Movies With Bite

I don't know about you, but I get such a kick out of those Mother Nature gone amuck killer-animal movies. Sure, some of them range somewhere between plausible and cheesy, but you gotta admit they're always a lot of fun. When I started writing this entry I felt compelled to listen to Blondie's song One Way Or Another. Without further ado, I give you my top 4 favorites.

• Jaws. 1975
Don't go in the water
Synopsis: A Great White Shark decides to make the small beach resort town of Amity his private feeding grounds. This greatly frustrates the town police chief who wants to close the beaches to chase the shark away. He is thwarted in his efforts by the town's mayor who finally relents when nothing else seems to work and the chief, a scientist, and an old fisherman with revenge on his mind take to the sea to kill the beast.
Comments Wjat can be said about this that hasn't already been said? It's the one that started it all. The one for which this post wouldn't exist without. Often imitated, but never duplicated, this (combined with real-life shark attacks) succeeded in making me think twice about going into the water. Cliched, but true.

• Grizzly. 1976
18 Feet of Man-Eating Terror!
Synopsis: A fifteen-foot grizzly bear figures out that humans make for a tasty treat. As a park ranger tries rallying his men to bring about the bear's capture or destruction, his efforts are thwarted by the introduction of dozens of drunken hunters into the area.
Comments Hot on the heels of summer blockbuster Jaws, this made-for-TV movie (mfTVm) wasted no time in capitalizing on Jaws' popularity. Made during an era that I consider the premiere era of mfTVmovies, this is one that's not afraid to be surprisingly bloody. At a time when some TV movies were, in my opinion, just as appealing as what was being offered at the theater, Grizzly is one of a long list of favorite mfTVmovies that I love (I'll save those for another blog entry). For those who enjoy slashers and/or man-vs-nature-type movies, this one more than fits the bill.

• Tentacles. 1977
Each year 10,000 tourists visit Ocean Beach. This summer Ocean Beach has attracted SOMETHING ELSE!
Synopsis: An enormous and angry octopus besieges an ocean harbor town after a greedy construction owner (Henry Fonda) made a tunnel in the ocean and disturbed it's home. Bo Hopkins, Shelley Winters and John Huston go out to sea along with killer whales to track it down and kill it.
Comments I love this movie. I remember watching it on TV one afternoon in the 80's and being thoroughly creeped out. Of course, to make things even creepier, and take advantage of our aural senses, I distinctly remember the octopus making a creepy hissing sound. Aaaaiiiggh! Make it stop! Sure, it's cheesy, but it's also a lot of fun. TOTALLY ripped off from Jaws, but predating Jaws 2, with it's regatta/smorgasbord et al. Rent it, you'll have fun. *Note: This movie is available on DVD, unfortunately it was a Best Buy "exclusive" double feature DVD alongside Empire of the Ants. I'm sure you can find it at your local Best Buy, since I have been unsuccessful finding used copies on either Half.com or Amazon.com. However, I do see them quite frequently on eBay. Good luck!

• Alligator. 1980
It lives 50 feet beneath the city. It's 36 feet long. It weighs 2,000 pounds...And it's about to break out!
Synopsis: Ramon the alligator is flushed down the toilet as a baby, and grows into a gargantuan monster by eating the corpses of laboratory animals who have undergone dubious hormone experiments. But as Ramon grows, so does his appetite.
Comments Wow. I remember watching this one night on TV and being mesmerized by it. Being a kid, the scene where one child forces another, dressed as a pirate to "walk the plank" into the swimming pool, not realizing that 'Ramon' is hiding out there, succeeded in totally creeping me OUT! Suspend your disbelief at the door. Fun stuff! Wish I had this one on DVD.