Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Widescreen)

Audio: 1.0 Mono (English)

Features: Interactive Menus; Scene Access; Theatrical Trailer

The Movie: Following the success of his 1974 horror-piece "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (see my review on that DVD, by all means!), director Tobe Hooper turned his sights away from Texas and down to the Louisiana Bayou for his bizarro schlock-a-thon classic "Eaten Alive" (1976). The plot (co-written by fellow "Chainsaw" scribe Kim Henkel) conerns the misdoings at a remote, dilapidated motel run by loony old-timer Judd (brilliantly played by the late Neville Brand, who was best known as Al Capone on TV's "The Untouchables"). Old Judd is a cantankerous bastard who happens to keep a big alligator in a pond next to the hotel. Okay, so Judd likes to throw a few people into the pond so that his pet can enjoy a nice meal. Does that make him a bad person? Hell, yeah! Anyway, nice girl Clara is thrown out of the local bordello for not putting out by mean Miss Hattie (the late Carolyn Jones, who played Morticia on TV's "The Addams Family") and ends up at the Starlight Motel (gee, kinda sounds like "Psycho," right?). Judd kills her and becomes gatorbait. Days later, her father Mr. Wood (Mel Ferrer of TV's "Falcon Crest") and sister Libby show up looking for Clara. They go to see hick Sheriff Martin (Stuart Whitman of "The Longest Day") for answers. Meanwhile, a family stops at the motel to use the restroom, and their cute little dog is eaten! The father gets his rifle and goes to kill the gator when Judd stabs him with a huge sickle. Another meal. CHOMP CHOMP! He ties the mother up in a room and goes to kill the little girl, but she's craftier than all of the adults and hides under the motel. Mr. Wood returns to the motel, and he gets iced. CHOMP CHOMP. The town stud, Buck (an early performance by the future Freddy Krueger, Robert Englund), shows up with a girl, all ready for some sexual fun. Buck gets dead and eaten (CHOMP CHOMP)--but the girl escapes. The Sheriff drops Libby off and she discovers the woman all tied up. She frees the mom, they save the kid and both women push old Judd into the pond. He gets eaten (CHOMP CHOMP)!

Well, that was amusing! To be honest, the movie stank. But it was so bad, that I found it rather amusing. Neville Brand was killing people like it was free, and each gory murder was funnier than the next (note to self: seek professional help). The set designs were cheesy, but they added to the enjoyment. Clearly, director Tobe Hooper is on familiar ground here, but what was he thinking? As if!

The Picture: Apparently shot on the cheap, "Eaten Alive" looks like an old movie. Mayhaps it was shot in 16mm format, who knows? The print looks like crap; exhibiting scratches, blotches, cut marks, grain, and alligators (wait--that's supposed to be there!). However, Elite still did a job transferring it to DVD.

The Sound: 1.0 Mono. What else is there to say? Yeah, it made Neville Brand's deep, raspy voice sound good, but it didn't block out that awful hick country music that was prevelant on the soundtrack (gimme a sickle!).

The Extras: What extras? All we get is a cute theatrical trailer. No commentary, no featurettes, not even a freakin' paper insert! What gives folks? How about some alligator skin or a miniature sickle for the kiddies? Something!

Conclusion: Okay, the movie's not the greatest horror film, but I kinda enjoyed it. It's definitely Joe Bob territory (as he would say, there's plenty of "alligator fu" and "sickle fu" in this flick). RENT IT on the basis of its cult status. DVD RULES!!

CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!