'Gator Bait (1974)

User Rating:

3.9/10   

Directors:

Beverly Sebastian
Ferd Sebastian

Writer:

Beverly Sebastian (writer)

Release Date:

June 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Unless they get her first... she'll never let them out alive!

Plot:

Desiree lives deep in the swamp and supports herself and her siblings by poaching. Ben and deputy Billy...

Plot Keywords:

Swamp | Sheriff | Poaching | Cajun | Violence

Cast

Claudia Jennings	...	Desiree Thibodeau
Sam Gilman	...	T.J. Bracken
Douglas Dirkson	...	Leroy Bracken
Clyde Ventura	...	Deputy - Billy Boy
Bill Thurman	...	Sheriff Joe Bob Thomas
Don Baldwin	...	Pete Bracken
Ben Sebastian	...	Ben Bracken
Janit Baldwin	...	Julie
Tracy Sebastian	...	Big T

Directed by
Beverly Sebastian
Ferd Sebastian

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Beverly Sebastian		writer

Produced by
Beverly Sebastian	....	producer
Ferd Sebastian	....	producer

Original Music by
Beverly Sebastian
Ferd Sebastian

Cinematography by
Ferd Sebastian

Film Editing by
Ron Johnson

Production Companies

• Sebastian Films Limited

Distributors

• Dimension Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Danton Films (1974) (Canada) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC (????) (Germany) (VHS)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Independent United
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Gator Bait (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:(Banned) | Denmark:16 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Australia:R | UK:18 (video rating) (cut) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Sebastian Films Limited

Movie Connections:

Followed by 'Gator Bait II: Cajun Justice (1988)

So bad, it's funny

My friend and I rented this film one evening, along with its sequel (which was released 12 years later) in order to have a "bad movie night" of sorts. Well, we were not disappointed. "Gator Bait" is a very bad film, although most of the time it is literally quite harmless. Although Claudia Jennings was included in the cast as the swamp girl presumably because she had been a nude model, there is very little skin to speak of in this film. At times, of course, the filmmakers cross the lines of bad taste and include scenes of strong implied violence that can make you squirm. The only reason it seems out of place here, however, is because most of the film does not follow this violent tone. It is basically the story of a bunch of rednecks who attempt to destroy the swamp girl and her family, who are freeloading in the swamps. It's that basic white-trash dilemma: get offa my property. Luckily, swamp girl (a.k.a. Desiree) and her brother Big T. rise to the challenge. The film was laughable in most parts, and usually quite boring, but it did have one thing going for it: where some "bad" movies are just too horrible to even make fun of, this one lended itself perfectly to the "bad but fun" movie mentality, and my friend and I even named his truck Big T. after one of the characters. The soundtrack consists of warbling banjo music and a hilarious song about Desiree, and just adds to the fun. A good example of a movie that deserves commentary by you and your friends.