Product Details

• Actors: Beverly Garland, Bruce Bennett, Lon Chaney Jr., George Macready, Frieda Inescort
• Directors: Roy Del Ruth
• Writers: Charles O'Neal, Orville H. Hampton, Robert M. Fresco
• Producers: Jack Leewood
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: June 30, 1998
• Run Time: 74 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304973411
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,097 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When Jane's husband disembarks from a passenger train immediately after their wedding and disappears without a trace, troubling questions are raised. How could his face, mangled beyond recognition in a plane crash during the war, have healed without any scarring? And what unspeakable acts took place on the alligator-ridden bayou plantation he left as an address? Wonderfully haunted, The Alligator People explores the mystery with skillful pacing, generally decent dialogue, and only intermittently laughable special effects. Miscegenation, anxiety over radiation and atomic science, homoeroticism, distrust of doctors and medicine, fear of the American South--all the major cultural obsessions of the late '50s are either tacitly or explicitly represented here; perhaps that's why the far-fetched scientific premise that underlies the plot makes a weird resonance despite its utter implausibility. The ubiquitous Lon Chaney is on hand, and his performance as a drunken swamp rat with a penchant for violence is a hoot; but the real star of the show is Beverly Garland, whose inspired lead, alternately detached and histrionic, decidedly puts to rest the myth of the inelasticity of early sci-fi and horror performers. A winner. --Miles Bethany

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DVD Version, September 19, 2004

By 

Dr. Freeman (Perry, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Alligator People (DVD)

I will not delve to much into the movie itself as it has been pretty well covered here. While i do not see a comparison to The Fly as one contributor did, i do think this may have been a precursor to Swamp Thing, as regeneration of body tissue and limbs is the idea of the mad scientist. Gator genes used on humans? You know its gonna go bad. And Lon Chaney Jr., although in a lesser role is a real treat. The DVD qulaity is spectacular and the Widescreen presentation is truly widescreen aspect, no anamorphic deception on this one as on so many of these old classics. If you like the old sci-fi/horror of the 50's this is a pretty decent movie and as said, a very nice print.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It Came From the Swamp !, November 19, 2004

By 

peterfromkanata (Kanata, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Alligator People (DVD)

"The Alligator People" is a typical, 50s, low-budget horror film that provides some fun for fans of the genre ( fans like me ! ). It would be an understatement to say that special effects and make-up have made a quantum leap in movies since 1959, the year that this film was released theatrically. Today, many viewers will find the title creatures more amusing than horrific.

At the same time, "The Alligator People" does benefit from a couple of good performances and a wonderfully creepy atmosphere. Beverly Garland stars as a young nurse who marries a handsome pilot, only to have him disappear on their honeymoon.
Her search for the missing groom eventaully leads her to a forbidding old mansion in the middle of a Louisiana swamp. The local residents are far from welcoming, not to mention various alligators and snakes that infest the area. She does indeed find her errant husband, very much a "changed" man thanks to the efforts of a mad scientist. The whole saga is told in flashbacks, as Ms. Garland relates her amazing story, under hypnosis, to her psychiatrist.

Beverly Garland is terrific in the lead, an attractive actress who deserved better projects than Grade B horror flicks. I must admit though that she has one quality that is compulsory for this type of movie--she sure knows how to scream ! Richard Crane is the unfortunate husband, spending much of the film looking like he has the rash from hell ! Veteran heavy George Macready is the "mad doctor", although his performance lacks the maniacal spark that would have added to the fun. Horror film icon, Lon Chaney, is "worth the price of admission" with his super, over-the-top role as a demented, alcoholic swamp denizen, who "hates dem gators"--it seems that one of them chomped his hand off! His scenes with Ms. Garland are classic--his intentions for her totally dishonourable. For Chaney fans, this title is a "must".

The movie has plenty of atmosphere, whether the scene takes place in the swamp with "dem gators", snakes and deadly quicksand, or the spooky old mansion where medical experiments are backfiring in the worst possible way.

"The Alligator People" was a black and white, Cinemascope production, and the DVD captures all of its widescreen "glory". Except for the occasional line, I found the picture quality to be excellent--the sound what you would expect. Several trailers for this film, and other Fox thrillers are included.

Yes "The Alligator People" has "quickie, exploitation flick" stamped all over it, and the title monster is undeniably goofy. However, for fans of old horror/sci fi movies, there is more than enough here to keep you entertained. Besides--look at the title--were you really expecting "Citizen Kane" ? !

A very sad footnote--Ms. Beverly Garland passed away on 5 December 2008. While most of her films were of the "B" variety, she went on to a long and successful career in television. She guest-starred on an astonishing number of TV programs, a tribute to her popularity and versatility. Ms. Garland will be missed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BRIDE OF RE-ALLIGATOR...., July 4, 2004

By 

Mark Norvell (HOUSTON) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Alligator People (DVD)

A doctor uses a serum on his nurse, Jane (Beverly Garland) to get her to re-live a trauma she has no memory of. A very strange tale emerges: When her husband Paul disappears on their honeymoon, Jane traces him to a Louisiana plantation deep in the swamps where no one will tell her what happened to him. She insists on staying and discovers Paul is around but can't find him. Why? Because mad doctor George Macready is performing bizarre experiments with alligators (and people) and Paul is turning into an alligator! Lon Chaney Jr. co-stars as a hook-handed assistant with a hatred for "gaters" because one bit off his hand and Frieda Inescourt ("Return of the Vampire") is the mistress of the plantation trying to cover up the awful horrors as Garland gets more and more inquisitive. There's Deep South atmosphere to spare and creepy crawlies in the swamp as Garland runs around screaming. She's good as Jane and really put through the mill here. Obviously, this is no classic but it's a fun 50's creature feature for collectors with laughable make-up effects and a fun turn by Chaney Jr. with that hook-hand. No wonder Jane developed amnesia after this experience...when you see the "alligator-man" you'll know why. Gotta love it.