Gable Film Study Reveals New Details

For those unfamiliar with "The Gable Film" story, it is a 3.5 minute reel of 8mm film which turned up in a box of odds and ends at an estate sale several years ago. It appears to have been shot in the 1970's, and contains a startling scene at the end which many believe shows a creature very similar to the dogman described in "The Legend."

The film's initial public release in the fall of 2007 created a firestorm of controversy. After several weeks of furious activity on the internet; including considerable piracy, and outrageous criticism from a few self proclaimed "experts" in the field, the film was removed from the web. Then the Mindstage team discovered evidence that the film may be a hoax, and we immediately posted a web page to that effect. However, hundreds of people appealed to us to re-open the film for additional investigation. The cases made by many, including two wildlife biologists and the science department of a major University, persuaded us to take a second look.

The process was slow and laborious, but the most comprehensive study of "The Gable Film" is now complete.

To achieve the most balanced analysis, the vital scenes of the film were digitally photographed frame-by-frame using state of the art equipment. At 16 frames per second, this created a huge collection of individual digital images. Each image then was subjected to detailed enhancement under the direction of a certified Photoshop expert. The team worked under strict guidelines. Their goal was not to restore the film. All of the original scratches, dust, hair and other flaws were left untouched. Instead, they worked to squeeze every pixel of detail from the images as they exist. When each frame was completed, they were re-assembled into their original sequence, then re-processed into a film.

The work produced some fascinating results. Physical details of the creature have emerged that are very puzzling indeed. When the entire sequence is viewed in motion, a surreal transformation takes place. In the space of a few seconds, the creature morphs from manlike, to the shape of a gorilla, then into a dog. This is not computer trickery, an optical illusion, or special effects. This actually happened in front of the camera.

The following frames are mildly enhanced versions from the original film:

	This is the image which first prompted us to consider the film a hoax. The creature is about 50 yards from the cameraman, facing him. He has just begun a commando-style crawl movement from right to left in the frame. If you look behind and to the right, the light and shadow give the impression of an extended human leg and foot. Note the broad shoulders and the "Y" shape of the face, topped by two pointed ears.
	Moments later, the creature lunges forward, and makes a sharp turn to his left. It is at this point that something very strange happens. The right rear leg appears to radically change shape, at one point looking like a feeble "L," then extending quickly downward, assuming a canine structure. The body seems to bulk into an almost gorilla shape.
	This is the most remarkable frame of all. In the space of a few seconds, the creature has morphed from a humanlike shape crawlling sideways, to a distinctly canine shape accelerating forward at a startling rate. Note the rear leg extending outward as the creature lunges, and the tail swinging up behind.
	This frame is a drastically overprocessed duplicate of the previous image. Here, we are using a technique called gradient layering to bring out 3 dimensional detail. Looking closely at the face, you can make out eyes, ears, snout, and what appears to be an extended lower jaw.
	This final frame is the one that convinced so many people that this cannot be a human in a suit. All four feet of the creature are now off the ground, as he hits full stride in his charge toward the cameraman. We have challenged several very athletic people to attempt to run on their hands and knees and leave the ground. Not one has been able to duplicate this action, invariably they end up on their chin. A physical therapist who viewed the enhanced film stated such a movement is impossible for a human.

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