Grizzly (1976)

"If ya feel a wet snout in ya face, whatever you do, don't move. And don't kiss it back 'cause it ain't me.", 28 April 2006

Has there ever been a movie that spawned more imitators than Jaws? I've lost count at the number of Jaws "inspired" films I've seen over the years. Grizzly is not only one such movie but it happens to hold the distinction of being the first movie to hop on board the Jaws moneytrain. The comparisons with Jaws are almost endless. Characters, plot points, and set-pieces are almost identical. Here are a few examples:

- Jaws – An abnormally large, man-eating shark with above average intelligence terrorizes swimmers. - Grizzly – An abnormally large, man-eating bear with above average intelligence terrorizes campers.

- Jaws – For the first 2/3 of the movie, the shark is kept mainly off-screen with only a quick shot or two of a fin. - Grizzly – For the first 2/3 of the movie, the bear is kept mainly off-screen with only a quick shot or two of a paw.

- Jaws – The movie features scenes of frightened swimmers literally tripping over themselves getting out of the water to escape the shark. - Grizzly – The movie features scenes of frightened campers literally tripping over themselves getting out of the woods to escape the bear.

- Jaws - Police Chief Martin Brody argues endlessly with Mayor Larry Vaughn about the need to close the beaches. - Grizzly - Ranger Michael Kelly argues endlessly with National Park Supervisor Charley Kittridge about the need to close the campgrounds.

- Jaws – For whatever reason, the shark attacks and destroys a wooden pier. - Grizzly – For whatever reason, the bear attacks and destroys a wooden fire tower.

- Jaws – Three men (Police Chief Martin Brody, scientist Matt Hooper, and boat captain Quint) set out for one final showdown with the shark. - Grizzly – Three men (Ranger Michael Kelly, naturalist Arthur Scott, and helicopter pilot Don Stober) set out for one final showdown with the bear.

- Jaws – Bait is dragged behind the boat to attract the shark. - Grizzly – Bait is dragged behind a horse to attract the bear.

- Jaws – In the end, the shark is "blowed-up real good". - Grizzly – In the end, the bear is "blowed-up real good".

By listing these comparisons, I don't mean to imply that Grizzly is a horrible movie or not entertaining. In fact, as far as Jaws rip-offs go, Grizzly is one of the better examples I've seen. For the most part, it's good, cheesy fun. If you're a fan of this kind of stuff, Grizzly is worth a watch. But beyond the cheese, there are some actual solid elements of the movie that should be mentioned. The cinematography, settings, and Andrew Prine's performance are very unexpectedly solid and highlights of the movie for me. Not having seen the movie in 20 or so years, I was surprised by how much blood and gore are actually seen in Grizzly. And, I can really appreciate the difficulties faced by the cast and crew of using a real, half-trained grizzly. That took some guts.

The new 30th Anniversary 2-disc DVD set is a great, surprising treat for fans. It's loaded with a nice transfer, commentary, a couple of "making of" features, and other goodies. It's some good stuff. But my favorite part of the bonus material is an interview with one of the writers when he talks about how original his ideas were for Grizzly. Uhm…Yeah…Sure…Whatever Dude!

7/10