Small Town Monsters' 'The Mothman Legacy' Brings West Virginia's Mothman into the 21st Century

Small Town Monsters' latest documentary, The Mothman Legacy, brings the study of West Virginia’s most famous monster into the 21st century by examining the folkloric elements which have embedded themselves in the story since the late 1960s.

The film uses sepia tones and somber music to set a mood of horror throughout, recognizing the role fear plays in the reported sightings. It ponders the nature of that fear, wondering if there is some generational quality to it or if it came with the Mothman. Stories play an important part in that discussion, as the documentary speculates whether Mothman might be “something whose very survival depends on our telling of tales.”

Those new to the Mothman phenomenon shouldn’t be worried about being lost, as the film spends ample time explaining the sightings' origin—without simply rehashing old stories. Instead, the earliest sightings of the creature are woven into the narrative, establishing a contrasting context against which to compare the assumptions and embellishments added over the decades. To that end, this documentary doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths, such as the questionable nature of the popular Mothman-as-a-harbinger-of-doom narrative and the economic benefit that the sightings have had on the town of Point Pleasant.

But for all that, The Mothman Legacy still does what all Small Town Monsters documentaries do best: give voice to the witnesses themselves, free of judgment. Exposing problematic elements that have developed in the 50-plus years since the residents of West Virginia first started reporting their resident winged monster doesn’t do any disservice to the witnesses, rather it allows the truth of their experiences to be exposed in a way that captures their authenticity. Experiences, as documented in the film, that continued well past the collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967 and into the present day.

The Mothman Legacy might be the best example to date of why Small Town Monsters continues to be so well-respected within the paranormal community; its commitment to factual reporting, nuanced approach to investigation, and respectful treatment of those who’ve witnessed the impossible are all on display here in a way that is equal parts entertaining and informative.

The documentary is currently available for preorder through the Small Town Monsters website.

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