DVD Review: Is It Real: Russian Almasty

This special, broadcast on the National Geographic Channel, highlights the Russian cousin of our own Bigfoot, the Russian Almas or Almasty or even Wildman. It follows British adventurer Adam Davies (featured on the Monsterquest episode on the Orang Pendek) as he searches for this elusive throwback, which may be related to the Neandertal. He goes to Mongolia to attempt to find the Almas, bumping into a local group of herdsmen and asks them if they have ever seen the Almas. A journalist named Nina is also interviewed about her encounter with an Almasty in 1980 in the Pamir Mountains when she went into the forest alone, and she saw the Almasty which to her resembled a Neandertal. She used a squeaky toy to attempt to attract it, a rubber duck. In Moscow, hominologist Igor Bourtsev is profiled, and shows his skull of Khwit, the son of Zana. He is seen at the Institute of Hominology with footprint casts and hair samples. The legend of the Wildman in Asia is also examined, as is the Yeti, which turned out to be a bit of a skeptical look at the legend. Drs. Todd Disotell (Monsterquest) and Shara Bailey of New York University are seen in the lab and described as specialists in the study of bones and DNA of Neandertals, where their lab has access to the DNA of the Neandertal. Davies continues his search for answers, while Bourtsev submits Khwit's skull to Disotell, and the skull is tested. The results are-well, you would have to see for yourself. All in all, this is a sight better than the Bigfoot episode and a bit less skeptical, and is recommended if only for a more complete look at a more obscure hominid. I would give this about 4 out of 5 stars.