 (LWT), 24 June 1997 (Sci-Fi Channel Europe), 19 May 1999 (Sci-Fi Channel Europe), and 13 August 2000 (Channel 5). I'm not certain whether I first caught it on one of these airings or via a VHS recording of the UK broadcast. It wasn't available on UK home entertainment releases until 2004 and 2009, so any viewing at that time would have been from TV broadcasts or personal recordings.

Not to be confused with 2011's Snow Beast, veteran TV director Herb Wallerstein's 1977 NBC outing is a competently made, poor man's TV version of Jaws, but it tries hard reach the summer blockbuster's depth, tension, and flair.

Written by Joseph Stefano (who wrote the screenplay for Psycho), it offers the expected slow, talky dialogue, which is broken up by the occasional glimpses of the Yeti, a Bigfoot-like Snow Beast. Robert Prince's music is fitting, notably in a setup where the beast is glimpsed at a window before smashing through it in front of a hall full of children and skiers. Endless Snow Beast POV shots aside, the snowy on-location shoot adds atmosphere, with cinematography by Frank Stanley.

The acting is of its time, but better than today's low-budget attempts. The man in a suit and real-looking blood is still more effective than the bad CGI Syfy Channel productions currently being put out. It has higher-than-usual production values, especially considering it's a made-for-television movie.

As Yeti films go, it's worth checking out-particularly for those wanting a 1970s fashion nostalgia ride.

For those who still hear the call of this snowbound cryptid, the USA's Retromedia released a Blu-ray in 2018; Makeflix reissued a BD-R in 2024 offering both the 72-minute and restored longer versions, which is probably your best bet.