Piranha (1978)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

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:

Piranha | Fish | River | Police Car | Experiment

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

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1978) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (1984) (cut) | Italy:VM14 (original rating) | Iceland:L | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | 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:

Continuity: The position of the plane ticket in Earl's hand as he gives it to Maggie.

Quotes:

Maggie McKeown: That guard is still out there.
Paul Grogan: Fine, I need you to distract him.
Maggie McKeown: What for?
Paul Grogan: So I can get away.
Maggie McKeown: So YOU can get away? What about me?
Paul Grogan: Well suit yourself. Just come onto him, tell him what an admirer you are of Army or something like that.
Maggie McKeown: What if he's gay?
Paul Grogan: Then I'll go and distract him!

Movie Connections:

References Plane Crazy (1928)

"Something bit me!"

The 1978 Roger Corman produced picture Piranha was about…well, piranha. Killer fish escape a government research lab and kill hapless vacationers, fishermen, and scientists. The film could have been real hokey if not for writer John Sayles and director Joe Dante. The two of them would become very successful in Hollywood with the release of The Howling. The cast is full of familiar faces such as Kevin McCarthy, Paul Bartel, Dante regulars Robert Picardo and Dick Miller, and Barbra Steele. The effects are cheesy but that's part of the fun. I believe that they made the best movie about menacing fish that they could. It has just the right mix of comedy and terror and it's entertaining. The Jaws video game was a nice touch too.

"They're eating the guests, sir."