Lake Michigan Monster

Lake Michigan Monster is a 2018 American independent comedy horror film written, produced and directed by Ryland Brickson Cole Tews. It stars Tews, Erick West, Beulah Peters, Daniel Long, and Wayne Tews, and centers on an eccentric alcoholic who assembles a team to track down and kill the titular monster to avenge the death of his father.

The film was developed by Tews and Mike Cheslik after a conversation speculating on what would happen if a monster washed up on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was shot in Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan over sixteen months. Its script was influenced by the British comedy group Monty Python, the earlier seasons of The Simpsons, and the films of Guy Maddin. The film was shot in black-and-white and its low-budget visual style was developed out of necessity as they could only afford low-resolution cameras.

Lake Michigan Monster premiered at the Milwaukee Film Festival on October 24, 2018, and was screened at various festivals during 2019, including the Beloit International Film Festival and Fantasia International Film Festival. The distribution company Arrow Films released it via their channel and video on demand on August 3, 2020. It won multiple awards and nominations, and was generally praised for its homage to 1960s B movie humor, as well as its use of practical and special effects.