Movie Description

Alligator is a 1980 American horror film, directed by Lewis Teague with a screenplay by John Sayles. It stars Robert Forster, Robin Riker, and Michael V. Gazzo. It also includes an appearance by actress Sue Lyon in her last screen role to date.

Set in Chicago, the film follows a police officer and a reptile expert to track a giant murderous alligator, flushed down into the sewers years earlier that is attacking residents after escaping from the sewers.

The film received praise from critics for its intentional satirizing. An apparent sequel was released in 1991, titled Alligator II: The Mutation. Despite the title, this film shared no characters or actors with the original, and the plot was essentially a retread of the first film. A board game based on the movie was distributed by the Ideal Toy Company in 1980.

Vincent Canby of the New York Times praised the film, saying, "The film's suspense is frequently as genuine as its wit and its fond awareness of the cliches it's using."