Alligator (1980)
Directed by Lewis Teague
Giant animals will always have a place in horror. What’s scarier than an alligator? Well one that is enormous from eating discarded laboratory dogs that were injected with growth hormones, of course!
For years I’ve overlooked this movie because I saw it as another Jaws ripoff. Yes it takes some things from Jaws but this movie kind of stands on its own. The idea of someone flushing a pet alligator down the toilet and having it grow huge in the sewer has been an urban legend for years, aped in everything from movies to cartoons. Alligator takes that simple premise and runs with it.
The gator itself looks great, and is pretty believable. People get devoured, legs and arms severed and even an entire party gets massacred by the gator. The party scene is probably the best part, I was glued to the screen during that. The acting is fairly good as well, no one too bad to distract you but no one is getting an Oscar here.
I really enjoyed this movie, it was a quick fun ride at 91 mins. If you haven’t seen this movie, I’d highly suggest it! Its a shame this gets overlooked because there was so many amazing horror movies in the 80s. I give this a solid B+. Give it a watch.
