bowmanblue It's been a week since I watched the 1978 horror film 'Piranha' and, as I sit down to type, I'm struggling to remember what it was about. Yes, there are killer fish. And they ate people – that much I'm sure. However, besides those two most basic of plot points, I can't seem to think of much else. But I did like it – while I watched it anyway. In fact, I think it was the second time I've seen it, but then it might have got a bit blurred with the more recent remake. Anyway, from the little that is still with me…A swarm of – slightly mutated – killer piranhas gets accidentally released from a Government testing lab and go on the rampage down a stream (luckily they're limited to inflicting carnage on people who have strayed into the water – if you're interested, the sequel takes care of the question, 'What if piranhas WEREN'T limited to JUST the water!). And, what follows pretty much checks off every horror cliché in existence.Character have sex... and then die – check. Evil military – check. Dastardly British villain – check. Beautiful heroine who never succumbs to nudity – check. Official who won't believe what's really happening and puts money before public safety – check. And so on. Then there's the gore. You may be expecting a film about swarms of killer fish to be loaded with the red stuff. Well, it is. The water turns red on many an occasion. However, that doesn't really mean you see anything. Maybe due to budget limitations, 'red water' serves as a way of showing hideous death without ever really showing much of what's really happening.So, all in all, 'Piranha' is pretty underwhelming. And yet I felt quite satisfied while watching it. If you're looking for a cheap 'Jaws' knock-off and don't mind seventies low-budget horror which is there simply to fill an hour and a half in your life, well, here it is. Enjoy. And then forget. In fact, I think I've now completely forgotten which movie I was talking about to begin with! At least the fish don't have wings... you'll have to check out the sequel for that little nugget of gold.

raul espinoza Joe Dante along with screenwriter John Sayles, made two films I really love - The Howling and Alligator. The former is particularly great, with effects by Rob Bottin and some amazing yet brief stop motion animation by David Allen, The Howling has everything you want in a horror-comedy. Moving onto Piranha, there are some big pluses in this cash in on Jaws. 1)The stop motion animation of the little mutant in the lab. 2)Kevin McCarthy and Dick Miller in brief yet key roles. 3)One of my favorite lines from shlock cinema "Sir, it appears that the fish are eating the guests." The problem with Piranha is that it tries to get too serious when the climactic attack takes place. It just sucks all the amusement right out of it and bogs down the film. Whereas in The Howling, a keen sense of humor is maintained throughout, Piranha suffers from a turn toward the serious, and serious this film is not. All in all worth seeing even though I think the remake with Jerry McConnell directed by Alexandre Aja is superior.

Python Hyena Piranha (1978): Dir: Joe Dante / Cast: Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn, Dick Miller: While Jaws is an underwater thriller masterpiece. Director Joe Dante presents a miniature version that involves rows of razor sharp teeth. Piranhas are accidentally released and they swarm down river devouring anybody who falls into the water. Thankfully Dante allows for some interesting characters and humour. Bradford Dillman plays Paul Grogan who is perceived as a drunk, which complicates any attempt to warn authorities. Heather Menzies plays Maggie who arrives on the scene to find answers to the disappearance of two backpackers. Viewers are given the answers to this in the film's opening sequence. The chemistry between Dillman and Menzies holds strong due to humour interaction. Kevin McCarthy steals moments as a scientist who contained the piranhas for an experiment that was intended as a war weapon. McCarthy plays a character perceived as being out of his mind until he risks his life to save a boy stranded upon an overturned canoe. Other characters are not as well drawn but well cast with actors like Keenan Wynn and Dick Miller. The piranhas are amusing but a scene where children are mauled in the water is not so fun to watch. It is gruesome but somewhat fun in presenting a less imposing creature than in Jaws, and instead shrinking the viscous scale. Score: 8 ½ / 10

Johan Louwet Maybe it's because I saw this one when I was young and I didn't bother with Jaws. I probably saw Jaws way too late because I really didn't care much for it but I really am glad it was the inspiration for this movie. What is scarier than one man-eating big fish, well a lot of flesh-eating little fish who can cause a lot more mayhem among people who like to have fun time in the water. Yes these fish are some really ugly pieces of nature being able to survive in cold and salt water which a normal piranha cannot live in. I actually liked the whole back story for why the fish were grown and turned into a mutated species by scientists. Fish as weapons in wars it could sure be effective as the victims did experience. I liked the combination of Heather Menzies as detective Maggie McKeown and Bradford Dillman as Paul Grogan who are eventually the ones saving the day. Kudos also to Shannon Collins as Paul's daughter Suzie. She played the role of fearful but eventually brave kid really well.