The year was 1976 when the movie “Eaten Alive” came out, and
it was directed by Tobe Hooper. The movie is a mix of genres, but it is
definitely a horror movie. It is a fast moving genre flick that mixes a
creature feature with a slasher. It plays with several emotional elements that
was easy to get away with at the time, but is definitely hard to watch in
modern times. That’s why you have to really consider the time frame, 1976, and try
not to apply modern cliché to it.
The plot of the film surrounds a hotel proprietor that is
insane, and feeds people to a killer crocodile that lives near the hotel. We
are not introduced to him right away, instead we focus on a side character that
is played by Robert Englund. He is at a brothel and tries to go too far, that forces
what looks to be a main heroine to get banished from brothel. She ends up going
to the hotel, and the rest of the movie lies within that location. She goes in,
and the proprietor tries to grope, leading to a fight, and away we go, to the
crocodile! The crocodile is hidden in the shadows a bit, and you have to
remember we are in the 1970s, so there is no CGI or anything that is going to
cause this to be too much or anything. Instead, it’s a rubber creature, and it’s
laughable at times, but there’s nuance to the cinematography so you don’t dwell
too much on it. You also have to contend with the main slasher, Judd, who comes
through with a scythe to cause issues. He’s lurking, the crocodile is eating
dogs, and people, and you are thrown into the mix as new people come to the
hotel.
This is a crude slasher flick, but it has a creature feature
element to it. It also has some gratuitous nudity, harsh sexual elements, and
redeeming qualities here and there. You’ll be surprised by how far some of the
acting goes, and how believable the fights can seem at times. Tobe Hooper’s
direction really does well in these sequences, and you really get a good sense
of horror and dread throughout. As the movie progresses, we get some taboo
moments, including a near killing of a child.
“Eaten Alive” gives you a sense of dread, a bit of creature
feature glory with the crocodile, but also hinges on slasher with Judd and the
scythe. You are going to find this to be a worthy addition to your collection as
it pushes all the buttons of a good horror movie. It’s a slasher at heart, but
the crocodile makes it a bit more redeeming, especially in the final act. It’s
a good romp, solid acting, and classic Hooper direction. It’s a good one to
watch at random, especially for a young Robert Englund.
