MovieChat Forums > Alligator (1980) Discussion > Remake?

Remake?

posted 18 years ago by theGore-hound
4 replies | jump to latest

I've read the original book by Shelley Katz and I think a remake of this movie, following the book's plotline and characters, could make a pretty good film. The movie would focus on the characters' trip into the everglades to kill the elusive monster, but it would also focus on many of the important side plots, such as the adultry and rape, included in the book. The film would of course have to focus less on the alligator itself and more on the things that happen to the characters on their trip, otherwise it would just turn into another forgotten monster movie. Also, I think little should be shown of the alligator till the confrontation at the end, similar to what Steven Spielberg did with JAWS. A creative director who had a unique vision for the movie would also be important. This wouldn't be some cheap hollywood money-making piece of trash. But the book showed promise to me. Any ideas/opinions?

[–] piercearrow 18 years ago

Funny you should mention the Everglades--because--that is where the alligator was in the original story as I wrote it.
Pierce Arrow

[–] piercearrow 18 years ago

Dear Gore-hound,
I never realized that there was a book called alligator. Could you fill me in on some facts? I wrote the original story that I believe was made into the movie back in the early 1970's. Do you know what year Shelley Katz' book came out. Two other guys have taken credit for writing Alligator. Did they not only "borrow" some of my ideas---but the ideas of Shelley Katz as well?
Pierce

[–] theGore-hound 18 years ago

It's been a long time since I read the book (I found it buried way down in a box in our attic) but I believe it was written in 1977. I might be a little fuzzy on the facts but from what I can remember, the story had nothing at all to do with alligators being flushed down in the sewers or anything of that nature. The alligator was a freak of nature in the Florida Everglades and was feeding on fisherman and hunters and generally causing a nuissance to the community. The locals hire out a man to find and kill the giant gator and the rest of the novel follows him and his search. The story for the most part reminds me of Michael Douglas' role in THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS. I highly recommend it if you can find it. I've included what few search results I could find from Google on the book and will post any more I can locate. If you have any more questions please feel free to ask.

http://rebelsofmars.blogs.com/rebels_of_mars/2004/week42/index.html

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?&isbn=0440101670&nsa=1

[–] piercearrow 18 years ago

Thanks so much for your information. The first time I saw the movie,"Alligator", I was surprised to see how closely it followed the story that I had written in 1973....right down to its giant size due to feeding on experimental growth hormones and also the alligator's attack on the head of the chemical co. at his outdoor garden party---all right out of my story. The only real difference was that my alligator lived in the Everglades, not in the sewer. I was living in south Florida at the time so I figured....why not take advantage of the local color. I also figured that a local setting might help when I took my story around to some of the south Florida movie studios such as Ivan Tors(they did the Flipper TV series as well as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and several movies filmed in and around the Everglades). Well--they all said that they weren't interested--but, they let me leave outlines of the story with them. Wasn't I surprised when the movie came out! I was also surprised to read that John Sayles was in Florida looking for stories in the mid-1970's. I've tried to get in touch with him---but, no luck there. Well, I've been a lot more careful who I've left my stories with since then.
Sincerely,
Pierce