Grizzly (1976)

Director:

William Girdler

Writers:

Harvey Flaxman (writer) &
David Sheldon (writer)

Release Date:

21 May 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

18 FEET OF TOWERING FURY!!

Plot:

A fifteen foot tall grizzly bear terrorizes a state park. Christopher George leaps into the carnage to stop it.

Plot Keywords:

Grizzly Bear | Park Ranger | Naturalist | Rifle | Helicopter Pilot

Cast

Christopher George	...	Michael Kelly
Andrew Prine	...	Don Stober
Richard Jaeckel	...	Arthur Scott
Joan McCall	...	Allison Corwin
Joe Dorsey	...	Charley Kittridge
Charles Kissinger	...	Dr. Samuel Hallitt
Kermit Echols	...	Walter Corwin
Tom Arcuragi	...	Ranger Tom
Vicki Johnson	...	Ranger Gail
Kathy Rickman	...	June Hamilton (as Catherine Rickman)
Mary Ann Hearn	...	Margaret Rogers - First Victim
Harvey Flaxman	...	Reporter
Mike Clifford	...	Pat
David Newton	...	Mike
Mike Gerschefski	...	George

Also Known As:

Claws (USA) (subtitle)
Killer Grizzly (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Clayton, Georgia, USA

Company:

Film Ventures International (FVI)

Trivia:

Warner Bros. originally expressed interest in financing the film and was reportedly furious that producer Edward L. Montoro and Film Ventures International (FVI) had taken the project. Warner Bros. offered to put up a larger budget. Ironically, the year before this the studio sued Montoro and FVI over copyright infringement for the successful theatrical release of The Exorcist (1973)" ripoff Chi sei? (1974).

Goofs:

Continuity: The bear's feet change to black and brown in several scenes.

Quotes:

Ranger Michael Kelly: Bears don't eat people!
Dr. Hallitt: This one did.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Jaws with Claws (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

What Makes a Man a Man

Paws in the woods

Rip-off of "Jaws". A giant grizzly bear is (inexplicably) attacking humans in a forest. It's up to Christopher George and friends to track him down.

I saw this in a theatre when I was 14 and never forgot it. At the time it (sort of) scared me. The bear itself I thought looked kind of cuddly--even when it was growling and showing its fangs. The attacks were (for a PG movie) pretty bloody and had me actually cringing in my seat! The show stoppers were when a little boy is attacked (we don't actually SEE it, but we do see half his leg torn off) and when, with a swipe of its claw, the grizzly decapitates a horse! Silly...but effective! Also there's some really beautiful scenery here (if you see it letterboxed).

So, this is a good gross-out movie for kids--there is a lot of blood but you don't take it seriously. As for the rest of it--the acting and characterizations are strictly by the numbers. Good example of a 1970s exploitation film.