Eaten Alive
| Eaten Alive | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Tobe Hooper |
| Written by | Kim Henkel Alvin L. Fast Mardi Rustam |
| Produced by | Mardi Rustam |
| Starring | Neville Brand Mel Ferrer Carolyn Jones Marilyn Burns |
| Cinematography | Robert Caramico |
| Edited by | Michael Brown |
| Music by | Wayne Bell Tobe Hooper |
Release date | September 30, 1977 |
Running time | 91 min. 87 min. (UK cut) |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
Eaten Alive (known under various alternate titles in different regions, including Death Trap (UK), Horror Hotel, Horror Hotel Massacre, Legend of the Bayou, Murder on the Bayou, Le crocodile de la mort (France) and Starlight Slaughter) is a 1977 horror film directed by Tobe Hooper. The cast includes Neville Brand, perennial exploitation film star Roberta Collins, Robert Englund who later appeared in A Nightmare on Elm Street, frequent Brian de Palma actor William Finley, Marilyn Burns who had appeared in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Janus Blythe who later appeared in The Hills Have Eyes, and Kyle Richards who later acted in Halloween. Name actors Carolyn Jones and Mel Ferrer are prominently billed but play supporting roles.
Synopsis
After refusing a request from frisky customer Buck (Robert Englund), prostitute Clara Wood (Roberta Collins) is evicted from the town brothel by the madam, Miss Hattie (Carolyn Jones). Clara makes her way to a decrepit hotel where she encounters the mentally disturbed proprietor Judd (Neville Brand) and his pet Nile crocodile in the swamp beside the porch. Upon realizing Clara was a prostitute, Judd attacks her while ranting and raving. Judd stabs her with a pitchfork and feeds her to the crocodile.
Soon afterwards a fractious couple, Faye (Marilyn Burns) and the disturbed Roy (William Finley), arrive at the hotel, along with their young daughter Angie (Kyle Richards). They soon experience the trauma of Angie's dog being eaten by the crocodile. Faye and Roy take their daughter to their room to try to calm her down. Meanwhile, Harvey Wood (Mel Ferrer) and his daughter Libby arrive seeking information on Clara, Harvey's daughter, however soon leave to try to locate her at the brothel. Roy decides to shoot the crocodile for eating their dog, and while in the process is stabbed by Judd with a scythe before being attacked and devoured by the crocodile. After getting Angie to sleep, Faye goes into the bathroom for a bath, however is interrupted by Judd who begins to beat her. Angie wakes up and flees the hotel, however is trapped underneath the hotel by Judd, who proceeds to tie up Faye in a bedroom.
Accompanied by Sheriff Martin (Stuart Whitman), Harvey and Libby question Miss Hattie, who denies ever seeing Clara. Harvey returns to the hotel while Libby stays in town to eat. He hears Angie's crying, and while investigating is attacked by Judd who stabs him in the neck with his scythe before being dragged into the swamp by the crocodile. While Sheriff Martin and Libby are at the bar, Martin kicks out Buck and his girlfriend Lynette (Janus Blythe) after a fight nearly breaks out. The pair venture to the hotel, much to the annoyance of Judd who had already warned Buck away from his land. While in their room, they hear Angie's cries for help. Buck goes to investigate and is pushed into the swamp by Judd, where he is quickly eaten. Lynette hears the commotion, and goes outside only to be chased by Judd and his scythe. She manages to flag down a passing car and get away.
Libby arrives back at the hotel and goes up to her room. Judd arrives back also, and opens up the gate for the crocodile to get in under the house so it can eat Angie. Meanwhile, Libby discovers Faye tied up in the bedroom. After untying her, the woman attempt to leave, however Judd chases them back upstairs where he wounds Faye with the scythe. Libby escapes and begins to help Angie out of the swamp she has manages to get into. Judd throws Faye off a balcony, before he attempts to push Angie back into the swamp, but Faye arrives and pushes Judd into the swamp, where he is devoured by his pet crocodile.
Cast
- Neville Brand as Judd
- Mel Ferrer as Harvey Wood
- Carolyn Jones as Miss Hattie
- Marilyn Burns as Faye
- William Finley as Roy
- Stuart Whitman as Sherriff Martin
- Roberta Collins as Clara
- Kyle Richards as Angie
- Robert Englund as Buck
- Crystin Sinclaire as Libby Wood
- Janus Blythe as Lynette
- Betty Cole as Ruby
- Scruffy as Snoopy
Video nasty
This movie was one of the so called "Video Nasties" in the UK during the early 80s. The movie was not successfully prosecuted for obscenity. Mary Whitehouse took a personal objection to this movie.
Legacy
The film was inspired by serial killer Joe Ball, who reputedly fed over 20 victims to alligators as a means of disposal.[1]
Director Quentin Tarantino used this movie's character Buck for the line in his kung fu homage movie Kill Bill, "My name is Buck, and I'm here to fuck".
New York deathgrind band Mortician used a soundbyte from the film for the intro to the song "Devoured Alive" from their 1998 Zombie Apocalypse EP.
Robert Englund claimed in Samhain magazine (1988, no.14) “I found out recently from someone who saw it in Japan that they literally put in insert shots of me in that, so in Japan you can see bogus uncircumcised Robert Englund genitalia. In the American version I say a couple of rude words and I flirt with a girl in brassiere. In Japan it’s a monster shot, I need it. I’m just hoping the guy’s well hung!”
References
- ^ Ron Franscell, The Crime Buff's Guide to Outlaw Texas, page 28 (Globe Pequot, 2011). ISBN 978-0-7627-5965-1
External links
- Eaten Alive at IMDb
- Eaten Alive at AllMovie
