When I was in my early teens, my next-door neighbors Russell and Germaine went on a trip to South Africa and brought me back a few souvenirs.

Some of them were the expected Africa-themed knick-knacks, but the most memorable one was a copy of a for-whites-only English language magazine that was a less racy precursor to Maxim or FHM.
 
Knowing Russell, I suspect he wanted me to take a gander at the very pretty South African (white) models in bikinis, but something in the Movies section caught my eye: a long and illustrated review of the Roger Corman-produced Jaws knock-off Piranha.

One of the black-and-white photos that struck me the most was one of the characters’ corpses lying on the ground, grimacing in pain and – yuck – missing both feet.  Though it looked very stiff and fake, it was still a visceral image that made me curious about that 1978 film.

Clearly taking its cues from 1975’s Jaws,  Piranha is a mix of “when nature attacks” horror mixed in with the Frankenstein myth, with a soupcon of anti-Establlishment paranoia tossed in for good measure.

Screenwriter John Sayles (The Brother from Another Planet), who co-wrote the story with Richard Robinson, even “borrows” the theme, if not the setting and specific details, of Jaws’ beginning.

Piranha begins when two college-age hikers come across what seems to be a deserted military facility with, of all things, a huge water reservoir.   Because they’re both young and hot (in both meanings of the term), they decide to do some nude swimming.

But like the doomed Chrissie in Steven Spielberg’s shark tale, the two skinny dippers find that there are nastier things in the water than algae and amoebas.   Before they can say “Oh, this water feels so good,” they’re swiftly attacked by something – or some things ­­– lurking beneath the surface.

Naturally, the girl’s mom, Mrs. McKeown (Heather Menzies) gets worried when her daughter and beau go missing, so she seeks out Paul Grogan (Bradford Dillman), a private eye and outdoorsman, and asks him for his assistance.

Paul, who dwells in a rustic cabin with his away-in-summer camp daughter, agrees to accompany Mrs. McKeown to the deserted military base.  When they get there, they see l eerie signs that Something Is Not Right Here, such as strange science labs, weird
lizards and a tank full of salt water.

Convinced that her daughter and friend drowned in the tank, Mrs. McKeown  - undeterred by the sudden attempt to interfere by a “crazy white haired dude” – decides to drain it. 

Bad move, because even though Mrs. McKeown finds proof that her daughter and her friend died in the tank, she’s also released into the nearby river a school of ravenous piranha, or so we’re told by the crazy white haired dude, who turns out to be Dr. Hoak (Kevin McCarthy).

Not only are these piranha very ravenous, but they’re also mutated ravenous piranha bred by the Army to be used in the Vietnam War.  When the war ended, the project was canceled.  Now, the piranha are heading downstream and toward the summer camp where Paul’s daughter and other kids are!

Though made on a shoestring budget and done in the trademark cheesy style Roger Corman movies usually have, Piranha is still a watchable mix of horror, comedy, science fiction and even anti-government paranoia.

Whitney: The piranhas...
Buck Gardner: What about the goddamn piranhas?
Whitney: They're eating the guests, sir.

Sure, Sayles and Dante went on to do better and bigger projects, and Bradford Dillman is the only serious character actor whose role is more fleshed out than the others, but if viewed for just the fun of it, Piranha is not the worst movie you can add to your Netflix queue or B-movie collection.  It’s creepy and yet deliciously satirical, so it’s fairly easy to watch without having to take it too seriously.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age