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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1980s
    Movies - 1980s Movies - A 3 Mins Read

    Alligator (1980)

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    Sleazy pet store owner Lou Gutchel (Sydney Lassick) has been dog-snatching puppies for the illegal research experiments of unscrupulous pharmaceutical executive Slade (Dean Jagger).

    Meanwhile, a pet baby alligator flushed into the Chicago sewer system has grown to an enormous size by feeding on the illegally dumped carcasses of pets from Slade Laboratories which is conducting experiments on how to genetically increase the size of animals.

    Detective David Madison (Robert Forster) meets herpetologist Marisa Kendall (Robin Riker) while investigating both the pet disappearances and a spate of dismemberment murders in the sewers.

    Nobody believes him after he barely escapes from a massive, 36-foot killer gator loose in the streets beneath Chicago. This creature is gigantic, voracious and insatiable – and it will eat anything (as you might imagine, considering where it lives).

    But a suspicious reporter (Bart Braverman) decides to take a look for himself and comes up with something completely new in pictorial journalism – he achieves the impossible by photographing himself being eaten alive!

    The authorities have to take notice of the reporter’s photographs and hire a grizzled hunter, Colonel Brock (Henry Silva), to wipe out the monster. While Madison and Kendall investigate Slade Laboratories, the State troopers and the National Guard embark on a plan to flush the giant alligator out into the open.

    The operation proves more successful than they bargained for and when the monstrous reptile breaks cover, all hell is let loose in the city. After going on a rampage through the city streets, the alligator pauses only to chew up the corrupt Mayor (Jack Carter) and beat the villainous Head of Slade Laboratories to death with his tail, before heading back to the sewers hotly pursued by Madison and Kendall.

    At the outset, the film smacks of just another absurd horror outing, but director Lewis Teague quickly lays on the style and excitement.

    There are polished special effects, a serviceable script and capable performances from Forster and Riker. This reptile is not a match for the shark in Jaws, but it does have plenty of bite (sorry!). An almost completely unrelated sequel, Alligator II: The Mutation, was released in 1991 to universal scorn.

    alligator_001

    Detective David Madison
    Robert Forster
    Marisa Kendall
    Robin Riker
    Slade
    Dean Jagger
    Police Chief Clark
    Michael V. Gazzo
    Jim Kelly
    Perry Lang
    Colonel Brock
    Henry Silva
    Lou Gutchel
    Sydney Lassick
    Mayor Ledoux
    Jack Carter
    Thomas Kemp
    Bart Braverman
    Mad Bomber
    John Lisbon Wood
    Helms
    James Ingersoll
    Bill
    Robert Doyle
    Madeline
    Patti Jerome
    Bob
    Buckley Norris
    Callan
    Royce D. Applegate
    Seedy
    Simmy Bow
    Shamsky
    Jim Boeke
    Meyer
    Stan Haze
    Sloan
    James Arone
    Sergeant Rice
    Peter Miller
    Joey
    Pat Petersen
    Sparks
    Frederick Long
    Ross
    Ed Brodow
    Stanley
    Larry Margo
    Purdy
    Philip Luther
    Ashe
    John Goff
    Dot
    Bella Buck
    Ann Kendall
    Carly Browne
    Hector
    Tink Williams
    Chi Chi
    Corkey Ford
    Tyrone
    Charles R. Penland

    Director
    Lewis Teague

    Video

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