Film Snail

Eaten Alive
Eaten Alive

5.5

Eaten Alive

NR·1976·91m

Summary

A psychotic redneck who owns a dilapidated hotel in the backwater swamps of Louisiana kills various people who upset him or his business, and he feeds their bodies to a large crocodile that he keeps as a pet in the swamp beside his hotel.

Crew

Director

Tobe Hooper

Adaptation, Writer

Kim Henkel

Screenplay

Alvin L. Fast

Screenplay

Mardi Rustam

Reviews

Wuchak

Wuchak

November 18, 2019

3

***After the success of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” Hooper delivers a sleazy DUD***

The crazy dirtbag manager of a rundown hotel in east Texas (Neville Brand) threatens his clients if they upset him and feeds them to his pet croc. The cast includes notables like Mel Ferrer, Stuart Whitman, Carolyn Jones and a young Robert Englund.

Despite the presence of the croc, “Eaten Alive” (1976) is more of a slasher flick than crocogator horror (the croc is strictly peripheral, not to mention unconvincing). This was Tobe Hooper’s follow-up to his unexpected hit “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) wherein he borrows the plot of “Psycho” (1960). Unfortunately, he spectacularly fumbles the ball.

The surreal style, sets and cast are all good, but there’s a lack of confidence in the execution: The flick’s full of nonsensical actions, meanderings and padding. Hooper tried to make up for it by exploiting the women with lots of raunch & nudity, but “Chainsaw Massacre” proved that a slasher didn’t need this to be effective.

Janus Blythe stands out in the feminine department as Lynette, as does Roberta Collins as Clara. Marilyn Burns (Faye) and Crystin Sinclaire (Libby) are also noteworthy.

Thankfully, Hooper moved on to much better productions, like “Salem’s Lot” (1979), “The Funhouse” (1981) and “Crocodile” (2000).

The film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, CA.

GRADE: C-/D+

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$520,000.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Keywords

redneck
psychotic
video nasty