Alligator isn’t a half-bad movie with its cheesy moments and some respectable makeup effects, not to mention the charisma from Robert Forster in a lead role. Don’t know how much replay value it has, though it does provide a fun time.
Alligator
— Collector’s Edition —
(1980)
Genre(s): Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Shout Factory | R – 91 min. – $39.98 | February 22, 2022
Date Published: 03/02/2022 | Author: The Movieman
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Shout Factory provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
Note: The screen captures were taken from the included Blu-ray disc.
THE MOVIE — 3/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: A family returning from Florida, the father decides his daughter’s pet alligator is too much to handle and flushes him down the toilet. Meanwhile, Slade Laboratories is conducting secret experiments with animals and disposing of them in the sewer. The alligator, fending for itself, begins to feed on the dead animals, and grows. Now, twelve years later, after several mysterious murders, David Madison (ROBERT FORSTER) is on the case to find out who… or what… is killing people. Quick Hit Review: Alligator isn’t a great movie and the scenes with the fake alligator were a bit goofy but I thought this horror-thriller, directed by Lewis Teague (Cujo, The Jewel of the Nile), was pretty entertaining with a fun performance from Robert Forster. Unsure about how much replay value this has, though I would think it would make for a amusing viewing in a group setting. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4¾/5 |
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This release comes with a matted slip cover and the inside artwork is reversible. Disc One (Theatrical Version – 4K UHD): Audio Commentary with Director Lewis Teague and Actor Robert Forster Disc Two (Theatrical Version – BLU-RAY): Interviews:
Honestly, Cranston’s 20-minute interview alone is worth the price of admission as it were. All of these offer their memories working on Alligator but Bryan Cranston is amazing and provides a great story on his encounter with Robert Forster as the film’s special effects assistant assistant assistant (yes, that far down the totem pole). You don’t often see people of his caliber at this point in his career take the time to sit down for an interview about an early job, so very cool. TV Cut Additional Scenes (8:01) — Here we get the scenes from the TV version which is available in its entirety on this set. Also available is the Teaser Trailer (1:12), Theatrical Trailer (2:35), TV Spots (1:56), Trailers from Hell (1:24) with Filmmaker Karyn Kusama and Galleries for Newsprints and Stills. Disc Three (TELEVISION VERSION): There are no extras on this disc, however this cut did also receive a 4K restoration. This version has 98 minute running time. |
4K VIDEO – 5/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4¾/5 |
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Shout Factory releases Alligator onto 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray where it’s shown in the original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and given 2160p and 1080p high-definition transfers, respectively. On both formats, these are new transfers, taken from a scan in 4K from the original negative. I watched the entire movie in 4K so that’s where my main focus is, this picture looks fantastic, sharp detail throughout, the natural film grain and noise still present and colors well balanced, with some minor aid from the HDR10. In addition, the video appears to be clean with no apparent signs of artifacting, aliasing, banding or other ailments. Doing a quick comparison of the Blu-ray disc, outside of the 4K being a bit sharper, I found the 1080p picture to be equally as impressive. |
AUDIO – 4¼/5 |
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Both formats come with a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track which sounds more than serviceable for a low budget film from over 40 years ago. But still, dialogue comes across with decent clarity and no obvious hisses or pops and there is good depth for a singular channel when it came to gunshots or an explosion. |
OVERALL — 4½/5 |
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Overall, Alligator isn’t a half-bad movie with its cheesy moments and some respectable makeup effects, not to mention the charisma from Robert Forster in a lead role. Don’t know how much replay value it has, though it does provide a fun time. |