Just watched (Aug 2009) one of the most ridiculous TV programmes, made by Animal Planet 2008, called Lost Tapes, "Cave Demons"
I've googled it , cos it was so bad. Found out it's based on cryptozoological creatures.
Wikipedia explains it well,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Tapes
Lost Tapes is a half-hour thriller mockumentary/docufiction television series which airs on Animal Planet. The program depicts fictitious footage of traumatic stories that are "inspired by the possibility that hidden creatures exist" and is centered on cryptozoological creatures (cryptids), including the Chupacabra and Bigfoot.
A pilot/a sneak preview aired on Animal Planet October 30, 2008 for Halloween, but the series officially premiered on January 6, 2009. Two episodes, each thirty minutes long, are aired back-to-back for a total running time of one hour. Animal Planet has commissioned a second season which will premiere in late 2009.
Overview
The series depicts fictional, traumatic scenarios in which cryptids attack people. Although the series is shot in a mock documentary style, it does not state that the footage is real, only that it is "inspired by the possibility that hidden creatures exist." Each episode usually ends with a character being killed by the creature in a cliffhanger ending, with the cliffhanger resolved during an epilogue.
The creatures are often only partially revealed to the audience in brief glimpses. To give a mysterious atmosphere to the show, the makers do not let the viewers see the creature in full form, analogous to the shark from Jaws. The exception is "Hellhound," in which the creature is in fact fully visible each time it appears because they use an actual Rottweiler to represent the Hellhound.
A recurring situation in the show is that the characters are usually left alone or are in a small group, in a remote area of the world. They soon encounter the creature and several stressful things occur. One of the characters is killed or injured or captured by the creature. Interrupting the action, a factoid series called "Lost Tapes: Revelations" reveals facts behind some legends. Finally, it ends on a cliffhanger with this resolved at the epilogue.
While in most episodes the cryptid is the antagonist, in others it acts as a hero or anti-hero. [not copied this section here]
Episode 7 "Cave Demons" January 27, 2009 Olitiau
On January 25, 2002, United States Marine Forces in Afghanistan experience sonar interference coming from a cave near Tora Bora, which screws up their sonar cave-mapping system. Believing it to be a jamming device built by the Taliban or Al-Queda, three U.S marines, corporals Sawyer and Wade, and sergeant Carlos Ramos, investigate the cave, using helmet cameras to record their mission, which is to find the source of the interference and destroy it. As they venture deeper into the cave they discover large amounts of bats and guano all over the cave. Corporal Wade falls into a booby trap and falls into a lower section of the cave, breaking his back. As he lies there, he spots something flying past. The others find him and he seems delirious, and mutters that what he saw looked "like a lady" (possibly a reference to how most batlike cryptids are known to have eerily feminine features). One of the remaining Marines shouts excitedly that a woman might be down there and can help them, but the other dismisses it as a hallucination. The remaining Marines quickly reach his position and decide to investigate the signal first which was close to their position. As they reach the signal, the signal disappears and reappears at Wade's position. Wade is then heard firing off his M4 carbine and screams of pain. The two Marines rush to his position only to find him dead. The two Marines leave Wade's body to find the interference. They come across "a whole nest of them", as described by one of the Marines and are attacked by an entire swarm of the creatures. It destroys their flashlights as they fire their weapons at the creatures. A rescue party is sent in after the booby trap causes the team to lose radio contact with the outside, and the rescue party only finds Ramos limping away from the cave and with a rare case of rabies. He is sent home and reunited with his wife and kids. It is theorized that the Marines' gunfire somehow killed or wounded the creatures as they left the sergeant to leave the cave alive. The bodies of Wade and Sawyer were never recovered.
Glimpse of the cryptid: There are louder than average bat screams when the Marines are attacked. Wade's helmet camera also shows him from behind, held down by a giant brownish winged creature. The cryptid appears attacking the Marines again; this time, it seemed to be hanging from the ceiling.
Fatalities caused: Two. Wade is attacked, killed, and even partially decapitated by an unknown flying creature. Sawyer's death is unknown. It's possible that the creatures themselves were killed as well.
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Official website
http://animal.discovery.com/fantasy-creatures/cave-demon/
Giant Bat People:
Sightings of mysterious human-sized bats have been reported in all corners of the world. They are described as having black or gray fur, a monkey-like face, clawed feet and a 10-15 foot wingspan. In Brazil they are called "bat people." In Mexico, an ancient Mayan cult worshiped the "death bat." The rainforests of Java echo the cries of a bat creature called the "Athol" because of its distinct "a-hool" vocalization. In Vietnam they are known as "night flyers." These winged humanoids are generally 5 feet tall with eerie feminine features. They are known to swoop down on their victims and attack several times.
African Cave Demons:
The continent of Africa has reported many sightings of bat-like beasts. In Cameroon, it is called the "Olitiau," an immense bat creature that was seen by famed naturalist Ivan T. Sanderson in 1932 while on expedition. In Senegal, the creature is called "Guiafairo." In Ghana, the bat-like creature is called "Sasabonsam." A similar creature exists in Madagascar and is called the "Fangalabolo," and in Indonesia, tales of the "Organ-Bati" abound where the creature is said to roost in an extinct volcano and snatch children.
