Eaten Alive (1977)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Kim Henkel (screen adaptation) and
Alvin L. Fast (writer)

Release Date:

May 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

He's out there and he's got murder on his mind!

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Swamp | Crocodile | Cult Director | Cult Favorite | Tied To Bed

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Neville Brand	...	Judd
Mel Ferrer	...	Harvey Wood
Carolyn Jones	...	Miss Hattie
Marilyn Burns	...	Faye
William Finley	...	Roy
Stuart Whitman	...	Sheriff Martin
Roberta Collins	...	Clara
Kyle Richards	...	Angie
Robert Englund	...	Buck
Crystin Sinclaire	...	Libby Wood
Janus Blythe	...	Lynette (as Janus Blyth)
Betty Cole	...	Ruby
Sig Sakowicz	...	Deputy Girth
Ronald W. Davis	...	Country Boy
Christine Schneider	...	Waitress

Also Known As:

Brutes and Savages (USA)
Death Trap (UK)
Horror Hotel
Horror Hotel Massacre
Legend of the Bayou
Murder on the Bayou
Slaughter Hotel (USA) (reissue title)
Starlight Slaughter

Runtime:

91 min | UK:87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 (orginal rating) | Norway:15 (2007) | Finland:K-18 | New Zealand:R16 | Germany:18 | West Germany:18 (JK/SPIO) (cut) | Italy:VM18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Raleigh Studios - 5300 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mars Productions Corporation

Trivia:

Loosely based on the story of Joe Ball (also known as the Bluebeard from South Texas or the Alligator Man) from Elmendorf, Texas, sometime after Prohibition ended. He owned a bar with an alligator pit serving as an entertainment attraction. Several murders of women ensued, but it was never proven that the flesh found in the pit was human. However, Joe did commit suicide upon possibility of capture.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Crocodile (2000/I) (V)

Tobe Hooper's masterpiece of rural horror!

"Eaten Alive"(1976),director Tobe Hooper's second and less successful stab at backwoods horror following the success/notoriety of his brilliant "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"(1974)is one of the most bizarre horror movies ever made.The plot revolves around demented motel owner Judd(Neville Brand)who likes feeding his guests to his pet alligator in the swamp outside.With its gory set-pieces and gratuitous nudity,and Neville Brand's over-the-top performance as Judd "Eaten Alive" is a truly visceral experience.Great location sets:the dilapidated hotel at the edge of the swamp is so bizarre,that it may as well exist on another planet,or in some alternate insane reality.The acting is very good,Marilyn Burns once again proves that she can emote hysterically and Robert Englund is really convincing as a local-yokel Buck.The film is grainy,even ugly looking at times,so don't expect any polished crap from Hollywood.For me this the best(along with his debut of course!)Tobe Hooper's horror film.A must see for horror fans!