Original subtitles

THERE'S AN ENDLESS OCEAN OF POSSIBILITIES

FOR THE IDENTITY OF THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER.

IT'S BEEN SEEN SINCE THE 1800s.

30-YEAR INTERVALS OF SIGHTINGS.

DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS,

THERE ARE SOME STRANGE ANIMALS IN THAT RIVER.

WHITE RIVER MONSTER WAS SEEN SWIRLING IN THE WATER.

IT LOOKED AS BIG AS A BOXCAR.

APPARENTLY, IT LIFTED THEIR BOAT OUT OF THE WATER.

IT'S BIG. IT'S 15 TO 20 FEET LONG.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT,

AND THEY WONDER IF IT'S DOWN THERE

ABOUT TO ATTACK THEM.

AAH!

THERE ARE CREATURES SCIENCE REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE.

BUT NEW TECHNOLOGY MAKES US QUESTION WHAT IS REAL.

BACK AWAY FROM THE GIRL!

ENTER A REALM WHERE FACT MEETS FICTION...

IT'S REAL! I SAW IT!

...SCIENCE MEETS LEGEND.

SHOOT IT!

AAH!

- Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

MOM, DAD! COME LOOK AT THE DUCK.

WHERE, BABY?

RIGHT THERE.

OH. OH, I SEE IT.

IT'S CUTE.

HEY, BABY, WHERE'S MICHAEL?

I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW? MICHAEL!

I DON'T REMEMBER.

WELL, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HIM, HONEY?

WELL, HE WAS HERE A SECOND AGO.

MICHAEL!

SERIOUSLY, NOW-- MICHAEL.

RRR! OH! OH.

DON'T DO THAT. THAT SCARED ME.

HILARIOUS.

DAD, SOMETHING IN THE WATER JUST ATE THE DUCK.

YOU'RE KIDDING.

COME ON. IT'S THIS WAY, MAN.

ARE YOU SURE, MAN?

YEAH, I JUST CHECKED THE MAP. COME ON.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR MAP-CHECKING SKILLS, MAN.

LAST TIME YOU HAD US LOST FOR AN HOUR.

HO! HOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!

WHO WAS RIGHT? WHO WAS RIGHT?

IN JUNE 2009,

TWO ADVENTURE SEEKERS, MAC BARRETT AND TYLER CRENSHAW,

DECIDED TO TRY THE UNUSUAL SPORT OF CATFISH NOODLING,

WHICH INVOLVES FISHING WITH BARE HANDS

RATHER THAN A ROD AND REEL.

THEY HIRED VETERAN GUIDE EARL GAINES

TO TEACH THEM THE ROPES.

UNBEKNOWNST TO THE MEN, THE TEETH OF A 40-POUND CATFISH

WOULD BE THE LEAST OF THEIR WORRIES

AS SOMETHING FAR MORE DANGEROUS LURKED

IN THE WATERS OF THE WHITE RIVER.

WHOO-HOO-HOO! YEAH!

LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL RIVER FILLED WITH CATFISH.

IS THIS WHERE HE SAID HE WAS GONNA MEET US?

YEAH, I THINK SO. ALL RIGHT.

DUDE, WHAT DO YOU GOT IN THERE?

YOU GOT, LIKE, TWO WEEKS' WORTH OF CRAP IN THERE.

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED

THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO BRINGS THE GEAR?

WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU BRING?

WHAT DO I BRING? YEAH. YOU.

I BRING THE LUCK, MY FRIEND. THE LUCK.

OH, THE LUCK. OKAY, I GOT YOU.

WELL, WHILE YOU HAVE THE LUCK, I GOT MY GLOVES--

YOU BOYS AIN'T GONNA NEED ALL THAT STUFF.

DOWN HERE, WE CATCH FLATHEADS WITH OUR HANDS.

IT'S FINGERNAILS TO TEETH.

YOU MUST BE EARL.

NOW, WE CALL IT HOGGING DOWN HERE.

YOU BOYS CAN CALL IT ANYTHING YOU WANT 'CAUSE YOU'RE PAYING,

BUT DOWN HERE, WE CALL IT HOGGING.

SO, IS THIS YOUR SECRET SPOT, EARL?

NO. HELL, NO.

FISHERMAN WORTH HIS SALT WOULDN'T TELL YOU HIS SPOT.

HE'D RATHER GIVE UP A KIDNEY,

AND LORD KNOWS YOU'RE NOT WORTH A KIDNEY.

THAT'S WHY I SHOWED YOU THIS SPOT.

IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S.

YEAH, WELL, UH, HERE, MACARONI,

YOU GO AHEAD AND HOLD ONTO THE CAMERA.

ALL RIGHT.

I...AM GOING IN. I'LL SEE YOU ON THE INSIDE.

OOH. WHAT THE HELL?

NOW, BOYS...

THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL A BEAR TRAP.

THAT'S MEANT TO HOLD YOU TILL THE SHOTGUN SHOWS UP.

SOMEBODY HAS STAKED OUT THIS SPOT,

AND THEY'RE REAL SERIOUS ABOUT KEEPING IT.

NOW, YOU ALL WATCH YOUR LITTLE TOOTSIES THERE,

AND YOU FOLLOW ME.

COME ON.

HOW LONG YOU BEEN NOODLING?

OHH, LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST FISH YOU EVER CAUGHT?

CAUGHT ME A 100-POUNDER ONE TIME.

DIDN'T USE NO DYNAMITE, NEITHER.

THIS IS A MAP OF ARKANSAS, AND THIS WOULD BE NEWPORT.

MANY SIGHTINGS HAD TAKEN PLACE

RIGHT HERE IN THIS BEND OF THE WHITE RIVER

OF THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER.

IN JULY OF 1971,

YOU HAVE THE RICHERSON/ODIE REPORT.

THEY DESCRIBED THIS CREATURE COMING UP UNDERNEATH THEIR BOAT

AND THEN FEELING LIKE THIS CREATURE WAS OUT TO ATTACK THEM.

IT LIFTED THEIR BOAT OUT OF THE WATER.

SO, APPARENTLY THEY WERE RIDING ON THE BACK OF THIS CREATURE

THE SIZE OF A RAILROAD BOXCAR.

EARL, MAN,

THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT SPOT RIGHT HERE.

YEAH.

BUT THE WATER'S TOO FAST.

YOU LOSE YOUR FOOTING, THE RIVER WILL TAKE YOU AWAY.

WE'RE MOVING ON.

OH, MAN!

OH, MAN. THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

I GOT A GOOD VIBE FROM THIS PLACE, MAN.

DUDE, TYLER,

LOOK AT ALL THOSE NOOKS AND CRANNIES OVER THERE.

THIS HAS GOT TO BE CATFISH CENTRAL.

HEY, WHAT DO YOU SAY, EARL?

MNH-MNH.

WHY NOT?

THERE'S A DAM YONDER THAT LETS OUT ABOUT NIGHTFALL.

IT RAISES THE WATER.

IT'LL BE UP TO YOUR EYEBALLS IN NO TIME.

IT'S TOO DEEP. I SAY WE MOVE ON.

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

YOU'VE BEEN DUMPING ON EVERY SINGLE SPOT WE COME TO.

THIS PLACE IS PERFECT.

THE LOCAL PEOPLE TALK ABOUT A CREATURE THAT LIVES HERE.

HE FEEDS ON THE CATFISH.

WORD IS HE CAN TAKE A MAN UNDER.

THIS IS HIS SPOT. HE LIVES HERE.

NO. I SAY WE MOVE ON.

GET OUT OF HERE, EARL.

OKAY, WELL, US CITY BOYS, WE DON'T BELIEVE IN CREATURES.

I THINK WE'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

YEAH, I THINK WE'LL BE JUST FINE.

I SAY WE MOVE ON.

TAKE THIS.

EARL, WE'RE GONNA STAY RIGHT HERE.

THIS PLACE LOOKS PRETTY GOOD TO ME.

MAC, MAC, MAC, MAC, MAC, MAC, MAC.

LOOK, EARL, ME AND MAC ARE TIRED OF WALKING AROUND.

WE'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND ALL DAY, OKAY?

SO WE'RE GONNA STAY HERE.

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP WALKING,

I'M SURE WE CAN FIND ANOTHER PERSON

TO TEACH US HOW TO NOODLE.

LIKE HELL YOU WILL.

SO, WHAT'S IT GONNA BE, EARL?

ALL RIGHT.

YES! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. LET'S DO THIS.

YOU READY, MAN?

YOU GOING IN WITH THAT THING?

YEAH, IT'S AN AQUA-CAM.

HEY, I GOT YOU, TOO, THOUGH. CHECK THAT OUT.

WHAT IS THIS?

YOU LIKE THAT?

I CAN GO IN THE WATER WITH THIS?

ALL RIGHT. I'LL GIVE IT A SHOT.

COME ON, EARL. LET'S GO.

LET'S GET A SMILE THERE, EARL.

CATFISH ARE WAITING.

DURING THE MID-CRETACEOUS,

THERE WAS AN INLAND SEA

THAT COVERED MUCH OF THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES,

INCLUDING PARTS OF ARKANSAS.

THIS SHALLOW-WATER SEA

CONTAINED SOME INCREDIBLY LARGE, VORACIOUS FISH PREDATORS,

AND ONE OF THESE WAS CALLED XIPHACTINUS.

THIS FAMILY OF FISHES

IS RELATED TO LIVING SPECIES OF LARGE, VORACIOUS PREDATORS.

XIPHACTINUS WAS ABOUT 15 TO 20 FEET LONG.

ITS TEETH WERE AS LONG AS THE FANGS OF A TIGER.

BASED ON THE FOSSIL RECORD,

WE KNOW THAT XIPHACTINUS WAS VERY CAPABLE

OF TAKING HUMAN-SIZED FISHES.

IT JUST SHOT ITS ENTIRE BODY OVER THE PREY ITEM

AND ENGULFED IT WHOLE.

THE FLATHEADS, THEY LIKE TO BE UP BY THE BANK HERE.

THEY'LL DIG THEMSELVES A HOLE DOWN IN DEEP.

NOW, YOU GOT TO GET DOWN AND REACH YOUR HAND IN.

YOU WANT TO WIGGLE YOUR FINGERS A LITTLE BIT, OKAY?

IT GETS THEM KIND OF EXCITED.

WHEN YOU START FEELING THEM BITING ON YOU,

YOU LET THEM GET A GOOD GRIP ON IT,

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU PULL IT OUT AND...

...THROW THEM UP ON THE BANK LIKE THAT.

THAT WAS AWESOME!

EARL, YOU ARE THE MAN!

I KNOW.

THAT WAS LIKE 35 POUNDS.

WELL, MAYBE NOT THAT BIG, BUT IT WAS A KEEPER.

NOW, I THINK I GOT ANOTHER ONE.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. HE'S IN THERE DEEP.

OH, HE'S A BIG ONE. THIS ONE'S, UH, BIG HERE.

UGH.

AAH! AAAAH!

AAAAAH! AAAAH!

UGH. UGH.

AAAAAH!

OH EARL!

MAC, GET HIS ARM! AAH!

EARL, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?!

UGH. UGH.

EARL, A CATFISH DID THAT?

THAT WASN'T NO CATFISH.

I DROPPED MY CAMERA.

EARL, ARE YOU OKAY?

YEAH.

I GOT IT.

EARL, MAN. ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

YEAH, I'LL BE FINE.

BUT WE BETTER GET OUT OF HERE, ANYWAY.

THERE'S SOMETHING IN THAT HOLE WE SHOULDN'T BE MESSING WITH.

I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE TWO HOURS OF DAYLIGHT LEFT.

I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS JUST A CATFISH.

I MEAN, A BIG CATFISH.

THAT WASN'T NO CATFISH.

WELL, EARL, WHATEVER IT WAS, I MEAN,

I THINK YOU KILLED HIM.

YOU STABBED THE HELL OUT OF IT.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, YOU WANT TO GET BACK IN THERE?

YOU GO AHEAD. GO GET YOUR ARMS RIPPED UP.

BUT YOU BETTER HURRY 'CAUSE THAT RIVER, IT'S RISING.

I MEAN, HOW WILL WE KNOW WHAT TO DO?

I'LL TELL YOU FROM HERE.

I'M NOT GETTING BACK IN THERE.

I HAVEN'T EVEN CAUGHT A FISH YET.

ALL RIGHT, YOU DOWN THEN?

I'M DOWN. YOU DOWN?

LET'S DO IT.

WE DIDN'T COME ALL THIS WAY FOR NOTHING.

THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER SEEMS TO SHOW

ALL OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A MORE MAMMAL-TYPE CREATURE

WITH MAYBE SOME OUT-OF-PLACE ALLIGATORS THROWN IN, TOO.

SOME OF THE SIGHTINGS SAY THAT THIS ANIMAL

HAD A ROUGH-LOOKING HIDE THAT APPEARED TO BE PEELING.

DR. ROY MACKAL WROTE EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER,

AND CONCLUDED THAT PROBABLY A ROGUE MALE ELEPHANT SEAL

HAD COME UP FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO

AND HAD MADE ITS WAY UP TO THE TOWN OF NEWPORT

IN THE BEND IN THE WHITE RIVER.

YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO BE IN CLOSE CONTACT

WITH A BULL ELEPHANT SEAL

CAPABLE OF LIFTING TWO MEN IN A BOAT OUT OF THE WATER.

ALLIGATORS, OF COURSE, WE KNOW DO CAUSE FATALITIES,

AND THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF CHARACTERISTICS

WE SEE IN THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER.

Dr. Alfaro: THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR REPORTS

OF CROCODILIANS, AFTER CIVIL WARS,

WHERE LOTS OF BODIES GET DUMPED INTO RIVERS,

THAT THESE ANIMALS BECOME MORE ACCUSTOMED

TO EATING HUMAN REMAINS,

AND SUPPOSEDLY THIS HAS CORRELATED

WITH AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS.

PEOPLE ARE MUCH BETTER OFF NOT KNOWING

WHAT THINGS ARE SWIMMING AROUND IN THE RIVERS AND LAKES.

ALL RIGHT, MAN. WATCH AND LEARN.

WATCH AND LEARN. HERE WE GO.

KEEP WIGGLING THOSE FINGERS! YOU GET DOWN IN THERE DEEP!

DUDE, I THINK I FEEL SOMETHING.

WELL, GRAB IT! GET IT IN THE GILL!

OHH!

DUDE, I HAD IT! I TOTALLY HAD IT!

THAT WAS WEAK, MAN. THAT WAS REAL WEAK.

THAT WAS AWESOME!

ALL RIGHT, DUDE. I GOT TO GET IN THERE, MAN.

I GOT TO GET IN THERE. HERE, LET ME PUT THIS DOWN.

OH, YOU TWO ARE FUNNIER THAN A PICTURE SHOW.

I'LL TELL YOU THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU READY TO SEE HOW A REAL MAN DOES THIS?

ALL RIGHT, NOW, REACH IN THERE AS FAR AS YOU CAN

AND WIGGLE YOUR FINGERS WHILE YOU DO THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU GOT IT?

NO, MAN. I WAS CLOSE, THOUGH. I WAS REALLY CLOSE.

I FEEL IT IN THERE.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, REACH DOWN AROUND THERE

AND GRAB ITS HEAD AND JUST YANK IT OUT NOW. ALL RIGHT.

TYLER, HELP GET ME MY--

EARL, DUDE, YOU GOT TO HELP ME, MAN. I'M STUCK.

TYLER?

TYLER?!

TYLER! HEY!

TYLER! WHAT THE

MAN, YOU SCARED THE OUT OF ME.

WHY'D YOU STAY DOWN THERE SO LONG?

I SWEAR I WAS THIS CLOSE, MAN.

HEY, COME AND HELP ME. IT'S A BIG ONE.

WELL, GOOD LORD. IT TAKES TWO OF YOU TO CATCH A FISH?

COME ON. IT'S JUST ONE FISH.

HEY, IT'S OUR FIRST TIME. GIVE US A BREAK.

DUDE, I'M STUCK. I'M NOT KIDDING.

I'M STUCK. YOU'RE STUCK?

HEY, CAN YOU COME OVER HERE AND HELP ME OUT OF HERE?

YOU TWO ARE A PIECE OF WORK!

I OUGHT TO JUST LEAVE YOU THERE FOR THE FISH TO EAT.

COME ON, MAN. PLEASE!

OHH, I'M GETTING TOO OLD FOR THIS.

THIS IS THE LAST TIME

I BRING A COUPLE OF YOUNG BUCKS OUT HERE.

THE RIVER SHIFTED OR SOMETHING.

I GOT MY LEG STUCK UNDER A LOG. I DON'T KNOW.

I'M ABOUT READY TO SHIP YOU DOWN TO THERE. I'LL TELL YOU THAT.

AAH!

EARL!EARL!

WHILE MOST REPORTS OF THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER

DESCRIBE IT TERRORIZING FISHERMEN AND BOATERS,

SOME BELIEVE THAT THIS CREATURE

MIGHT HAVE EVEN HAD AN IMPACT ON OUR NATION'S PAST.

THE HISTORIC REVELATION WHEN "LOST TAPES" RETURNS.

FAR MORE THAN JUST A REGIONAL LEGEND,

SOME EVEN CLAIM THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER

MIGHT HAVE AFFECTED THE CIVIL WAR.

AT THAT TIME, THE WHITE RIVER

WAS A MAJOR TRANSPORTATION ROUTE,

AND ACCORDING TO LOCAL LORE,

THE MONSTER WAS BELIEVED TO BE RESPONSIBLE

FOR OVERTURNING A CONFEDERATE MUNITIONS BOAT.

UGH.

AAH!

EARL!EARL!

DUDE! DUDE, YOU GOT TO GET ME OUT OF HERE!

DUDE! YOU GOT TO GET ME OUT OF HERE!

HURRY! IT'S STUCK!

EARL!

WHAT THE WAS THAT, MAN?

EARL!

HE'S GONE.

GONE MAN! YOU GOT TO GET ME OUT OF HERE.

SOMETHING IN THE WATER. HURRY UP.

OH DUDE, SOMETHING JUST TOUCHED ME, MAN!

SOMETHING BIG!

YOU THINK IT'S THAT CREATURE EARL WAS TALKING ABOUT?

I DON'T KNOW, MAN. HURRY UP. GET ME OUT OF HERE.

UGH!

THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE!

WHAT IS THAT?!

I DON'T KNOW! DUDE, HURRY UP!

YOU GOT TO PRY ME OUT OF HERE. COME ON, MAN.

WHICH FOOT?

MY RIGHT ONE.

UGH! OHH!

I COULDN'T GET IT, MAN!

IT'S STUCK BETWEEN TWO ROCKS OR SOMETHING, MAN.

LET ME TRY IT AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT.

AAH!

IT'S REALLY IN THERE, MAN. I CAN'T GET IT.

ALL RIGHT, LISTEN.

YOU GOT TO GET A STICK OR SOMETHING FROM YOUR BAG.

I GOT A SHOVEL, I GOT A SHOVEL, I GOT A SHOVEL!

GET THE SHOVEL, GET BACK HERE. YOU GOT TO GET ME OUT, MAN.

DUDE, HURRY UP. THE WATER'S RISING.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, MAN. OKAY, HURRY UP.

WE MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE IDEA THAT A FEMALE LION

IS VERY PROTECTIVE OF HER YOUNG AND WILL FIGHT OFF INTRUDERS.

IN THE FISH WORLD, SOMETIMES THE FATHER OR THE MOTHER

WILL GUARD THAT NESTING SITE, FENDING OFF POTENTIAL PREDATORS.

A NOTORIOUS EXAMPLE ARE THE TITAN TRIGGERFISHES.

TITAN TRIGGERFISH CAN BE EXCEPTIONALLY AGGRESSIVE,

CAPABLE OF DELIVERING PAINFUL BITES TO YOUR-- WHAT HAVE YOU.

BECAUSE OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES,

BECAUSE OF HUMAN ENCROACHMENT ON WILD AREAS,

HUMANS ARE MUCH, MUCH MORE OF A THREAT

TO THE BIG FISHES IN OUR RIVERS.

I GOT IT!

I'M COMING, MAN.

ALL RIGHT, DUDE. I'M GONNA TRY TO PRY YOU OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

OW!

DUDE, I COULDN'T GET IT.

I GOT IN BETWEEN THE ROCKS, BUT I COULDN'T GET IT.

OKAY. I'M GONNA TRY IT AGAIN.

OH

WHAT? OH, DUDE!

DUDE, I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER THERE.

I SAW A MONSTER!

AAH!

DUDE!

WHAT? OH, DUDE!

DUDE, I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER THERE.

I SAW A MONSTER!

AAH!

TYLER! TYLER!

AAH!

TYLER!

HELP!

AAH!

AAH!

WHILE THE IMPACT OF THE CREATURE

SUCCEEDED IN KNOCKING MAC BARRETT FREE,

IT ALSO LEFT HIS FOOT FRACTURED IN THREE PLACES.

HE NARROWLY ESCAPED THE RIVER,

LEAVING BEHIND HIS FRIEND TYLER CRENSHAW

AND FISHING GUIDE EARL GAINES.

MAC PETITIONED THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO DRAG THE RIVER

IN THE HOPE OF RECOVERING THE BODIES

AND PROVING THE EXISTENCE OF THE CREATURE.

HIS REQUEST WAS REPEATEDLY DENIED.

THE DEATHS OF TYLER AND EARL

WERE OFFICIALLY ATTRIBUTED TO ROGUE ALLIGATORS,

A RARE OCCURRENCE IN ARKANSAS,

BUT AN EXPLANATION

THAT SATISFIED THE AUTHORITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CASE.

IT DID NOT, HOWEVER,

ADDRESS THE PUBLIC'S LINGERING CURIOSITY--

DO THEY LIVE AMONG US?