New ‘Mothman’ documentary raises more questions than answers

Posted on 02/23/2011 by Harry Thomas

Guest review by Sonya Harvey

Eyes of the Mothman attempts to explain the mystery surrounding the infamous winged birdman that terrorized the small religious community of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, a story known as The Mothman Prophesies.

The Hollywood movie, featuring Richard Gere as an inquiring reporter (loosely based on the real-life author John Keel who dove head-first into UFO conspiracies) and Laura Linney as a police officer responding to strange middle-of-the-night phone calls (loosely based on the real on-scene journalist during the night terrors of Mothman), attempts to piece together the fateful events that took place in Point Pleasant from 1966-1967 that resulted in the death of 46 people.

In spite of the Hollywood hype, this new documentary actually works to break apart the historical events, piece by piece, and in an attempt to cover all possible angles of the still-unsolved mystery, it at least succeeds in formulating every feasible explanation one could fathom — apart from Mothman being a distant cousin of Mothra that is.

It begins with the Curse of Chief Cornstalk. (Say what? We can’t make this stuff up, folks.) See, there was this famed battle that took place in Point Pleasant, and as the story goes, Cornstalk and the English newcomers were in peace negations’ after the battle between the two groups led to a draw.

Unfortunately for Cornstalk, some of the Native Americans weren’t too keen on the so-called peace talks and they ambushed two newbies enjoying an afternoon hunt. This led to Cornstalk being murdered point blank by the Englishmen who held him in contempt. It’s said Cornstalk’s last words were to utter a curse over Point Pleasant and anyone who calls it home. At least that’s what the locals would have you believe. (Remember the Silver Bridge collapse of 1966, anyone?)

Preposterous? Maybe, but how about the chemical mutations set upon the land where the McClintic Wildlife Preserve now stands. Sure, it once housed multiple TNT and bomb-making warfare bunkers put into play during WWII, through the chemical leaks didn’t come about until the 1980s when teenagers and thrill-seekers rummaged the land as their own personal playground. Needless to say it should come as no surprise that the scientific community, in an attempt to explain the unnatural or unknown, coined newspaper headlines that read: Mothman is nothing more than mutated Sandhill Crane. Really? A mutated Sandhill Crane? You don’t say?

Even weirder still it the appearance of the Men In Black and apossibly sub-human who simply referred to himself as Indrid Cold. Granted, UFOs were bound to play apart in the story of a winged birdman flying through the skies, but the story of local resident Woodrow Derenberger and his meeting with Cold is the weirdest explanation yet, and as it turns out, the story can be corroborated.

You see, Cold, dressed in a head-to-toe black suit with big weird bug eyes and a smile streaked across his face, spoke to Derenberger using telepathy and told him of fateful events that would later come true. When more locals swore UFOs could been seen hovering over their barns and reported missing dogs, more Men In Black would show up, not asking questions, but rather telling the towns folk to keep their mouth shut about what they’d seen.

Still, no one could explain the sight of a seven-foot-tall birdman with grayish skin, big red menacing eyes and wings that spanned ten feet, who could fly straight up into the air without so much as a single flutter, and odder still, no one could explain why the witnesses were plagued with symptoms like swollen pinkeye, sleeplessness and reoccurring nightmares.

Yeah, maybe it was the Curse of Cornstalk, or a mutated Sandhill Crane or UFOs, but we can assure you that it definitely wasn’t a distant cousin of Mothra.

Extras:

* Bonus interviews
* Behind-the-scenes featurette
* Psychic Walk Through
* Audio commentary

Bottom line: While it’s a very intriguing and in-depth history of Point Pleasant and the theories behind the Mothman sightings, Eyes of the Mothman leaves the viewer with way more questions then they probably ever had in the first place.

Eyes of the Mothman
Virgil Films, 155 minutes, not rated
DVD: $29.99

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/dvd/2011/02/new-mothman-documentary-raises-more-questions-than-answers/

Rare moth is sighted on Skye estate

A rare moth has been recorded on the John Muir Trust’s Strathaird estate on Skye for the first time in 30 years.

Wild Land ranger Lester Standen saw the argent and sable moth in a stable on the estate. The last sighting of the species was recorded before 1980, and may have been as long ago as 1961.
Mr Standen said: “Seeing scarce species like these moths shows you how important it is to cut down on grazing in sensitive areas.

“Existing populations of these insects can only be maintained if we protect their habitats.”
The argent and sable moth is classified as “nationally scarce” in the United Kingdom. It occurs throughout the Hebrides and the far north-west of Scotland.

It is a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, and is also listed on the Scottish Biodiversity list, as well as the Skye and Lochalsh Local Biodiversity Action plan.

The moth breeds in woodland with birch regrowth and in open moorland and bogs, particularly those at higher altitudes or in coastal areas. Larvae feed on birches and bog myrtle.

John Muir Trust biodiversity officer Liz Auty said: “This species is probably under recorded so we would like to hear of any other sightings.

“The work our rangers do is extremely important because species are being monitored that wouldn’t be observed otherwise. It shows very clearly the range of wildlife that will benefit from reducing deer numbers on our estates.”

John Muir Trust’s Wild Land project aims to monitor wildlife and habitat on trust estates so accurate species records can be built up. Members of the public are invited to contribute their sightings to the project.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1279677?UserKey=

Mexico: Panic Over "Humanoid" in Chihuahua

Source: El Heraldo de Chihuahua
Date: March 27, 2009

Panic Over "Humanoid" seen in La Junta, Guerrero (Chihuahua)

Newsroom - Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua - The Man Bat, who seems to have popped out of some fiction movie, is a real creature that caused a young student from the local university - and a resident of La Junta - to panic. It is a being witnessed by several locals who have described it as a winged humanoid with a fur-covered face and a height of 2 meters.

This all coincides, by the way, with the killings of sheep by decapitation in several ranches. The young man, a non-smoker, non-drinker and non-drug user, is called ? and does not want his name in print.

And he has not yet recovered from the experience that evening - Friday, March 6 at 23:50n hours, as he left Universidad Regional del Norte and headed home to La Junta.

However, when he reached Puente Sin Nombre, he was forced to hit the brakes and make an emergency stop. There was a shadowy bulk on the asphalt, looking like a hunched-over man , perhaps covered by a blanket.

Upon approaching, the still unknown figure rose to its full height, leaped forward twice, unfurled enormous bat-like wings that probably covered the width of the lane, and took to the air.

The young man in question - a serious and outstanding student in his coursework, didn't think twice. He floored the accelerator of his Liberty, burning rubber as he tried to flee from the unknown.

A desperate, fifteen minute chase ensued. The strange creature flew with the power of its rear wings, which were smaller, keeping abreast of the vehicle and peering through the passenger window.

The fear became more intense, and the youngster only thought to call home via his cell phone. His mother answered the phone, and she asked why she could hear the noise of a vehicle trying to reach full speed.

His voice broken by tears, the witness tried to describe that a man, or perhaps a winged animal, was chasing him. His first notion was that it was an apparition, a shaped assumed by Death, and it prompted him to scream in despair: " I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"

He now says that it could have been a hallucination of sorts, but upon reflecting on the entity that chased him for over 15 minutes, he feels shivers again. And he says: "No, it was no illusion." This is the closest brush he has had with fear.

The description is somewhat vague, but the image haunts him when he is unable to sleep. A man with red, bloodshot eyes, standing 2 meters tall, judging by the full length of the Liberty. Two pairs of wings, one large, another small, which allowed it to achieve unimaginable speed; small kangaroo-like hands that it held loosely and without strength, which repeatedly struck the glass of the passenger side window. Its face was covered by some sort of fur, with a protruding dome-shaped forehead and those bloodshot eyes.

This creature was seen in the vicinity of Cimbraplay, near Saenz Guerrero, where several sheep were found dead in recent days at three different ranches. They had all been slain in the same fashion: a large cut to the neck and another on part of the tail.

Another family also claims having seen it in the Mesa de Gonzalez segment of the road to San Juanito, and provides a similar description. With regard to that night, the mother says: "I had never heard him like that, and much less seen him in the state he arrived: shivering, pale and in the midst of a nervous breakdown."

The young man is well thought of in his school and it is said that they are already looking into the presence of this mythic being. The legend of the Man-Bat of La Junta appears to have been born as well.

It Appears Again Near the Cemetery

"I saw the Santa Muerte (Holy Death)." These words were spoken in the most serene tone that one could have after such a bitter experience. It was a remark made by Ivonne, and it never left the household. She shared it with her mother and husband. No one else.

It wasn't until now that they realize that the entity matches the description of the Man-Bat seen in the La Junta region, and which reappeared only days ago at the graveyard gate.

Ivonne (not her real name) is a young mother who dropped off a friend in a sector of La Junta after spending time with her at home, near the new highway to Guerrero. The time was 9:00 at night when she was coming back along the old road that passes by the cemetery.

It was at that time that it saw an enormous figure at the graveyard gate. It resembled a long statue and looked like a person covered in a blanket or a black cape. She felt a shiver and accelerated her truck. She thought it was la Santa Muerte and that she was probably going to die on the road between the graveyard and her home.

Upon returning, she told her mother and husband what she'd seen, and said that it was perhaps the Holy Death, but she was very serene about it, and matters remained at that - a remark that reemerged when they read about the first event in El Heraldo, in which a college student described his traumatic experience.

The description given in the El Heraldo del Noroeste article led her to believe that it was the same thing that she'd seen, and her mother and husband agreed on this.

Upon visiting the cemetery gate, she noticed that the creatures height was truly impressive, given that the gate's archway measures 4 meters from the ground, and the witness states that as she drove past, the [creature's head] nearly touched the top of the gate.

The college student estimated [the creature's] height at some 2 meters, based on the fact that when it chased him for 15 kilometers, its body's length covered the length of the Jeep Liberty he was driving at the time.

The Legend of the Man-Bat has continued yielding narratives: residents of La Junta now say that there is another youngster who also saw this mysterious, supernatural presence. However, they say that the impression was such that this fellow is currently hospitalized somewhere due to a nervous shock. This story has yet to be confirmed.

More Reports: Creature Seen Trapped In Hail-Proof Netting, Talk of a Possible Photograph

A month after the first manifestation or eyewitness account, in this community and its vicinity, some 40 miles from Cuauhtémoc, more stories are being told. It appears to be a fear that is becoming widespread or else a reality that its becoming generalized. Children have also seen it.

It is said that in the downtown area two children went out for a drink of water from the pump in the middle of the back yard. That's when they saw an enormous bird gliding around. Fear caused them to return to the house running and panting.

A young woman claims having heard a noise like the squealing of a mouse, strange sounds on the roof and the flapping of wings.

However, an even closer encounter occurred in Huerta El Rosario, surprisingly close to the first apparition in the vicinity of Puente Sin Nombre, where a watchman heard sounds he'd never heard before.

On the ATV he employs to cover the full extent of the farm, he reached the point where he thought the noises emanated from. What he saw was simply indescribable and the only command his brain issued at the time was to flee at full speed. The red-eyed creature was trapped by the hail-stone preventive netting and was struggling to escape, which it surely managed to do, as it wasn't there the next morning.

The story and remarks are the result of paranoia, perhaps, but everyone is starting to wonder about the existence of a photo that someone took. At least this is what a Public Safety officer has said, but he could not be reached to corroborate the story.

Furthermore, 20 kilometers away, at El Baje or Agua Caliente, a witness to the impressive flight of this being simply collapsed from a heart attack. It is said that he is being treated in one of the region's hospital, but his identity is being concealed for the time being. If found, he would still be in no condition to discuss his encounter.

(Translation (c) 2009. S. Corrales, IHU. Special thanks to El Heraldo de Chihuahua and Ana Luisa Cid)

http://inexplicata.blogspot.com/2009/04/mexico-panic-over-humanoid-in-chihuahua.html

‘Man bat’ reported in Chihuahua, Mexico

Left: Artist rendition of the Man Bat.

This should be filed under “oh no, not again”

Reports are circulating the Mexican press about some ‘Man Bat’ sightings in the state of Chihuahua. Much like the infamous “flying witch” post we did almost a year ago, these reports are similar in a few ways.

Chihuahua is only a state away from Monterrey, where the “flying witch” video was captured. During the last few weeks, residents of La Junta, Chihuahua have been reporting seeing another type of flying humanoid creature.

I will translate the following incident that was reported by “El Heraldo de Chihuahua” newspaper:

“…Uno de los encuentros se suscitó con un hombre de avanzada edad que habita en la comunidad de Sáenz, quien indicó que aproximadamente a las diez de la noche, mientras hacía una ronda por su propiedad para dejar todo en orden en su patio antes de ir a descansar, observó a lo lejos una silueta de lo que parecía un hombre grande y delgado, con ojos brillantes, vestido con una capa negra y que estaba parado sobre su barda; sin embargo, cuando le gritó para que se identificara éste dio un brinco hacia atrás y corrió por el cerro, perdiéndole el rastro casi de inmediato por la gran velocidad con la que se alejó….”

“…One of the incidents involved a elderly man that lives in the Sáenz Community. He reported that around 10 pm, while making his rounds throughout his property before heading off to bed, he observed a silhouette that was standing far away. To him, it looked like a tall man, thin and with bright eyes, dressed in a black cape and was standing on a fence. When the elderly man yelled at the being to identify itself, it jumped backwards and ran to a local hill. The elder man lost sight of the strange being, given that it moved at great speeds…”

A more descriptive account occurred in the town of “La Tena”:

“…Otra versión de la criatura por uno de los habitantes de La Tena, que asegura haberlo visto cerca de los corrales, obedece a que el ser tiene un cuerpo delgado con las características de una mujer, ya que tiene busto visible; mide aproximadamente un metro y medio; tiene alas frontales pequeñas y alas grandes traseras; los brazos son chicos, como los de un canguro; la cara está cubierta de pelo y resaltan dos ojos rojos alargados. Una de las situaciones que más llama la atención es una fotografía que tomó un poblador de La Junta, la cual no quiso proporcionar porque dice que no quiere alimentar la psicosis que está azotando en la comunidad; sin embargo, la descripción de la misma es la siguiente: Se trata de una criatura con el cuerpo parecido al de un perro galgo, con el cuerpo calvo, con un aproximado de un metro y medio de largo a largo, la cabeza corta y con rasgos humanos, con una boca alargada pero sin llegar a ser un hocico, como si se observara un hombre deforme, los brazos o patas frontales cortas y las patas o piernas posteriores largas y delgadas, la piel de color café, crema oscuro y gris, y los ojos alargados y grandes…”

“…Another version of the creature came from a inhabitant of La Tena, who claims to have seen it [the creature] close to some stables; claiming that the being has a thin body, with some characteristics of the female torso. It appeared to have a bosom, it was about 6 and a half feet tall, it had small frontal wings as well as larger back wings. Small arms like those of a kangaroo, it’s face was covered in hair and it’s eyes were red and large. One of the events that is controversial, is if a supposed picture taken by another citizen of La Junta of this creature. The photographer does not want to release the picture because he does not want to “feed the psychosis that is plaguing the community”. Although the description is still the same: A creature with the body that resembles a hairless greyhound, six feet tall, a short head that has human features. A long mouth, but not long enough to be a snout. It’s like if you are looking at a deformed man. It’s front arms are short, it’s hind legs are long and thin. Brown colored skin, with a little dark cream and grey colors, big and long eyes…”

All the reports that have been made to authorities describe a similar creature. Although no attacks on humans have been made, there are those mutilated animals that are found.Authorities claim that the injuries made to these animals are not injuries that a human would make using a weapon or blade; the injuries made to the animals are more like ripping of skin made by claws and/or teeth and deep gashes.

There have been reports of the creature chasing humans for a short distance before vanishing. This sounds strangely familiar to the testimony that Officer Samaniego had made in the “Witch of Monterrey” case.

“…A more terrifying encounter was reported by a second officer from a different district. Officer Leonardo Samaniego of Guadalupe reported being physically attacked by one of these beings. Officer Samaniego (visibly shaking in the video right after the encounter) claims that while on patrol in his vehicle, the entity fell from a tree and onto the hood of the vehicle. The officer describes the entity as having female traits. He also describes as it having large eyes and dark skin. Wearing what appeared to be a cloak. He then claims that the entity placed it’s hand on the windshield and after that point he passed out. He only remembers waking up in his patrol car. Shirt and vest disheveled. He called in for backup and medical assistance. Camera crews were there to capture the aftermath…”

http://www.ghosttheory.com/interviews/flying-entities-of-mexico-a-closer-look/

The description of this “being” is quite similar in both cases. A tall humanoid wearing a cape or cloak, large eyes and the ability to fly. It’s behavior is also reported to be similar in which it chases people for a short distance before flying or running off.

Flying humanoids attacking residents? Mass hysteria affecting a town?

Regardless if the creature exists or is just someone’s imagination running wild, the psychosis that these reports cause are, to an extent, troublesome. Many townspeople do not go out at night anymore, or close their shops early to avoid encountering the “Man Bat”.

Written by Javier Ortega - javier@ghosttheory. com

Mexico: State of Chihuahua Terrorized by "Man-Bat"

Source: www.analuisacid.com and El Heraldo
Date: April 10, 2009

Creature has wings and its face is covered in fur

According to information supplied by Ing. Francisco Prieto Torres, residents of La Junta, Guerrero (Chihuahua) have reported the appearance of a "Man-Bat".

They describe it as a very tall entity, standing some 2 meters tall, with two pairs of wings (one pair larger than the other). Its face is covered in fur and has red, bloodshot eyes. Also reported are a pair of small, kangaroo type hands that it held loosely, as though it lacked any strength in them.

The main witness is a young student at Universidad Regional del Norte, whose name is being kept confidential, and who claims that the strange humanoid chased him for 15 minutes on the evening of March 6.

The witness was driving a Liberty back to his home after his studies, when he saw a bulk on the roadway asphalt resembling a hunched-over man who seemed to be covered in a blanket. The figure suddenly stood up, taking two leaps forward and displaying a set of wings similar to those of a bat. The young man floored the accelerator in an attempt to flee, but the strange creature flew with great power, keeping abreast of the vehicle and looking in through the passenger window.

"Those were 15 minutes of maximum despair," he said.

This report has been made known on local radio and in the print media, such as El Heraldo de Chihuahua.

Ing. Francisco Prieto has already located the place where the young man's father works and he wishes to interview him himself. If this is achieved, he will be forwarding the materials to me to make the entire ordeal known. It should be added that the family is known for being respectable and are held in high esteem in the community. Local radio has reported that that a photo of the "Man-Bat" exists, although no further details have been provided.

Other Witnesses

Angela Mendez and Viviana Ledezma are two women who claim to have heard the humanoid squealing amid the screns of an apple grove near the Miñaca Cemetery.

The Authorities

A joint mission was undertaken by members of the Police and Civil Defense of the Municipality of Guerrero in the State of Chihuahua. Socorro Rodriguez Erives reported that after researching several locations it was not possible to find the whereabouts of this strange entity. According to initial reports, the flying entity had its lair in the caves of the mountainous area of the Miñaca region. Despite their best efforts, no trace of the creature was found. Many think that it was
just a myth, while others associate it with "Mothman".

I will continue to report on this situation when word is received from Ing. Prieto Torres, who is looking into this Mexican case.

(Translation (c) 2009, Scott Corrales, IHU. Special thanks to Ana Luisa
Cid, Francisco Prieto Rivera and El Heraldo de Chihuahua)