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Alligator (1980)

R  91 min  -  Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller   -  2 July 1980 (USA)
5.7
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Ratings: 5.7/10 from 4,031 users  
Reviews: 75 user | 60 critic

A baby alligator is flushed down a Chicago toilet and survives by eating discarded lab rats, injected with growth hormones. The small animal grows gigantic, escapes the city sewers, and goes on a rampage.

Director:

Lewis Teague

Writers:

John Sayles (screenplay), John Sayles (story), and 1 more credit »
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2 nominations See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Forster ...
Robin Riker ...
Michael V. Gazzo Michael V. Gazzo ...
Chief Clark (as Michael Gazzo)
Dean Jagger Dean Jagger ...
Slade
Sydney Lassick Sydney Lassick ...
Gutchel (as Sidney Lassick)
Jack Carter ...
Mayor
Perry Lang ...
Kelly
Henry Silva ...
Brock
Bart Braverman ...
Kemp
John Lisbon Wood John Lisbon Wood ...
Mad Bomber
James Ingersoll James Ingersoll ...
Helms
Robert Doyle Robert Doyle ...
Bill
Patti Jerome Patti Jerome ...
Madeline
Angel Tompkins Angel Tompkins ...
Newswoman
Sue Lyon ...
ABC Newswoman
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Storyline

Ramon the alligator is flushed down the toilet as a baby and grows into a gargantuan monster by eating the corpses of laboratory animals who have undergone dubious hormone experiments, thus providing all the ecological and social subtext that one could possibly wish for, even if one doesn't normally go for films about giant alligators eating people left, right, and center--which is the inevitable and tragic result of Ramon's decision that the outside world looks rather more interesting than the sewers.... Written by Michael Brooke <michael@everyman.demon.co.uk>  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Alligator | Sewer | Police | Child Eaten | Timebomb  | See more »

Taglines:

It lives 50 feet beneath the city. It's 36 feet long. It weighs 2,000 pounds...And it's about to break out! See more »

Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

A Fera See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)
See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alligator Inc. See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | Argentina:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The shot of the swat team emerging from the sewers looked so real that people actually thought they were terrorists and some even called the police. See more »

Goofs

Crew or equipment visible: In the first shot of the alligators eye, the whole crew is reflected in it. See more »