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Horror Cult Classic

A deranged hotelier and his hungry crocodile welcome unwanted guests deep in the Texas swamps.

EATEN ALIVE

He's out there and he's got murder on his mind!

1976 · 1h 31m · R · Horror / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

A psychotic redneck who owns a dilapidated hotel in the backwater swamps of Louisiana kills various people who upset him or his business, and he feeds their bodies to a large crocodile that he keeps as a pet in the swamp beside his hotel.

Quick Answer

What is Eaten Alive about?

Eaten Alive is a 1976 American horror-thriller film directed by Tobe Hooper about a psychotic hotel owner in rural Texas who murders guests and feeds them to his pet crocodile.

Programmer's Pick

Who needs room service when your host is a scythe-wielding maniac with a taste for crocodile-assisted cleanup? Tobe Hooper cranks up the Southern sleaze, splatter, and surreal menace in this backwoods fever dream.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Deep in the isolated swamplands of Texas, the rundown Starlight Hotel is presided over by Judd, a deeply disturbed proprietor. After being evicted from a brothel, Clara Wood seeks refuge at this remote establishment, only to find herself in jeopardy when Judd's violent tendencies and his allegiance to a monstrous pet crocodile come to the fore. As more unsuspecting travelers arrive, including a troubled family, the decrepit hotel becomes a perilous trap where Judd's psychosis meets Southern Gothic menace. With its lurid setting and mounting dread, Eaten Alive delivers a feverish tale of survival amid the mud, madness, and reptilian horror lurking just outside the door.

Details & Specs

Director
Tobe Hooper
Writers
Kim Henkel, Alvin L. Fast, Mardi Rustam
Release
1976
Runtime
1h 31m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Also Known As
Starlight Slaughter, Brutes and Savages, Legend of the Bayou, Murder on the Bayou, Eaten alive - Im Blutrausch, Death Trap, Horror Hotel, Horror Hotel Massacre, Slaughter Hotel, Death Trap - Die Nacht der Bestie, 이튼 얼라이브, De Gek met de Bloedzeis, De Krokodil des Doods

Why This Matters

Directed by Tobe Hooper and co-written by Kim Henkel, Eaten Alive is loosely based on the crimes of Joe Ball and, along with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, played a key role in advancing Hooper's career to major studio projects like The Funhouse.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Tobe Hooper Writers: Kim Henkel +2 more

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Why Cult

Crocodile Horror

A pet Nile crocodile with an appetite for hotel guests provides a blood-soaked twist on the creature feature formula.

Hixploitation Vibes

Set in the sweltering American South, the film oozes backwoods menace and lurid exploitation energy.

Splatter & Slasher Elements

Expect plenty of sadistic violence, scythe attacks, and the kind of brutality that defines '70s horror excess.

Tobe Hooper Direction

The director of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre brings his signature unhinged atmosphere and sense of dread.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Guests upsetting or threatening Judd

Threat

Psychotic hotel owner and pet crocodile

Effect

Guests are murdered and fed to the crocodile

Setting

Remote swamp hotel in Texas

Questions from the Vault

Who directed Eaten Alive? +

Eaten Alive was directed by Tobe Hooper.

How long is Eaten Alive? +

Eaten Alive has a runtime of 91 minutes.

What genre is Eaten Alive? +

Eaten Alive is a horror-thriller film.

Where can I watch Eaten Alive? +

Eaten Alive is available to stream on SassyFlix.

What drives Judd, the hotel owner, to kill his guests? +

Judd is depicted as a mentally disturbed proprietor who attacks and murders guests who upset him or threaten his business, feeding their bodies to his pet crocodile.

Trailers & Clips

Eaten Alive trailer
Official Trailer
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