Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Grizzly

(1976) **1/2 



Believe it or not this flagrant ripoff of Jaws actually grossed $39 million dollars in 1976. According to an online inflation calculator that equals roughly $152 million by today's standards. That's quite an impressive haul for a movie that lacks a single original idea. Grizzly is not terrible, but only because it steals virtually every character, major plot point and significant scene from a far superior film.

Like Jaws, it centers around an abnormally large animal on a killing spree and politicians who refuse to close the park for financial reasons at the expense of innocent lives. Thankfully they used the largest bear in captivity at the time for most of the action, in lieu of a guy in a bear suit. Unfortunately they weren't able to create truly believable kill scenes because of the danger involved but they did their best with a simple 3 step process.


If you don't like the editing then that's your problem and you'll have to take it up with Bub Asman.

That name just cracked me up. 
I won't recommend this movie with a straight face but it does have its charm. I rather enjoyed the grizzly POV cam that featured heavy breathing and a 15' tall perspective. For brief moments I felt like I was the killer bear.

11 comments:

JPX said...

Damnit, I can’t believe that I never heard of this movie, it sounds right up my alley! I love late 70s (cheesey) horror. Was this in the theater? It looks like a made-for-TV cheapie (one of my favorite genres). Where did you get this film from? Bub Asman is the greatest name ever.

Catfreeek said...

I remember this film alothough I don't believe I saw it at the theater. More like I saw an edited for tv version some years later. I wonder if they used Grizzly Adams' bear for the movie?

Bub Asman has had me chuckling for the last ten minutes.

AC said...

bub asman! bub asman! gotta be the high point of this one.

Octopunk said...

"Like Jaws, it centers around an abnormally large mammal on a killing spree..."

Busted! Sharks are fish, not mammals. Go back three movies and lose a turn.

Octopunk said...

I love your pictorial dedication to the fine work of Bub Asman. While not identical in style, I'm reminded of the victims in Night of the Lepus, whose "horribly mutilated" corpses meant ripped clothes and red paint.

Catfreeek said...

I almost called him on the mammal thing too but I gave him a pass since its his birthday, glad you didn't thought. Haha!

Johnny Sweatpants said...

Thanks for embarrassing me, jerks! (I changed it to animal).

Whirlygirl said...

Reading this review reminds me how much I miss Horrorthon! Agreed, Bub Asman is the best name ever! High five to Octo for calling out JSP!

DKC said...

All kinds of awesomeness in this review and it's comments! Horrorthon!!

50PageMcGee said...

i vote we blame every instance of poor editing on bub asman for the rest of horrorthon.

AC said...

don't you think it's an even better name for a casting director? imagine the alternate reality in which bub asman got to present the world with oliver reed's big, muddy, denim-clad ass. i want to go to there.

Malevolent

 2018  ***1/2 It's 1986 for some reason, and a team of paranormal investigators are making a big name for themselves all over Scotland. ...