Eaten Alive
Encyclopedia
Eaten Alive 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.
), 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 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 untieing 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.
took a personal objection to this movie.
, who reputedly fed over 20 victims to alligators as a means of disposal.
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!”
Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ; the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation...
. The cast includes Neville Brand
Neville Brand
Neville Brand was an American television and movie actor.-Early life:Neville Brand was born in Illinois. He was born to Leo and Helen Brand as one of seven children. Leo, was an electrician and bridge building steel worker in Detroit, where Neville was raised...
, perennial exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
star Roberta Collins
Roberta Collins
Roberta Collins was a film and television actress who was known for her attractive physique, blonde, curly hair, and Marilyn Monroe appearance...
, Robert Englund
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
who later appeared in A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American slasher film directed and written by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film features Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Robert Englund, and Johnny Depp in his feature film...
, frequent Brian de Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
actor William Finley
William Finley (actor)
William Finley is an American actor who has appeared in the films Simon, Silent Rage, Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, Obsession and The Wedding Party. Finley has had a long film relationship with director Brian De Palma, beginning with the student films "Woton's Wake", and "Murder a la Mod"...
, Marilyn Burns
Marilyn Burns
Mary Lynn Ann Burns , better known as Marilyn Burns, is an American actress, best known for her roles in the horror cult films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , and Eaten Alive...
who had appeared in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
, Janus Blythe who later appeared in The Hills Have Eyes
The Hills Have Eyes (1977 film)
The Hills Have Eyes is a 1977 American horror film directed by Wes Craven and starring Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman, and Dee Wallace. It is about a family on a road trip who become stranded in the Nevada desert, and are hunted by a clan of deformed cannibals in the surrounding hills...
, and Kyle Richards
Kyle Richards
Kyle Egan Richards is an American actress and television personality. She is known for returning to television with her sister, Kim Richards, on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.-Early life:...
who later acted in Halloween
Halloween (1978 film)
Halloween is a 1978 American independent horror film directed, produced, and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut and the first installment in the Halloween franchise. The film is set in the fictional midwestern...
. Name actors Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Sue Jones was an American actress.Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising actresses...
and Mel Ferrer
Mel Ferrer
Mel Ferrer was an American actor, film director and film producer.-Early life:Ferrer was born Melchor Gastón Ferrer in Elberon, New Jersey, of Catalan and Irish descent. His father, Dr. José María Ferrer , was born in Cuba, was an authority on pneumonia and served as chief of staff of St....
are prominently billed but play supporting roles.
Synopsis
After refusing a request from frisky customer Buck (Robert EnglundRobert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
), prostitute Clara Wood (Roberta Collins
Roberta Collins
Roberta Collins was a film and television actress who was known for her attractive physique, blonde, curly hair, and Marilyn Monroe appearance...
) is evicted from the town brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
by the madam, Miss Hattie (Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Sue Jones was an American actress.Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising actresses...
). Clara makes her way to a decrepit hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
where she encounters the mentally disturbed proprietor Judd (Neville Brand
Neville Brand
Neville Brand was an American television and movie actor.-Early life:Neville Brand was born in Illinois. He was born to Leo and Helen Brand as one of seven children. Leo, was an electrician and bridge building steel worker in Detroit, where Neville was raised...
) and his pet crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
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
Marilyn Burns
Mary Lynn Ann Burns , better known as Marilyn Burns, is an American actress, best known for her roles in the horror cult films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , and Eaten Alive...
) and the disturbed Roy (William Finley
William Finley (actor)
William Finley is an American actor who has appeared in the films Simon, Silent Rage, Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, Obsession and The Wedding Party. Finley has had a long film relationship with director Brian De Palma, beginning with the student films "Woton's Wake", and "Murder a la Mod"...
), arrive at the hotel, along with their young daughter Angie (Kyle Richards
Kyle Richards
Kyle Egan Richards is an American actress and television personality. She is known for returning to television with her sister, Kim Richards, on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.-Early life:...
). 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
Mel Ferrer
Mel Ferrer was an American actor, film director and film producer.-Early life:Ferrer was born Melchor Gastón Ferrer in Elberon, New Jersey, of Catalan and Irish descent. His father, Dr. José María Ferrer , was born in Cuba, was an authority on pneumonia and served as chief of staff of St....
) 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
Scythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding 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
Stuart Whitman
Stuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
), 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 untieing 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 BrandNeville BrandNeville Brand was an American television and movie actor.-Early life:Neville Brand was born in Illinois. He was born to Leo and Helen Brand as one of seven children. Leo, was an electrician and bridge building steel worker in Detroit, where Neville was raised...
as Judd - Mel FerrerMel FerrerMel Ferrer was an American actor, film director and film producer.-Early life:Ferrer was born Melchor Gastón Ferrer in Elberon, New Jersey, of Catalan and Irish descent. His father, Dr. José María Ferrer , was born in Cuba, was an authority on pneumonia and served as chief of staff of St....
as Harvey Wood - Carolyn JonesCarolyn JonesCarolyn Sue Jones was an American actress.Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising actresses...
as Miss Hattie - Marilyn BurnsMarilyn BurnsMary Lynn Ann Burns , better known as Marilyn Burns, is an American actress, best known for her roles in the horror cult films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , and Eaten Alive...
as Faye - William FinleyWilliam Finley (actor)William Finley is an American actor who has appeared in the films Simon, Silent Rage, Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, Obsession and The Wedding Party. Finley has had a long film relationship with director Brian De Palma, beginning with the student films "Woton's Wake", and "Murder a la Mod"...
as Roy - Stuart WhitmanStuart WhitmanStuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
as Sherriff Martin - Roberta CollinsRoberta CollinsRoberta Collins was a film and television actress who was known for her attractive physique, blonde, curly hair, and Marilyn Monroe appearance...
as Clara - Kyle RichardsKyle RichardsKyle Egan Richards is an American actress and television personality. She is known for returning to television with her sister, Kim Richards, on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.-Early life:...
as Angie - Robert EnglundRobert EnglundRobert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
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 WhitehouseMary Whitehouse
Mary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
took a personal objection to this movie.
Legacy
The film was inspired by serial killer Joe BallJoe Ball
Joseph D. Ball was an American serial killer, sometimes referred to as "The Alligator Man", the "Butcher of Elmendorf" and the "Bluebeard of South Texas". He is said to have killed at least 20 women in the 1930s...
, who reputedly fed over 20 victims to alligators as a means of disposal.
Director Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
used this movie's character Buck for the line in his kung fu homage movie Kill Bill
Kill Bill
Kill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
, "My name is Buck, and I'm here to fuck".
New York deathgrind
Deathgrind
Deathgrind is a musical genre that fuses death metal and grindcore. The genre, along with pornogrind, is related to the goregrind subgenre...
band Mortician
Mortician (band)
Mortician is a death metal / deathgrind two piece band from Yonkers, New York founded in 1989. They have released most of their albums since the House by the Cemetery EP on Relapse Records but have released their latest album on their own label, Mortician Records. They have toured several times...
used a soundbyte from the film for the intro to the song "Devoured Alive" from their 1998 Zombie Apocalypse
Zombie Apocalypse (album)
Zombie Apocalypse is an EP by Mortician. Now out-of-print, the EP has since been re-issued by Relapse Records as a two-for-one package with Hacked Up for Barbecue.-Different versions:...
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!”