The year before the American killer-reptile flick "Alligator" went on its way to becoming the high-water mark for this sub-genre, filmmaker Sergio Martino ("Torso") brought this epic to the screen. It's set in Southeastern Asia, where a slimy businessman (Mel Ferrer, "Nightmare City") has opened a resort that he calls Paradise House. The Kuma natives grow displeased with this exploitation of their land & people, and so their god Kroona takes on the form of a massive gator to chow down (and chow down, and chow down) on any chump victim in its vicinity. A fashion photographer (Claudio Cassinelli, "Warriors of the Year 2072") becomes the likely hero since he's one of the few characters in this story with more than half a brain in his head. Of course, he's quite taken with the businessmans' comely assistant (Barbara Bach, "The Spy Who Loved Me").
The final half hour basically makes the movie, with a steady supply of carnage. Euro-cult horror fans will be happy with the high body count, although the film may not be quite gory enough to suit some tastes. As can be expected, the exotic locations *are* well photographed in widescreen (by Giancarlo Ferrando). The music score by the reliable Stelvio Cipriani is appropriately atmospheric. Some of the ladies (Geneve Hutton plays a model named Sheena) are supremely sexy. While nobody here rises above this material, the actors play it with game, straight faces - most of them. Richard Johnson ("Zombi 2") hams it up in a brief cameo as a crazed prophet in a cave. Also appearing are Bobby Rhodes ("Demons" 1 and 2) as Ferrers' foreman, and child actress Silvia Collatina ("The House by the Cemetery") as a bratty kid.
The special effects are generally entertaining, with a decent practical-FX gator created by Carlo De Marchis. This viewer laughed with appreciation every time it made an appearance (and especially when it claimed a victim).
"The Great Alligator" is pretty cheesy overall, but is sufficiently amusing to rate it as a good time.
Seven out of 10.
The final half hour basically makes the movie, with a steady supply of carnage. Euro-cult horror fans will be happy with the high body count, although the film may not be quite gory enough to suit some tastes. As can be expected, the exotic locations *are* well photographed in widescreen (by Giancarlo Ferrando). The music score by the reliable Stelvio Cipriani is appropriately atmospheric. Some of the ladies (Geneve Hutton plays a model named Sheena) are supremely sexy. While nobody here rises above this material, the actors play it with game, straight faces - most of them. Richard Johnson ("Zombi 2") hams it up in a brief cameo as a crazed prophet in a cave. Also appearing are Bobby Rhodes ("Demons" 1 and 2) as Ferrers' foreman, and child actress Silvia Collatina ("The House by the Cemetery") as a bratty kid.
The special effects are generally entertaining, with a decent practical-FX gator created by Carlo De Marchis. This viewer laughed with appreciation every time it made an appearance (and especially when it claimed a victim).
"The Great Alligator" is pretty cheesy overall, but is sufficiently amusing to rate it as a good time.
Seven out of 10.