Charles B. Pierce

Directing

Charles B. Pierce

Born 1938-06-16 · Hammond, Indiana, U.S.

Charles Bryant Pierce (June 16, 1938 – March 5, 2010) was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, set decorator, cinematographer and actor, and is considered one of the first independent filmmakers. Pierce directed thirteen films over the span of 26 years, but is best known for his cult hits The Legend of Boggy Creek (1973) and The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976). Pierce was born in Hammond, Indiana, but moved to Arkansas early in his childhood. After working in production jobs at television stations, Pierce moved to Texarkana and started an advertising agency. He made his directorial debut with The Legend of Boggy Creek, a faux documentary-style film inspired by the legend of the Bigfoot-like Fouke Monster. The film was funded largely by a donation from an advertising client, and Pierce rented a local movie theater to exhibit it. The low-budget film grossed roughly $25 million. Pierce followed the success with several inexpensive, regional films set in Southeastern and Southwestern United States. Among them were The Town That Dreaded Sundown, based on the true story of the Phantom Killer murders in Texarkana. Pierce continued directing films into the 1980s, when he wrote the story for the Clint Eastwood film Sudden Impact (1983). For that screenplay, he is said to have written the phrase, "Go ahead, make my day," which became one of the most famous movie quotes in history. After years of pressure from producers, Pierce directed a Boggy Creek sequel, Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (1985), which he considered the worst film of his career. The sequel was featured in a 1999 episode of the comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000, which ultimately increased Pierce's visibility. Pierce died of natural causes in Dover, Tennessee. His work has been cited as an influence on the horror film The Blair Witch Project (1999).

Acting credits

The Town that Dreaded Sundown poster
5.8

A masked maniac terrorizes the same small community where a murderer known as the Phantom Killer struck decades earlier.

The Town that Dreaded Sundown

2014

The Town That Dreaded Sundown poster
5.8

When two young lovers are savagely beaten and tortured on a back country road in Texarkana, local police are baffled and must find "the Phantom Killer" before he can kill again.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

1976

Grayeagle poster
5.9

A young Cheyenne warrior, who goes by the name Grayeagle, kidnaps the daughter of a grizzled frontier man John Colter who goes on an epic search for his daughter Beth, aided by a friendly native...

Grayeagle

1977

The Man From Boggy Creek poster
NR

A retrospective look at the life and work of the influential independent filmmaker, Charles B. Pierce.

The Man From Boggy Creek

2021

Bootleggers poster
5.8

A bunch of bootleggers run booze in the South.

Bootleggers

1974

The Aurora Encounter poster
5.0

In 1897, residents of a small Texas town are visited by a benevolent extraterrestrial being whose presence divides the community.

The Aurora Encounter

1986

No artwork available
7.0

Man lives with his best friend, Cat, to defend others from big bad.

Man and Cat

2001

Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues poster
2.7

Having heard tales of Bigfoot wreaking havoc in the swamps of Louisiana, a zoology professor sets out to investigate these strange occurrences for himself, aided by a ragtag team. Hitting the road in their camper, the group encounter person after person who relay their strange and often frightening encounters with the beast, while the creature itself remains elusive...

Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues

1984

The Winds of Autumn poster
6.0

In 1884, an eleven-year-old Quaker boy sets out on his own to seek revenge against a gang of outlaws who senselessly murdered his family.

The Winds of Autumn

1976

No artwork available
NR

This is unknown animated movie about family.

Family

2006

Renfroe's White Christmas poster
2.0

A little boy growing up on a farm in rural Louisiana in the 1930s wishes for a White Christmas and must do a selfless act in the spirit of giving in order to get his wish.

Renfroe's White Christmas

1997

Behind the camera

The Town That Dreaded Sundown poster
5.8

When two young lovers are savagely beaten and tortured on a back country road in Texarkana, local police are baffled and must find "the Phantom Killer" before he can kill again.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

1976

The Town That Dreaded Sundown poster
5.8

When two young lovers are savagely beaten and tortured on a back country road in Texarkana, local police are baffled and must find "the Phantom Killer" before he can kill again.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

1976

Grayeagle poster
5.9

A young Cheyenne warrior, who goes by the name Grayeagle, kidnaps the daughter of a grizzled frontier man John Colter who goes on an epic search for his daughter Beth, aided by a friendly native...

Grayeagle

1977

Grayeagle poster
5.9

A young Cheyenne warrior, who goes by the name Grayeagle, kidnaps the daughter of a grizzled frontier man John Colter who goes on an epic search for his daughter Beth, aided by a friendly native...

Grayeagle

1977

Grayeagle poster
5.9

A young Cheyenne warrior, who goes by the name Grayeagle, kidnaps the daughter of a grizzled frontier man John Colter who goes on an epic search for his daughter Beth, aided by a friendly native...

Grayeagle

1977

The Evictors poster
6.4

A nice young couple move into an eerie house located in a small Louisiana town, unaware of its violent history.

The Evictors

1979

The Evictors poster
6.4

A nice young couple move into an eerie house located in a small Louisiana town, unaware of its violent history.

The Evictors

1979

The Evictors poster
6.4

A nice young couple move into an eerie house located in a small Louisiana town, unaware of its violent history.

The Evictors

1979

The Norseman poster
3.4

An 11th-century Viking prince sails to America to find his father, who on a previous voyage had been captured by Indians.

The Norseman

1978

The Norseman poster
3.4

An 11th-century Viking prince sails to America to find his father, who on a previous voyage had been captured by Indians.

The Norseman

1978

The Norseman poster
3.4

An 11th-century Viking prince sails to America to find his father, who on a previous voyage had been captured by Indians.

The Norseman

1978

Hawken's Breed poster
4.0

Hawken is a rugged drifter and loner who meets and comes to rescue a young Shawnee woman, named Spirit in 1840s Tennessee, whom he leaves after saving her from a rouge group of Shawnee Indians. After taking up residence with an old fur trapper and old friend named Jeb Kline, Hawken later meets Spirit again whom runs away from a local fur trader named Tackett, whom she is sold to. Soon, Hawken is up against Tackett and a posse of hired killers, as well as a greedy and racist land owner, named Hickman, who's long abused son Noel whom narrates the entire story, comes to his and Spirit's aid to help them survive.

Hawken's Breed

1987

Hawken's Breed poster
4.0

Hawken is a rugged drifter and loner who meets and comes to rescue a young Shawnee woman, named Spirit in 1840s Tennessee, whom he leaves after saving her from a rouge group of Shawnee Indians. After taking up residence with an old fur trapper and old friend named Jeb Kline, Hawken later meets Spirit again whom runs away from a local fur trader named Tackett, whom she is sold to. Soon, Hawken is up against Tackett and a posse of hired killers, as well as a greedy and racist land owner, named Hickman, who's long abused son Noel whom narrates the entire story, comes to his and Spirit's aid to help them survive.

Hawken's Breed

1987

Hawken's Breed poster
4.0

Hawken is a rugged drifter and loner who meets and comes to rescue a young Shawnee woman, named Spirit in 1840s Tennessee, whom he leaves after saving her from a rouge group of Shawnee Indians. After taking up residence with an old fur trapper and old friend named Jeb Kline, Hawken later meets Spirit again whom runs away from a local fur trader named Tackett, whom she is sold to. Soon, Hawken is up against Tackett and a posse of hired killers, as well as a greedy and racist land owner, named Hickman, who's long abused son Noel whom narrates the entire story, comes to his and Spirit's aid to help them survive.

Hawken's Breed

1987

The Legend of Boggy Creek poster
5.0

A documentary-style drama based on true accounts of the Fouke Monster in Arkansas.

The Legend of Boggy Creek

1972

The Legend of Boggy Creek poster
5.0

A documentary-style drama based on true accounts of the Fouke Monster in Arkansas.

The Legend of Boggy Creek

1972

Winterhawk poster
6.6

Smallpox plagues Chief Winterhawk's tribe. He seeks cure from the white men, who in turn, in fear of getting the smallpox, kill two of his companions. Winterhawk comes back to kidnap a girl and her brother from the white men's settlement, and thus begins the chase...

Winterhawk

1975

Winterhawk poster
6.6

Smallpox plagues Chief Winterhawk's tribe. He seeks cure from the white men, who in turn, in fear of getting the smallpox, kill two of his companions. Winterhawk comes back to kidnap a girl and her brother from the white men's settlement, and thus begins the chase...

Winterhawk

1975

Winterhawk poster
6.6

Smallpox plagues Chief Winterhawk's tribe. He seeks cure from the white men, who in turn, in fear of getting the smallpox, kill two of his companions. Winterhawk comes back to kidnap a girl and her brother from the white men's settlement, and thus begins the chase...

Winterhawk

1975

Sacred Ground poster
6.5

SACRED GROUND tells the fact-based story of a mountain man and his Indian wife who happen upon a partially built cabin and finish it for their own home, not realizing that they occupy a sacred burial ground. A Paiute burial party clashes with the couple and in the ensuing skirmish, the wife is critically wounded while in the middle of childbirth. Bitter over her loss and needing a wetnurse for his baby, he steals one of the Paiute woman who had just lost a baby. In this modern version of Helen of Troy, the battle is on, as he takes on the whole band in a desperate attempt to survive. Written by Dale Roloff

Sacred Ground

1983

Sacred Ground poster
6.5

SACRED GROUND tells the fact-based story of a mountain man and his Indian wife who happen upon a partially built cabin and finish it for their own home, not realizing that they occupy a sacred burial ground. A Paiute burial party clashes with the couple and in the ensuing skirmish, the wife is critically wounded while in the middle of childbirth. Bitter over her loss and needing a wetnurse for his baby, he steals one of the Paiute woman who had just lost a baby. In this modern version of Helen of Troy, the battle is on, as he takes on the whole band in a desperate attempt to survive. Written by Dale Roloff

Sacred Ground

1983

Bootleggers poster
5.8

A bunch of bootleggers run booze in the South.

Bootleggers

1974

Bootleggers poster
5.8

A bunch of bootleggers run booze in the South.

Bootleggers

1974

Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues poster
2.7

Having heard tales of Bigfoot wreaking havoc in the swamps of Louisiana, a zoology professor sets out to investigate these strange occurrences for himself, aided by a ragtag team. Hitting the road in their camper, the group encounter person after person who relay their strange and often frightening encounters with the beast, while the creature itself remains elusive...

Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues

1984