HorrorScience FictionThriller

Alligator

- It lives 50 feet beneath the city. It's 36 feet long. It weighs 2,000 pounds...And it's about to break out!

A baby alligator is flushed down a toilet and survives by eating discarded lab animals that have been injected with growth hormones. The now gigantic animal escapes the city sewers and goes on a rampage, pursued by a cop and a big-game hunter.

Release Date : 1980-07-02

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Alligator Inc

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : David

Original Name : Robert Forster

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marisa

Original Name : Robin Riker

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chief Clark

Original Name : Michael V. Gazzo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Slade

Original Name : Dean Jagger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gutchel

Original Name : Sydney Lassick

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mayor

Original Name : Jack Carter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kelly

Original Name : Perry Lang

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brock

Original Name : Henry Silva

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kemp

Original Name : Bart Braverman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mad Bomber

Original Name : John Lisbon Wood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Helms

Original Name : James Ingersoll

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bill

Original Name : Robert Doyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Madeline

Original Name : Patti Jerome

Gender : Male

Character Name : Newswoman

Original Name : Angel Tompkins

Gender : Female

Character Name : ABC Newswoman

Original Name : Sue Lyon

Gender : Female

Character Name : Young Marisa

Original Name : Leslie Brown

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bob

Original Name : Buckley Norris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Callan

Original Name : Royce D. Applegate

Gender : Male

Character Name : Announcer

Original Name : Tom Kindle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gator Wrestler

Original Name : Jim Brockett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Seedy

Original Name : Simmy Bow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shamsky

Original Name : Jim Boeke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Meyer

Original Name : Stan Haze

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sloan

Original Name : James Arone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Rice

Original Name : Peter Miller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joey

Original Name : Pat Petersen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joey's Mother

Original Name : Micole Mercurio

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sparks

Original Name : Frederick Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ross

Original Name : Ed Brodow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stanley

Original Name : Larry Margo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Purdy

Original Name : Philip Luther

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ashe

Original Name : John F. Goff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policewoman

Original Name : Elizabeth Halsey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Policeman 1

Original Name : Barry Chase

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman 2

Original Name : Richard Partlow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gator Vendor 1

Original Name : Jerado Decordovier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gator Vendor 3

Original Name : Vincent De Stefano

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gator Vendor 4

Original Name : JoJo D'Amore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dot

Original Name : Bella Bruck

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ann

Original Name : Kendall Carly Browne

Gender : Female

Character Name : Radioman

Original Name : Danny Baseda

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hector

Original Name : Tink Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chi Chi

Original Name : Corkey Ford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tyrone

Original Name : Charles R. Penland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Old Lady

Original Name : Anita Keith

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gatekeeper

Original Name : Mike Mazurki

Gender : Male

Character Name : Society Matron

Original Name : Margaret Muse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter 1

Original Name : Michael Misita

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter 2

Original Name : Harold Greene

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter 3

Original Name : Jim Alquist

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bride

Original Name : Margie Platt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maid at Party

Original Name : Nike Zachmanoglou

Gender : Female

Character Name : Woman at Bar-B-Que

Original Name : Gloria Morrison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Hammond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Alligator (uncredited)

Original Name : Kane Hodder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Punk (uncredited)

Original Name : Dana MacDuff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Amy Panter

Gender : Male

Reviews

Gimly

@Ruuz

2021-06-23

Genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. The best giant croc (Well I mean, it's an alligator, but in terms of what you can do with them in a horror movie, they're really the same thing) creature feature I've seen since _Rogue_. I wish someone was still making movies like this. _Final rating:★★★½ - I really liked it. Would strongly recommend you give it your time._

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2022-06-02

**_An oversized alligator from the sewers of Chicago breaks loose_** A baby alligator is flushed down the toilet in Chicago and mutates to great size from eating chemically contaminated dog carcasses in the sewers. A policeman (Robert Forster) and a beautiful reptile expert (Robin Riker) team-up to track down the beast when it escapes the sewers and preys on citizens. “Alligator” (1980) is kind of boring for the first half hour or so, but the last hour perks up and generally keeps your attention. Unlike "Jaws" (1975), which is completely serious and scary, most adults won't take "Alligator" too seriously or find it remotely scary. In fact, I busted out laughing numerous times when the creature would attack people. Speaking of which, you'll sometimes hear Jaws-imitation suspense music as the creature approaches its prey. Some viewers understandably compare "Alligator" to another “Jaws” rip-off flick, "Piranha" (1978), but that movie’s all-around more entertaining. What makes "Alligator" mandatory is the awe-inspiring Robin Riker, who doesn't appear until half an hour into the story. From thereon she's featured prominently. Robin was 28 during shooting but possesses such a mature and classy air that she seems at least 35. While I’m on the subject, watch out for the blonde reporter in a red jacket and jeans at about the halfway point (43 minutes). Like Robin, she has an exquisite figure sculptured by God Himself. There are also some highlights that you won’t likely see in pictures nowadays. For instance, a kid gets chewed up in a suburban pool. And a “great white hunter” (Henry Silva) amusingly corrals three black dudes in the urban jungle to assist him in his hunt. Of course this wouldn’t be “politically correct” today. The movie runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles and the Los Angeles River. GRADE: B-

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

It's snappy. After an irate father flushes down the toilet his daughter's baby alligator, the creature feeds on dumped animals that have been tested with a growth hormone. Thus the gator grows into a 36 foot long monster that promptly terrorises Chicago. With a rather witty John Sayles script, tidy effects work and Lewis Teague's knowingly "B" movie direction, Alligator turns out to be one of the better post Jaws copy-cats. Very much using a satirical slant, Alligator's gigantic horror is born out of dubious suit types involved in conspiracies. While the cheery pay back that comes the way of various gits responsible for the growth of super gator is rewarding to say the least. Peperred with in jokes as well, Alligator also benefits from having the considerable talents of Robert Forster and Dean Jagger in the cast. They may look a touch bewildered at times, more out of a sense of fun one feels, but they give it gusto supreme and carry the picture to the bloody and entertaining finale. A million miles away from Jaws of course, but this is a funny, enjoyable and different type of animal. 6.5/10

JPV852

@JPV852

2022-03-02

Not great but semi-entertaining monster-horror film has its moments and like seeing Robert Forster in the lead. Some of the effects were on the goofy side when it came to the alligator but still for its time I thought it was alright. **3.0/5**

The Movie Mob

@mooney240

2022-11-27

**Alligator didn't win any awards, and it shouldn't have. It's so bad, but it might just win your heart if you give it a shot.** Another creature feature with no money, horrible acting, and terrible dialogue that is a lot of fun if you treat it differently than an Oscar contender. Sure, it's a piece of garbage, literally. The alligator got flushed down the toilet ending up in the sewer along with some experimental chemicals mutating it into a giant. Despite being a 40-foot-long maneater, the police and local law enforcement spend the whole movie trying to find the thing (apparently, it's very sneaky) while it munches on a buffet of hapless citizens. Alligator is ridiculous, nonsensical, and a lot of fun if you are a fan of old-school cheesy creature features.