“Lucy & the Lake Monster” presents potentially historic footage that challenges our understanding of local folklore.
Just as they were wrapping up editing for their fictional film ‘Lucy & the Lake Monster,’ filmmakers Kelly Tabor and Richard Rossi caught the most-discussed glimpse of “Champ” on camera since 1977.
Interestingly enough, New York native Tabor has searched for the “Loch Ness of Lake Champlain” for over fifty years.
Just as editing was wrapping up for the screen version of her and Rossi’s book ‘Lucy & the Lake Monster,’ the writing duo caught something unexpected on their high-definition drone camera, sent out by their DP to capture a simple shot of the two main characters in their boat, actress Emma Pearson, (pictured), who plays Lucy, an orphan girl looking for Champ, and Richard Rossi, who plays her grandfather, “Papa.”
Locals call him “Champ,” and he’s thought to possibly be a plesiosaur-type animal living in the waters of Lake Champlain. His existence isn’t a new discovery; sightings have been documented as far back as the days of the Abenaki Indians living in the region.
When Samuel de Champlain found the lake in the early 1600s, he also documented seeing a sea serpent in its deep waters. Over the years, there have been many Champ sightings, including photographic evidence dating back to 1977.
The Tabor-Rossi footage is the first high-definition footage of Champ to date, and it offers perhaps the most compelling evidence pointing to his existence. In the footage, viewers can clearly spot what appears to be a large marine animal swimming in the bottom right side of the frame, swimming towards the main character’s boat.
According to Tabor and Rossi, they were shooting scenic views on a beautiful July afternoon, and they were shocked when they discovered what they’d captured underwater using their drone.
Now, some are comparing the footage to the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot reel, which was shot in California in 1967. Many have attempted to authenticate or debunk the film, and they’ve all been unsuccessful in definitively proving it either way.
Tabor-Rossi have released a ten second excerpt of their footage to the public so that anyone and everyone can get a glimpse of Champ. See the Tabor-Rossi drone footage now on YouTube and learn more now by visiting lucyandthelakemonster.com. The footage appears around the four-minute mark in their new film.
“It’s poetic justice, that Kelly Tabor, who has looked for Champ longer than anyone on record, is the one who spotted Champ on film,” a leading source from a cryptozoology society in Europe said. “Kelly and Richard are two of the nicest people in cryptozoology circles.”
FILM PREMIERE
This past Sunday, September 8th, their film ‘Lucy & the Lake Monster’ premiered at the Strand Center for the Arts in Plattsburgh, New York. Tabor and Rossi introduced the film and Rossi pointed to the bottom right of the screen, encouraging the crowd to watch at the four minute mark, when the real drone footage of Champ was incorporated into their family film.
As the drone footage came on the screen, gasps were heard throughout the large audience.
“That’s him,” one patron called out from her seat several rows back from the screen.
“Ohmygod, Champ!” another man in the back of the theater said.
After the end credits of the movie, a long line formed to meet Rossi and Tabor, who signed ‘Lucy & the Lake Monster‘ books and posters in the lobby.
The film will be screened Thursday night, September 12, in Middlebury, Vermont, at the Marquis Theater, then on to other cities across the country.
Between screenings, the “Lucy Company” has visited various places in the community to perform music from the film, and share about the filmaking and writing process.
“We’re eternally grateful for all the support we’ve received from the Lake Champlain region,” Rossi said.
“It’s been such a blessing to visit local libraries, schools, and community groups, and see the smiles on the faces of all the children,” Tabor said.
Comments from children at the premiere who are fans of the book, were that it is “their favorite book,” or “I’ve read it twice already,” or “I want to write books now, too.”
BIBLICAL PRECEDENT
In the film, Papa reads to Lucy from the 41st chapter of the Book of Job about the mighty Leviathan, a sea serpent. The same scripture is seen onscreen as the first image of the movie, overlayed against the waves of Lake Champlain.
At the Creation Museum in Boone County, Kentucky, there is now a “Dragon Exhibit” that discusses Champ, the Loch Ness monster, and other legends, speculating that some of these could be real animals, as described in the books of Job and Isaiah.
“Everyone is familiar with these classic dragon stories, but is there any truth to the supposed fairy tales and legends like Beowulf, Champ, Chinese dragons, or Nessie?” the exhibit asks.
Tabor is a true believer in the Champ footage, and Rossi refers to himself as the “Doubting Thomas” of the writing team. He submitted the entire five minutes of Champ footage to scientists with a minimum of one earned doctorate in science to examine the footage and submit conclusions for peer review.
PRELIMINARY SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION
On their site at lucyandthelakemonster.com the following preliminary evaluation of the much-discussed Champ footage is published:
“The present document delineates the preliminary scientific evaluation of the Tabor-Rossi Champ footage, juxtaposing it with the renowned 1977 Mansi photograph. A comprehensive and exhaustive analysis is scheduled for dissemination in the following year.
The Tabor-Rossi footage constitutes the most compelling extant evidence to date supporting the potential survival of a plesiosaur-like species. It incorporates numerous elements that the 1977 Mansi photograph of “Champ” does not possess:
1. The inclusion of a boat in the footage, occupied by two individuals, provides a critical reference for scale, thereby facilitating an assessment of the dimensions of the observed organism. The boat’s measurements are documented at 11.8333 feet in length and 4.28333 feet in width, with the subject appearing to exceed the size of the vessel. Notably, large sturgeon are documented to reach lengths of up to 7 feet, with the recorded maximum being 8 feet. Conversely, the Mansi photograph lacks any objects for scale reference.
2. The original Mansi Polaroid depicts the Champ entity in relatively shallow waters, not exceeding depths of 14 feet, in proximity to the shoreline. In contrast, the Tabor-Rossi footage was captured via drone technology further out in Bulwagga Bay within Lake Champlain.
3. An additional caveat regarding the Mansi photograph pertains to the inability of Sandra Mansi to determine the precise location where the image was acquired. In contrast, the Tabor-Rossi footage benefits from the corroborative accounts of multiple eyewitnesses, including cast and crew members, who have unequivocally identified the exact geographic coordinates of their filming location.
4. Importantly, Sandra Mansi did not retain the original negative of her photograph. The Tabor-Rossi footage is distinguished by its production in high resolution using a quality drone camera. The five seconds of footage available on YouTube represent only a diminutive sample of the entirety encompassing a broader five-minute segment that includes the subject in question. This raw footage was retained, allowing for enhanced scientific scrutiny through subsequent review. Initial morphological assessments, conducted through pixel and color threshold adjustments, as well as zoom enhancements, reveal concordance with established plesiosaur anatomical features, while presenting proportions inconsistent with sturgeon or alternative explanations. Noteworthy characteristics include, but are not limited to:
a. A flattened plesiosaur head
b. Locomotion via reptilian-like fins
c. A slender, serpentine neck in conjunction with a more robust body structure
A series of rigorous tests is slated for execution and will be submitted for scientific peer review as part of a scholarly article in the upcoming year, thereby inviting formal academic scrutiny of these findings.”
When asked about the scientific evaluation, Rossi was quick to say he doesn’t want people to interpret it as a put-down on the Mansi photo.
“Sandra Mansi was a great woman,” Rossi said. “She was just out with her family when she captured her picture. Her photo is iconic. The scientists ask questions about the size of the boat for scale, and they mention that the Mansi photo didn’t have that, but we are not saying ours is better. New evidence connects to prior evidence.
We’re all on the same team.”
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Contact:
Sienna Blake, Reporter
Eternal Grace
(818) 221-5899
[email protected]
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Religion News Service or Religion News Foundation.
