Editorials
‘Killer Crocodile’ – The Italian Creature Features and Their Schlocky Charms [Horrors Elsewhere]
Horrors Elsewhere is a recurring column that spotlights a variety of movies from all around the globe, particularly those not from the United States. Fears may not be universal, but one thing is for sure — a scream is understood, always and everywhere.
Vintage Italian horror is well stocked with ghouls, murderers and zombies, but fans of this niche-specific area of the genre rarely see animals going wild. While there is certainly no absence of animals — Inga from Dario Argento’s Phenomenon, the shark in Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2, and the many bestial casualties within Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust — creature-centric films like Wild Beasts and Rats: Night of Terror are in short supply. For the most part, though, the great names of Italian horror shied away from antagonistic critters.
A staggering amount of nature’s revenge films naturally followed in the wake of Jaws. Mainly sharks dominated these opportunistic copycats, but every now and again, other predators eagerly chowed down on humanity. Chief among them are the crocodilians emerging from their wetlands, larger than evolution ever permitted, and carving out a considerable spot for themselves in the creature-feature section. Their appearances are random and not always concentrated; they lunge out of nowhere like the Killer Crocodile duology.
Several years after animal-run-amok films were more or less retired following a deluge of them in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Fabrizio De Angelis produced two films about an oversized, mutated croc in some far-flung part of the world. The first of this toothy twosome, directed by De Angelis himself, trudges through familiar waters. Environmentally-conscious Americans descend upon an unnamed delta — both Killer Crocodile entries were shot back to back in the Dominican Republic — in search of industrial goings-on. This group of young, sun-kissed tourists uncovers illegal dumping of toxic contaminants in the river. Little do they know, the pollution has had an adverse effect on the crocodiles. One in particular has been transformed into a colossal monster with an appetite to match.
Kevin (Richard Anthony Crenna) and his fellow do-gooders insert themselves into the situation as these self-appointed “white saviors” who act like they know better than everyone else. On the opposite end of the morality spectrum is a corrupt judge (Van Johnson) and an unethical businessman (Wohrman Williams) named Foley. The former grows a conscience late into the game, whereas Foley remains unprincipled. Also present is a grizzled crocodile hunter named Joe (Ennio Girolami), who understandably wants to kill the abomination after it chows down on the locals.
When Kevin and his friends take issue with Joe destroying the croc, the film starts to feel like a parody of greenie culture. Maybe even a mockery of their beliefs. Kevin and Mark (Julian Hampton) shed their integrities the fastest and come to agree with Joe after he saves them from their recklessness. The women (Sherrie Rose, Ann Douglas) barely feel present as only the men take action, but now they express concern over their friends’ wavering principles. Jennifer and Pamela eventually hang back as the others enter the croc’s watery turf for a final showdown. When the time comes for either man or beast to prevail, Kevin’s transformation from tree hugger to full-on crocodile slayer is bloody and loud. An injured Joe passes the baton — or in this case his lucky, flying hat — to the next generation of hunters, effectively stripping Kevin of his original code of ethics.
Killer Crocodile plays out like other eco-horrors in the sense that they all embellish the consequences of toying with nature, and how only hard action rather than activism can rectify said ecological problems. Idealistic folks in these films are usually seen as too soft or outright ineffective at their jobs, and their romantic nature lands them in trouble unless they adapt. Eat or be eaten, in both the literal and metaphorical sense here. Although not everyone in the first film is willing to sacrifice their scruples, the one who does is the most rewarded.
As to be expected with these sorts of films, Killer Crocodile leaves room wide open for a sequel; the first croc’s surviving hatchling grows into an identical gargantua. At the same time, a scrappy, American reporter named Liza (Debra Karr) finds herself smack dab in the middle of the ensuing carnage as she investigates the river’s toxic state. Joining her later is Kevin, the only person capable of taking the new mutant down.
Giannetto De Rossi received the biggest promotion behind the camera; he went from being the first film’s makeup artist to the sequel’s director. The new addition of Karr as a spitfire reporter provides a touch of personality in an otherwise nondescript follow-up. While the kills here are definitely meaner and more like those in the Jaws sequels — the reptile stalks and devours two rowboats full of children and nuns in one notable scene — there is a distinct lack of energy all throughout. The recycling of past footage helps pad the runtime, the man-operated croc prop somehow seems more stiff this time around, and the conclusion is rushed. All in all, Killer Crocodile 2 is more of the same but now with only half the charm and spirit.
Italo-horror put a unique spin on the more well-worn stories in its heyday; ingenuity and style elevated the most basic tales of masked killers and zombies. In contrast, a cheesy latecomer like Killer Crocodile admittedly adds nothing new to its respective subgenre. Merciful and curious B-movie seekers, however, are sure to find enjoyment in this schlocky series. Ardent creature-feature fans are in the same boat; they can hardly pass up such a middling but entertaining croc flick.
No conversation about cartoons based on live-action movies is ever complete without mentioning The Real Ghostbusters.
This animated continuation is, warts and all, a notable example of turning a hit movie into a hit series. And although the new target demographic skewed a little younger, even kids-at-heart could partake in the further adventures of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Egon Spengler.
For a good part of its run, the show required fans to wait at least a week for more Ghostbustin’. That’s torture for a kiddo. Luckily, though, the entire series, or at least most of it, is now available for streaming.
So, as you revisit The Real Ghostbusters on Tubi—for now it’s just the first five seasons there—use this guide to help prioritize some must-see episodes.
The Boogieman Cometh
“The Boogieman Cometh” (Season 1)
Season One’s “The Boogieman Cometh” is a classic episode featuring one of the show’s more iconic villains. It’s hard to forget the unique character design used for the Boogieman (whose creepy voice was provided by Ray and Slimer’s actor, Frank Welker). In this story, Egon is reunited with that bump-in-the-night entity who haunted his own childhood, all while trying to keep him away from his latest targets: the brother and sister claiming to have the Boogieman in their closet. Although the Ghostbusters do save the day here, the Boogieman eventually returns (“The Bogeyman Is Back“). That same episode also features the love-’em-or-hate-’em Junior Ghostbusters.
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream
“Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” (Season 1)
You could say the namesake of “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” had good intentions for putting mankind to sleep for the next few centuries—he wanted to end war and keep everyone dreaming. Sounds nice until you remember that whole free will business. But when it seems like the Ghostbusters have lost to their latest foe, the last one standing, Winston, gains a sudden ally. Janine’s dream of becoming a Ghostbuster is manifested, and she helps put this rogue spirit to bed.
When Halloween Was Forever
“When Halloween Was Forever” (Season 1)
Before the show’s execs capitalized on Slimer’s popularity by making him the focus of later episodes, early stories like “When Halloween Was Forever” better utilized that gooey ghost. Here, the spirit of Halloween itself, Samhain, hopes to make the holiday a permanent thing by stopping time. And who does the embodiment of All Hallows’ Eve use in his nefarious plot? Slimer, of course. Thankfully, the lil’ green bud knows where he really belongs, and Samhain is banished (at least until Season 3’s “Halloween II 1/2“).
Night Game
“Night Game” (Season 2)
Because Season Two was rather long, in comparison to other seasons, it accumulated quite a few solid episodes. One of the most beloved, though, is that ultimate good-versus-evil story, “Night Game“. Winston gets to shine here as he participates in a battle that was 500 years in the making. Except this time, the fighting is done on the baseball field. The other-dimensional settings in The Real Ghostbusters are always great, but the one here is particularly memorable.
Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin
“Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” (Season 2)
Not all ghosts and whatnot were bad in The Real Ghostbusters. As “Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” showed, some were actually benevolent. Sadly, it took a lot of convincing, and one very heroic act, for Peter and the others to see past this goblin’s grotesque appearance. The heroes find more than one shapeshifter at a sideshow carnival in the Poconos; a sinister Class-4er called the Metamorph does a swell job of menacing the Ghostbusters before they finally realize Drool’s not their culprit. The good guys indeed win here, but that victory is a bittersweet one.
The Collect Call of Cathulhu
“The Collect Call of Cathulhu” (Season 2)
While “The Collect Call of Cathulhu” does misspell “Cthulhu” in the title (probably to avoid legal issues), it is clearly the Old One in this Lovecraft-inspired episode. The story kicks off with the Necronomicon being stolen by the deity’s modern-day cult, who then raise their ancient god at Coney Island. From there, the Ghostbusters’ typical methods don’t work on the big guy, so they seek advice from an old issue of Weird Tales (or “Wierd Tales”, as it’s spelled on screen). That build-up to the finale comes with a decent amount of dread before the Ghostbusters, as well as a scholar named Alice, face off with one of the show’s most powerful entities.
Knock, Knock
“Knock, Knock” (Season 2)
A number of Real Ghostbusters episodes could be reworked into big-screen features, but perhaps “Knock, Knock” is the most hopeful. It helps that this story feels in step with the first two movies. Here, some ignorant construction workers accidentally uncover and open an ancient door in the subway. What’s behind said door is none other than those unspeakable evils that only the Ghostbusters can quell. A good deal of the imagery here is prime for adaptation.
The Grundel
“The Grundel” (Season 3)
One of the darker episodes, which was written by the prominent J. Michael Straczynski, is “The Grundel“. Here, a boy is being influenced by the titular entity, a type of ghost who ultimately turns his targets into new Grundels. The episode does have something of an after-school special quality to it, but that doesn’t take away from the eerier moments. For more Grundel lore, be sure to check out the episode “Grundelesque” from the sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Standing Room Only
“Standing Room Only” (Season 4)
It’s no secret that The Real Ghostbusters experienced multiple changes after the second season. Out of all of them, though, retooling the show so that Slimer would get more of the spotlight is maybe the most egregious. Thankfully, Season Four (the first to be called Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters) didn’t completely obey that new directive; episodes like “Standing Room Only” felt more like the old days. The focus here was on the well-being of the city and its people, rather than on the series’ green mascot (or the Junior Ghostbusters). In the episode, Peter’s new ghost attractor isn’t to blame for the ensuing chaos; the ghost-eating Mee-Krah is what’s really imperiling everyone. And the Ghostbusters must dish out everything they have to avoid a doomsday situation.
The Halloween Door
“The Halloween Door” (Season 5)
While many fans will skip the later seasons in their rewatches, episodes like “The Halloween Door” are still worth checking out. This colorful helping of Halloween pandemonium premiered on primetime, so the animation is better than usual. And save for a random musical moment, it’s an enjoyable event. Here, a group of anti-Halloweeners tries to cancel the holiday, but they only end up making things worse by unleashing a baddie named Boogaloo.
The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are available on Tubi, starting on July 15.
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