Barbara Bach

Claudio Cassinelli

Mel Ferrer

Romano Puppo

Fabrizia Castagnoli

Enzo Fisichella

Lory Del Santo

Anny Papa

Bobby Rhodes

Clara Colosimo

Peter Boom

Giulia D'Angelo

Marco Mastantuono

Geneve Hutton

Silvia Collatina

Richard Johnson

Isabella Zanussi

Sergio Martino

Ernesto Gastaldi

Cesare Frugoni

George Eastman

Eugenio Alabiso

Massimo Antonello Geleng

Luciano Martino

Giancarlo Ferrando

Stelvio Cipriani

Barbara Pugliese

Mara Maryl

Carlo De Marchis

Gianlorenzo Battaglia

Horror

Mystery

Il fiume del grande caimano

Dania Film

Medusa Produzione

Italy

***A monstrous crocogator attacks a resort on Sri Lanka in this Italo rip-off of “Jaws”***

An entrepreneur (Mel Ferrer) introduces his new exotic resort off the coast of south-central Asia to a photographer and employee (Claudio Cassinelli & Barbara Bach). When the ‘god’ of the remote river is angered by the intrusion he manifests as a giant alligator and starts killing people, including Natives. Naturally, the local tribe rises up to get rid of the tourists. 

“The Great Alligator” (1979) is an Italian production, also known as “The Great Alligator River,” “The Big Alligator River” or merely “Alligator.” It’s an Italo knock-off of “Jaws” (1975) and its immediate copies “Piranha” (1978) and “Grizzly” (1976), albeit with a huge crocogator and a south-central Asian setting. It lacks the finesse of “Jaws” and the amusement of “Piranha,” but it has more pizazz than the bland “Grizzly.” The eccentric score is a highlight, mixing 70’s prog rock, tribal percussions and disco. 

Lory Del Santo as Jane is notable as one of the partying tourists; she is featured in two superb shots from behind (you’ll know when you see ’em). There’s also an amusing precocious girl with her mother who’s ready to par-tay. Just don’t look for any semblance of political correctness (which is a good thing).  

The movie runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot in Sri Lanka.

GRADE: B-/C+

Italiano

The Great Alligator