Slithis

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• USA • 1978 • 86m •

• Directed by: Stephen Traxler. • Starring: Alan Blanchard, Judy Motulsky, J.C. Claire, Dennis Falt, Mello Alexandria, Win Condict, Rocky Fumarelli, John Hatfield, Hy Pyke, Daphnae Cohen, Steven J. Hoag, Wendy Rastattar, Don Cummins. • Music by: Steve Zuckerman.

A nuclear leak creates a mutant Slithis sea monster, which terrorizes the variety of pets, winos, and hippies who hang around Venice, California.

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Trailer

3:02

TV Spot

0:29

Review:

I have seen many films featuring an aquatic monster rampaging and have to see this ranks in the bottom behind such films as Demon of Paradise and The Bog which neither of them were very good either. I do not know what the deal is, but the makers of this one seemed more compelled to show us long scenes of nothing happening where what was going on had very little with the monster of the flick making me almost forget at times that this was a monster movie! It did not help that the main character was completely unlikable and the plot unbearable as it tries too hard to explain how the monster came about rather than showing said monster on the loose and killing!

The story has a monster loose in Venice California at first killing dogs and then moving on to people. A teacher who teaches journalism to high school kids, but years to be an actual journalist sees this as his way to making the big time. I can see a high school have a school paper overseen by a teacher, but not an actual class. Well, the police are sure the killings are being done by some sort of cult, but the reporter is able to figure out that this is a monster that is made of radioactive mud or something, but looks pretty much like the creature from the black lagoon. Soon he and his chemistry teacher friend and some fisherman come up with a plan to go after the beast!

The movie's premise is one we have seen before, but the means by which it plays out are ludicrous! Once again the acting is horrible from the lead guy, but even he seems good after the strange chief of police shows up as that guy seems to be an overacting Shakespearean actor! A chemistry teacher has the key to the gate that locks a canal, a station wagon travels over 100 feet through the air after having maybe ten foot of road to traverse and we get to see turtles race!?! The film shows you stuff for long periods that seemingly go nowhere and then we watch an ending that makes you go "What?" but at the same time seems great compared to the rest of what has gone on!

So no, not a very good fish person on the attack movie. I would say that even the MST3K film Zaat: The Bloodwaters of Dr. Z is better than this thing. Sure, it had a couple of nice effects and a booby to show, but way too much padding in lieu of actual monster attacks! Then the monster has no trouble killing most people, but then has the hardest time killing that poor girl from North Dakota who was lured to a guy's boat after he showed her the wild Venice nightlife watching turtle racing. I will say, this film is one of the first to show me turtle racing...

Review by Aaron1375 from the Internet Movie Database.

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