"The Great Alligator" is an action-adventure film that takes advantage of the tranquil scenery, humble natives and beautiful wildlife...except, of course, there's Kruna, a monstrous alligator or divine creature, that decides to go on a rampage after its habitat gets turned into a money-making machine of a hotel and resort. Take heed westerners: don't mess with nature and it won't mess back.This takes place somewhere on an isolated island with the only way to get in or "out" being boat or plane. The local inhabitants have their rituals and superstitions, and the encroaching vacationers have their drinking and dancing to get on with. The hotshot photographer, played by charismatic Claudio Cassinelli, gets a whiff of something ominous in the air, as well as the employees work discreetly behind the scenes to investigate these mysterious disappearances. Although at that point it might be too late.There are realistic characters and a few straightforward struggles are thrown in the mix between the humans. Though the alligator is the big attraction here and its on-screen presence is more comical than scary, as instead of being portrayed as this mysterious, what-if beast it almost becomes a caricature along the lines of "Jaws 2" where it can be anywhere and everywhere. The effects in wider shots make the gigantic gator a paralyzed battering ram as the molding used to make it doesn't flex an inch. Indeed the movie set out to be serious, this isn't going to be the equivalent of a modern day Sci-Fi channel creature feature, but it's still hard to ignore that the main attraction isn't able to even remotely nudge the safety barrier away from its audience. (Also submitted on http://fromblacktoredfilmreviews.blogspot.com/)

The inhabitants of a remote South American village worship a prehistoric alligator god that is part reptile and mostly mythology. When a resort opens to tourists, they run afoul the tribe and their protective 'god'. Fortunately, hotel manager Bach also holds a degree in archaeology and can interpret all the signals with astonishing accuracy. It's also helpful that some of the tribesman speak English remarkably well. Cassinelli is the no-nonsense photographer who begins to suspect the natives are restless, a plea that falls on the deaf ears of Mel Ferrer as the consortium's rather passive financier.As for the alleged "great" alligator, looking more like a piece of driftwood with beaming torch-lights for eyes, it's far from an impressive or especially menacing looking specimen; even still, the sub-continental "natives" all have panic attacks at the mere thought of encountering the great rubber log. One-time Bond girl and Italian eco-horror staple Bach, quickly loses her safari suit, eventually succumbing to the locals as a sacrificial offering to their 'god', and it's left to the anti-hero of Martino's trilogy, the remarkably relaxed-looking Claudio Cassinelli, to do all the work himself. It's somewhat disconcerting to see Cassinelli alight from the helicopter in the film's opening sequence, knowing that he would later lose his life in a helicopter crash, while filming for Martino's "Hands of Steel" in 1985. A very capable actor, who was well equipped to move between western mainstream and Italian exploitation cinema.Given that this movie was made back-to-back with Island of the Fishmen, the cast is virtually identical, and both Ferrer and Richard Johnson (in a meaningless cameo as a traumatized Christian brother) again dedicate their time, while genre fans will also recognize the brawny action-man Romano Puppo in a frivolous utility role. It's the least of Martino's jungle trilogy, with tired looking set-pieces (there's only so many times the same personnel can stage a human sacrifice and make it gripping), and extras in grass skirts courtesy of Bollywood rentals incorporated. With miniatures doing the work of the special effects department (thanks to Carlo De Marcels for lending his kids' toys) and the dim hope of redemption in Johnson's appearance confined to a pointless five-minute cameo, there's not a great deal to recommend "The Great Alligator".

Let me start out by saying I can enjoy just about any bad Italian horror movie or jungle exploitation flick from the 1970's. Seriously. This one was downright awful.There are way too many elements that Martino tries to inject and none of them work (except for the croc-gone-wild thing) very well at all. There are some ignorant Westerners, of course, who set up a resort in the jungle somewhere. I don't even remember where it takes place...how sad is that... Basically, people come to the resort to see this native tribe and its' ceremonies but eventually they upset the 'Alligator God' of the river who then proceeds to go on a rampage, killing said vacationers and some tribesmen as well. Sounds good, yeah? Well, don't get your hopes up. There is minimal violence until the end, the special effects are so bad it was like a kindergarten class performed them and the love story thrown in is laughable.There is seriously a few scenes where it appears they set up a camera underwater in a pool and threw a toy alligator, like a dart, into the water and that is supposed to be the gator attacking. I'm not kidding. In another wonderfully crafted special effect, a Matchbox van is targeted by the incredible sinking plastic gator, who all of a sudden is five times the size of a van. (A few minutes ago, he was only big enough to eat a human, but now he dwarfs a full-size cargo van...) It is really pathetic. The only other flick I can think of where the effects were so bad I was pulled out of the story was Bruno Mattei's masterpiece, "Rats," what with the plastic rats on the conveyor belt and all who COULDN'T be terrified.Normally I'd say anything Sergio Martino was a solid must-see but this one is a must-pass. Waste of time and definitely not worth buying for the $15+ sticker price from No Shame. This one is a SHAME.2 out of 10, kids.

This film starts with a photographer being flown by helicopter to a hotel/resort in the middle of the jungle, because he has been hired to take some publicity photos for the owner. Once there he is introduced to everyone of any interest (to the viewer anyway) and is given a guided tour of the place (once again more for the viewers benefit than his, a quick and lazy way to set the story up). After this opening ten or so minutes its on with the story, this photographer falls for the owners assistant and tries to chat her up when she is alone, outside. At the same time two locals sail to a nearby island and make love. On their way back they are attacked and killed by a giant alligator, of course the photographer and his soon to be lover hear their screams. The next morning one of the two killed the night before is reported missing, the photographer puts two and two together and along with a broken boat realizes something is not quite right. The hotel owner however is not convinced, and as he has his first guests coming to stay he doesnt want to start a panic. Its now down to the photographer and his girlfriend to prove the great alligator exists. I like all these italian rip off movies from the late seventies and early eighties and this one isnt too bad at all. Sergio Martino is a solid director who seems to make good, handsome, well made movies that are better than their low budgets would suggest, mountain of the cannibal god, A man called blade and 2019 after the fall of new york are a few examples. There is not much gore and the alligator is rarely seen, but the locations are nice as is the camera work. I liked the ending as well. Some may find the film a bit dull and slow but I liked it and recommend it.