Piranha (1978)

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers:

Richard Robinson (story) and
John Sayles (story) ...

Release Date:

3 August 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Lost River Lake was a thriving resort - until they discovered...

Plot:

When flesh-eating piranhas are accidently released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.

Plot Keywords:

Jeep | Canoe | Opening Ceremony | U.S. Army | Tent Camp

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Bradford Dillman	...	Paul Grogan
Heather Menzies	...	Maggie McKeown
Kevin McCarthy	...	Dr. Robert Hoak
Keenan Wynn	...	Jack
Dick Miller	...	Buck Gardner
Barbara Steele	...	Dr. Mengers
Belinda Balaski	...	Betsy
Melody Thomas Scott	...	Laura Dickinson (as Melody Thomas)
Bruce Gordon	...	Colonel Waxman
Barry Brown	...	Trooper
Paul Bartel	...	Mr. Dumont
Shannon Collins	...	Suzie Grogan
Shawn Nelson	...	Whitney
Richard Deacon	...	Earl Lyon
Janie Squire	...	Barbara Randolph

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1984) (cut) | Italy:VM14 (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1978) (uncut) | Iceland:L | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | Australia:M | France:-12 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2002) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

San Marcos, Texas, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Eric Braeden was originally cast as Paul Grogan, but he pulled out to pursue another project. He had already shot some underwater swimming footage which is used in the film.

Goofs:

The speed boat is racing in the lake at full speed. The shot cuts to the skiers POV looking at the boat and the pull rope is slack and there isn't any tension on the line at all.

Quotes:

Dumont: People eat fish, Grogan. Fish don't eat people.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Not of This Earth (1988)

The Remake of This Better Not Happen

Let me start this off by saying that I think this movie is very underrated and deserves much more recognition than it's gotten so far. It truly is a very fun and exciting horror film and a great parody of Jaws. This has already been remade once but thankfully, that version didn't do well at all and only made it to TV. However, there is supposedly a remake in the works for 2009 and I pray that it is canceled soon. I'm so sick of every horror film being remade and this would be one that would upset me. Hopefully they end production.

The acting is pretty good but not great. I really liked seeing Kevin McCarthy in it. The story is a lot of fun; a tank holding genetically mutated piranhas is drained, setting the fish loose to feed on the innocent! Sounds good, doesn't it? The effects are also amazing and blew away. This one will stay on my shelf until the day that I die!

Check this one out if you love B-Horror and you'll love it. I can almost guarantee it!