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Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn, Dick Miller ... see more see more... , Barbara Steele , Belinda Balaski , Bruce Barbour , Paul Bartel , Richard Deacon , Bruce Gordon , Guich Koock , Shawn Nelson , Bill Smille , Melody Thomas , Barry Brown , Eric Henshaw , Michael Sullivan , Shannon Collins , Hill Farnsworth , Nick Palmisano , Robyn Ray , Roger Richman , Bobby Sargent , Roger Creed

The sophomore effort for director Joe Dante, a future protégé of Steven Spielberg, this low-budget, high-camp horror spoof of Jaws (1977) features several chiller stars of yesteryear. Insurance invest... read more read more...igator Maggie McKeown (Heather Menzies) is dispatched to find two missing teenage hikers near Lost River Lake. She hires surly backwoods drunkard Paul Grogan (Bradford Dillman) to serve as her guide. Searching the area, they find an abandoned military facility. The only resident is Dr. Robert Hoak (Kevin McCarthy), former head of a top-secret project to breed piranha for use in the Vietnam War. The project was closed down years ago, but Hoak has continued raising a deadly strain of the flesh-eating fish. When Hoak is knocked unconscious, Maggie and Paul accidentally release the piranha into a local river, which leads to the lake where a children's summer camp and a newly opened tourist resort will provide plenty of fish food for the hungry predators. Maggie and Paul race to warn the locals, but their pleas fall on skeptical ears, such as those of resort owner Buck Gardner (Dick Miller) -- until the piranha reach the swimmers. Piranha (1978) was co-written by John Sayles, making his motion picture debut. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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39% liked it

11,152 ratings

Critics

70% liked it

23 critics

R, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Joe Dante

Release Date: August 3, 1978

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DVD Release Date: November 19, 1999

Stats: 566 reviews

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Here's a original advert cut to off a paper for the movie Cover of piranha The poster to Piranha lake of panic Tourists on the menu razorteeth the opening credit A dip in the pool piranha aftermath red water rafting piranha poster cover for vid Piranha soundtrack sleeve Piranha piranha attack hand in the water Piranha Piranha
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Flixster Reviews (566)

  • fb500439213
    October 21, 2011
    fb500439213
    "I didn't ax-murder your young couple" is among the many witty one-liners in John Sayles' razor-sharp screenplay. It's the mundane direction and frantic, uninspired editing that hampers this 'Jaws' regurgitation. Of course, it's the lethargic excuse that a government conspiracy b... read morereed these carnivores. Unfortunately, the superficial gore is merely red bubbles, rubbery puppets (which are barely discernible due to the extreme close-up angles) and minor teeth indentations. The piranha masticate on camping children, but the result is nothing remarkable and not nearly as savage as it could have been. Overall, this is a very lukewarm B-movie that would be intolerance if not for the subversive element that Sayles brought to both this and the superior satire 'Alligator'.
  • adammahler1
    February 12, 2011
    adammahler1
    I couldn't get my head around the seemingly gentle, walking piranha-lizard thing watching, from the shadows of the laboratory, while its creator tussled with the two lead characters. It happens toward the beginning of the movie and within a half hour, you know it's not going to a... read moreffect the rest of the plot or be a part of a cliffhanger ending. Barbara Steele is weirdly hot, smart and evil; and Dick Miller is great as usual, with the most realistic comic dialogue in the movie.
  • lewiskendell
    January 25, 2011
    lewiskendell
    "You pulled the plug, and you're holding me responsible?"

    I thought the recent Piranha 3-D remake was a fun, entertaining movie. So, why not give the original a shot?

    This earlier version is a much more serious, conventional horror flick. The gore is more limited, and the focus... read more on T&A that the remake reveled in is mostly gone. Instead of Spring Break at a lake full of teens and piranhas from the prehistoric era, released by an earthquake, we get a river of girl scouts and fishermen and a vacation resort that's accidentally infested with genetically engineered killer fish, bred for use in war.

    The two movies have little in common, other than the title, the carnage, and the ravenous fish (though they're a lot more cunning in this version). I found the remake to be more entertaining, as the extra violence, gore, humor, and eye candy made it more appealing to me. But, as a straight-forward creature flick, the original movie is worth a watch.
  • rezpatriot
    September 11, 2010
    rezpatriot
    Piranha is a very bad A list, or a pretty decent B list. But not a cult classic, although that has probably changed recently. If it mimics any film then its Jaws but only its plot, the Piranhas are B movie material, and it just feels odd watching this odd little movie.
  • kenstachnik
    August 31, 2010
    kenstachnik
    Totally enjoyable low budget shenanigans
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    August 19, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Piranha is a very enjoyable B movie rip off of Jaws. The special effects are cheap, the acting mediocre, but thats what makes this film so great. Produced by Roger Coreman king of the B movie, and directed by Joe Dante who later distinguished himself with such horror films as The... read more Howling, and the Horror Comedy favorite Gremlins. Piranha is a phenomenal B movie. Don't be turned away by the cheap effects and bad acting, it's what makes this film very enjoyable. Joe Dante delivers an impressive film, and it showed that he's got incredible talent behind the camera. Piranha is a satisfying Horror comedy, and it has stood the test of time as a good B movie. Piranha is a great homage to Jaws. Theres nothing to really hate about this film, it's got some awesomely humourous stop motion sequences, and the Piranha attacks are fun, horrifying and funny at the same time. A must for all B movie fans, and Horror comedy buffs too.
  • matertenebraum
    August 10, 2010
    matertenebraum
    Not many movie-makers do parodies better than Joe Dante ? the director who brought us The Howling (a werewolf movie parody), Gremlins (a monster movie parody), Innerspace (a Fantastic Voyage parody), The 'Burbs (a neighbours-from-hell parody) and Piranha (a Jaws parody). This 197... read more8 comedy-horror is one of Dante's early movies, but despite that he shows an assured touch and gets generously tongue-in-cheek performances from his cast of horror veterans. While the film is never a truly great rival to the awesome Jaws, it is a fun and entertaining homage that has much going for it. Easily the strong point of this film is the gruesome make-up provided by whiz-kid Rob Bottin, but more will be said of that later.

    A couple of teenagers go missing while trekking through the woods. Private eye Maggie McKeown (Heather Menzies) goes searching for them, and discovers a burnt-out hermit Paul Grogan (Bradford Dillman) living on the mountainside who offers to help her in her hunt. McKeown and Grogan stumble upon a secluded military research centre where crazed scientist Dr. Hoak (Kevin McCarthy) is busily conducting experiments to create a strain of piranha fish able to survive in rivers and oceans, and always eager to devour anything in their way. The plan is to release these super-fish in enemy rivers, thereby making the entire river system too dangerous to use. McKeown and Grogan mistakenly release the piranhas into the local river, and realise that anyone using the river for recreation ? including the bustling summer camp miles downstream ? are now in desperate danger. The army is brought in, but instead of helping to solve the terrifying situation they seem more concerned with covering up the whole business. In particular, General Waxman (Bruce Gordon) has cause to keep the existence of the piranha secret, as he has invested his savings in the summer camp and doesn't want to scare away his paying customers. In a race against time, Grogan and McKeown try to release poison into the river to prevent the piranhas from devouring everyone in sight and proceeding to the ocean?..

    Piranha is fast-moving, gory fun. It's nice to see Dillman in a heroic leading role after so many years of playing the supporting bad guy in numerous films. Menzies is fine as his partner-in-adventure, and there are great supporting roles for horror legends like Barbara Steele (as a military scientist), Dick Miller (as a cowboy entertainer) and Keenan Wynn (as Grogan's doomed buddy who lives at the riverside). As I said earlier, Rob Bottin provides some bloody make up effects that make some of the half-eaten victims look pretty yucky. The gently mocking script is by John Sayles, and is full of humorous references to earlier books and films along the same theme. The finale in which the holiday-makers fall foul of the piranha fish is packed with blood and guts, and should definitely appeal to gore-hounds. Even though the film keeps its tongue in its cheek, there are still some dumb moments along the way that mar credibility even on this level. For instance, Grogan spends much of the closing scenes underwater being attacked by the piranha?. earlier in the film we were made to believe that the piranha devoured their victims in literally a few seconds, but they seem to make ludicrously hard work of attacking Grogan while he's in the water (in fact, he surfaces after several minutes in the firing line with just a few bites, which seems somewhat fortuitous!!) Piranha is enjoyable, though, and should be well received by genre addicts.
  • cancercapricorn2002
    August 8, 2010
    cancercapricorn2002
    Two people stumble across a facility and accidentally release piranhas into a river that leads to a summer resort. Now it's up to them to convince people of the danger coming down the river.

    This is a great b-grade rip-off, right off the back of Jaws success. Though it has a tou... read morech of comedy added in it, basically making it a sort of spoof/thriller.

    A notable sharp script filled with a lot wit and excellent performances from the leads and amusing parts from the supporting cast make this great entertainment.

    The piranha designs look good for the time when it was made and still holds up now but the key here is that they aren't clearly shown as a group or alone making your imagination go to work and the few times you see the piranhas are effective.

    The music score is reasonably potent, just like that of Jaws- but it's definitely not in the same league. The sound of the attack is a sharp high-pitch bubbling sound given when they're about to attack.

    The cinematography is stunning enough, both in and out of the water and not forgetting the ravishing scenery along the river. The atmosphere is just brilliant, with the suspense and tension to match that of Jaws. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins 1 & 2, The Howling and The 'Burbs) does a excellent job here with pace and the story never gets bogged down.

    The whole concept of the piranha story is outlandishly over-the-top, but because of the superb laid-back performances and the ingenious screenplay, you forget the plot and just enjoy the ride. It's pretty hilarious watching people getting nibbled at first, but when you get further into the movie it becomes more effective and a little disturbing when you see a whole a lot of children getting eaten (especially when there not that annoying) and that's before they even reach the resort. There's one striking scene that's incredibly haunting because the image is perfectly laid out.

    Bradford Dillman brings a lot depth and humor to his character Paul Grogan and Heather Menzies brings a charming and out-going temperament to her character Maggie McKeown. The supporting roles, Kevin McCarthy is unforgettable as the crazy doctor Dr. Robert Hoak who created and labored the piranhas, Dick Miller fits perfectly as the greedy Resort owner Buck Gardner and Barbara Steele as Dr. Mengers, Dr Hoaks ex-work mate and now working for the army.

    Another very good film produced by b-grades finest Roger Corman.
  • SirPant
    September 29, 2009
    SirPant
    It?s quite bad and very laughable!
  • dhetteix
    June 19, 2009
    dhetteix
    Terrible dialog and a swarm of Piranha that attack with blurry blood-red repetitive bite footage and shrieks that sound like one of those out-of-control novelty toddler railroad trains that they set up in Malls around christmas time.

    Regardless, absurd first-5-minute nudity an... read mored coitus interruptus with piranhas, along with a total lack of standard horror-movie ethics about who to maim or kill (dogs, small children), and an especially ridiculous plotline involving government coverups and greedy corporate resort owners and a failed marriage... end up making a terrible film varied enough to be worth watching for sheer camp value, and to witness the quote: "The piranha are coming! You've got to believe me!"

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Critic Reviews

Scott Weinberg
January 9, 2011
Scott Weinberg, FEARnet

Essentially, Piranha is the best example of how to do a B-movie knockoff. Full Review

Charles Cassady
August 24, 2010
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media

Extremely gory Jaws rip-off is too much for kids. Full Review

Steve Biodrowski
August 23, 2010
Steve Biodrowski, Cinefantastique

[T]hat rarest of rarities: a rip-off that surpasses its inspiration. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
August 23, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It's played more for laughs and digs at America's war policy than for scares. Full Review

Josh Larsen
August 19, 2010
Josh Larsen, LarsenOnFilm

As the boozy mountain man trying to stop the military-grade fish, Bradford Dillman acts as if he'd swallowed Charlton Heston and is now constipated. Full Review

John Beifuss
August 17, 2010
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Dante's tongue-in-cheek, teeth-in-thigh debut hasn't lost its bite; it spawns new meaning with each new eco-disaster. It plays very well as a cautionary tale about the dangers of invasive alien specie... Full Review

Sean Axmaker
August 11, 2010
Sean Axmaker, Parallax View

... an energetic and inventive tongue-in-cheek thriller. Full Review

Steve "Uncle Creepy" Barton
August 5, 2010
Steve "Uncle Creepy" Barton, Dread Central

If you're looking for a senseless good time that goes a long way in terms of keeping you entertained, then this Piranha package may just be everything you've been hoping to sink your teeth into. Full Review

Brian Holcomb
February 1, 2010
Brian Holcomb, Kinetofilm

Dante and Sayles have a great deal of fun with the fact that their story of government created killer fish is completely ridiculous. Full Review

Rob Gonsalves
April 9, 2007
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

Effective and enjoyable on all counts, with plenty of campy laughs and in-jokes. Full Review

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