Roger Corman’s always made profitable films, and sometimes that meant stealing some ideas from current releases to capitalize on the similarities. That’s certainly the case with the film he produced that ripped off Steven Spielberg’s Jaws: Joe Dante’s Piranha. Often, these films fell into legal issues, but with this film, Spielberg himself gave it his blessing and Universal stopped its injunctions. With that, we’re able to enjoy and talk about one of Dante’s early films. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Aquatic Killers series with Dante’s 1978 film Piranha.
We talk about the nature of rip-offs and how this one feels like it’s a bit more than just a rip-off. We chat about the nature of Dante’s comedy and horror, particularly how it pairs with the script by none other than John Sayles. We look at the story and chat about the tropes it contains but also how much fun it is. We touch on some of the actors and why they work well in this film. We laugh at a story Andy shares about watching it with his 10-year-old son. And we revel in the greatness that is Pino Donaggio’s score.
It’s not a great film but it’s a ton of fun. We have a great time chatting about it, so check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!
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Film Sundries
- Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Hulu
- Script Transcript
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
