Il fiume del grande caimano (1979)

User Rating:

3.8/10   

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

George Eastman (story)
Cesare Frugoni (writer)

Release Date:

3 November 1979 (Italy)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Tourists on a tropical island anger an island god, who turns himself into a giant alligator and stalks them.

Plot Keywords:

Tourist | Native | Island | Boat | Survivor

Cast

Barbara Bach	...	Alice Brandt
Claudio Cassinelli	...	Daniel Nessel
Mel Ferrer	...	Joshua
Romano Puppo	...	Peter
Fabrizia Castagnoli	...	Minou's Mother
Enzo Fisichella	...	Maurice, lover of Minou's Mother
Lory Del Santo	...	Jane
Anny Papa	...	Laura
Bobby Rhodes	...	Joshua's forman
Clara Colosimo	...	Tourist
Peter Boom	...	Tourist With Rifle
Giulia D'Angelo	...	British Tourist
Marco Mastantuono	...	British Tourist
Piero Jossa
Marco Giannoni

Also Known As:

Alligators
Big Alligator River
Great Alligator River (Australia) (video title)
The Big Caimano River
The Great Alligator

Runtime:

USA:89 min | France:90 min | West Germany:89 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Italy:T | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Sri Lanka

Company:

Dania Film

Trivia:

German Import DVD has a Super-8 Version (German language only), as a special feature on the disc.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (2004) (V)

Not too bad.

This film starts with a photographer being flown by helicopter to a hotel/resort in the middle of the jungle, because he has been hired to take some publicity photos for the owner. Once there he is introduced to everyone of any interest (to the viewer anyway) and is given a guided tour of the place (once again more for the viewers benefit than his, a quick and lazy way to set the story up). After this opening ten or so minutes its on with the story, this photographer falls for the owners assistant and tries to chat her up when she is alone, outside. At the same time two locals sail to a nearby island and make love. On their way back they are attacked and killed by a giant alligator, of course the photographer and his soon to be lover hear their screams. The next morning one of the two killed the night before is reported missing, the photographer puts two and two together and along with a broken boat realizes something is not quite right. The hotel owner however is not convinced, and as he has his first guests coming to stay he doesnt want to start a panic. Its now down to the photographer and his girlfriend to prove the great alligator exists. I like all these italian rip off movies from the late seventies and early eighties and this one isnt too bad at all. Sergio Martino is a solid director who seems to make good, handsome, well made movies that are better than their low budgets would suggest, mountain of the cannibal god, A man called blade and 2019 after the fall of new york are a few examples. There is not much gore and the alligator is rarely seen, but the locations are nice as is the camera work. I liked the ending as well. Some may find the film a bit dull and slow but I liked it and recommend it.