Piranha (1978) - Archive

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I want anyone reading this to know that my review is full of spoilers for to explain my opinions on why Dante's film so good depends on many plot points being exploited to make my point. One of the most important aspects of the film that I feel made Dante's film better than many of the horror pictures that would splatter on screens in the 80's, 90's, & even today is his depiction of the characters in the film. Unlike many horror films where the characters are so one sided(most of the time simply unlikable)where we just don't really care if they live or die thanks to the writers and direction, it's quite clear that Dante does. The children at the camp and their female counselors who are attacked are not bad people. One camp counselor who perishes is a good, warm hearted person who doesn't deserve to die. That specific scene is built unrelentingly by Dante. Throughout the film, Dante builds in our eyes the fact that piranha fish a heading to munch on unsuspected people who venture into waters they have no right believing are dangerous. That tension that Dante builds works because we know that if no one warns them in time, people will die quite horribly. I can only speak with the heart of a parent when I say that the moment the piranha fish begin to attack the children my heart beat 90 miles an hour. The film had been up to that point one of those very funny spoofs which uses clever humorous wit within it's shots at government's hidden secrets at developing war weaponry(in this case piranha to "poison" the waters of Vietnam, but the project was halted when the conflict was deemed over)that could have an aftereffect on Americans. But, once sweet innocent children(just simply having water competitions)are beginning to be attacked, the film carries a much more serious tone. The build up to a feeding is hauntingly done with a few actually paying the price for what their government(who was suppose to protect not destroy)did to them. But, things are even more grim when tourists are viciously attacked during a water festival. We see an explosion of horror as innocents out in the water are being torn to shreds. Body parts are shown throughout and much blood. The fun from the opening turns grisly as we see what can happen when a government goes to far, and in their ineptitude don't finish a clean-up job eradicating something they created in a lab. But, in returning to my position above, Dante's treatment of his characters is essential, I believe, to how I was impacted. Dante cloaks his female camp counselors with sweet music. We hear them talk and see how good they are to the children. They aren't like the sex-crazed counselors you might see in other films. Their language isn't obscene. They never gesture that dislike their jobs or those kids they are assigned to. When we see one of them trying to escape into a raft during the attack on the children, there was a realization that this woman was in trouble of dying. We see her helplessly try to grab hold to her friend's hand, but the vicious attack from those monsters in the water just won't release her. In a moment that just won't leave me, Dante shows the piranha carry her into the darkened emptiness of the water and she's lost to us all. It's a scene that devastates me because she's not a stupid ingrate that we often see in horror films, but a very likable human being who is taken away to be slaughtered. The final closing scene shows the aftermath of many dead because the man in charge of the festival wouldn't heed the warning of a woman who knew that the piranha were heading their way. The film shows that in not at least taking a warning seriously could lead to such horror. Dante won't let the viewer off the hook. He lets us see the piranha swimming in a pack heading for people who do not know what is coming. Dante could let our heroes get to the children in time and the tourists in time, but many will meet their doom. Dante delivers on the gore. He achieves both levels. The impact of the building up of the attack and subsequent violence that will certainly occur. We see heads eating, legs bitten off, blood soaking with shards of meat in the water, and the aftermath. In the final scene, the festival owner(as the camp head looks over the sheeted body of a child he'd been warned to protect ahead of time)looks over the sheet-covered bodies of victims, those who simply came to the beach to swim and have a good time. Sure, perhaps our heroes were able(?)to poison the piranha with waste, but the aftermath is what leaves the viewer knowing that it is little too late to save those who weren't warned that it was quite possible that they could've been attacked. Yet, even then Dante gives them reason. They hear a call(both the head of the camp and the festival head)from a person that tells them deadly piranha fish are heading their direction. It would perhaps elicit laughter(or disbelief)from you to, wouldn't it? You see Dante and writer John Sayles cover all bases. The film, I feel, is really good because it builds up and then delivers.

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April 10, 2006