Chomp! Chomp!

I was recently on a Natural Horror binge featuring the “modern dinosaur” cousins, the alligator and crocodile.  While one you’ll “see later” and the other “in a while,” the differences have been claimed to be size and snout shape, but I really don’t think you’re going to care about differentiating them if either are coming after you on land or especially in the water.  Both of them will eat you!  I stuck to the more simpler-titled films and not necessarily of the highest quality (save for maybe Alligator) instead of better films like Rogue and Black Water, and Lake Placid doesn’t have the creature in the title (like those aforementioned two).  Yes, I could’ve done Croc (a 2007 film) but whatever.  Here are the five films I recently re-watched:

Crocodile (1979)

This Thai film clearly inspired by Jaws claims to have come out in 1979 but wasn’t released until 1980 and not until 1981 in the U.S.  They definitely tried their best but obviously didn’t have the means.  It’s dubbed, not as bad as it could’ve been, but it’s apparent.  Given the time, the creature was practical and looks better than the majority of CGI ones today.  It is bloody but the action often looks repetitive and the last section practically mirrors that of the aforementioned shark movie’s last section.  Not the worst movie I’ve seen, of its type or in general, but it still drags and only Natural Horror completists need apply, pretty much just to say they saw it.

Crocodile (2000)

No, this wasn’t a remake of that Thai film reviewed above, at least not that I’m aware.  It’s pretty much what you’d expect from one of these films---a group of people are pursued by the titular creature for being in its territory, and for taking one of its eggs.  I would’ve expected better coming from Tobe Hooper though, the man behind The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1 and 2, Poltergeist, Salem’s Lot, and even Eaten Alive (which was basically The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with a crocodile).  The creature looked practical in the water and up close, but obviously CGI on land at times and painfully so that I’m surprised Tobe was fine with it!  Not bad overall if you’re not picky, but can you really be with these films regardless of who’s behind them?

Crocodile 2:  Death Swamp

Has no connection whatsoever to the first, at least not that I recall, and the crocodiles sort of play secondary characters here as the plot revolves around a group of people, including bank robbers on the run, making their way through a swamp after a plane crash.  At times, I forgot the movie was even about crocodiles!  Like the previous film, the creatures are both practical and CGI, obviously so for both, but I’ll always settle for the practical regardless of how fake they look (take note filmmakers!).  Wasn’t too much a fan of this one, but why not watch it if you watched the first one, regardless of connectivity (and at least there were still crocodiles unlike Halloween III not containing Michael Myers)?

Alligator

I’ve always been a fan of this film since seeing it on TV during my younger years (I’m not sure if I was in high school yet).  The part in the pool where the young boy is pushed in always stands out.  Being directed by Lewis Teague (Cujo, Cat’s Eye) and written by John Sayles (Piranha, The Brother from Another Planet) certainly gives it some credibility too.  I like the characters too.  One of the better Natural Horror flicks.  It made my ‘Ten (times two) Best Natural Horror Films’ list on my other blog, Ten Best Lists (www.tenbestlists82.blogspot.com).

Alligator II:  The Mutation 

Sequel, like most, obviously not as good as its predecessor, but still not bad for what it’s worth (better than many “modern dinosaur” flicks).  I don’t think you’ll be too, too disappointed if you liked Alligator.  The preposterous-ness of it all (the gator is strong enough to bust through walls and completely destroy a boat) actually works given the circumstances, and at least it was made during a time when the creatures were still practical.  Yes, it may be more work, but wouldn’t modern filmmakers take the hint as to how much better they looked before CGI became the unfortunate norm?  Content is key after all.

---Sean O.

6/15/2019