LAKE PLACID

US, 1999, 82 minutes, Colour.
Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, Brendan Gleeson, Oliver Platt, Betty White, Meredith Salenger.
Directed by Steve Miner.

Lake Placid was a surprising box office success in 1999. It is only a brief film, capitalising on the Jaws tradition, this time with a giant crocodile in Maine, an Asian crocodile who mysteriously has swum into the lake. When the audience sees it, it is a 30 foot beast.

While the film relies on the conventions of this kind of creature horror, it also has a witty script, a great deal of the repartee amongst the characters, Bill Pullman playing the most normal role as the fishery’s authority, Brendan Gleeson playing the harrassed sheriff, Oliver Platt going over the top of times as a wealthy crocodile hunter, Bridget Fonda as an uptight palaeontologist not used to being in the woods. There is a scene-stealing cameo from Betty White as the lady who feeds the crocodiles.

This means that the film is an entertainment for those who like this kind of creature-horror but widens its appeal because of its tongue-in-cheek humour and parody. It was directed by Steve Miner who began his career with two Friday the 13th films.

1. An entertaining creature horror thriller? But the screenplay with tongue-in-cheek?

2. The Jaws tradition? Menace in the water? Underwater photography? The creature itself, it’s attacking humans, its devouring animals? its size? The and then there were two…? And the little crocodiles of the end?

3. The Maine locations? Town, the lake, the island, the wooded countryside? The water, tranquillity? The musical score?

4. The introduction to the plot, Hank on the water, with the diver, searching for the beavers, the atmosphere under water, the attack of the crocodile, the severing of the diver, Hank’s reaction?

5. New York, Kelly and her boss, the difficult relationship, her being told to go to Maine? Her refusal? Flying to Maine, fastidious, the tents, mosquitoes, her sarcastic approach, seeing the body, examining the tooth? Her arrival, clashes with jack? With Hank? The arrival of Hector and her knowing him? The other deputies? The group set up for the search?

6. On the water, the two boats, the canoe upturned? The sightings of the creature? Hector and his technology? His own beliefs, the myths about crocodiles, signs of divinity? His own personal manner, crass, rich? Digging the holes and Hank falling in?

7. The visit to the island, the old lady and her husband’s death? Her manner? Her lies? Her later admitting the truth after feeding the crocodile a cow? Her not talking about the second crocodile? Her being put under house arrest?

8. The sighting of the crocodile, its size, the attacks, difficult under water, easier at the edge of the lake, on land? The dangers for Kelly, for Hector?

9. Jack and his authority, interactions with Kelly, mellowing on both sides? The deputy and the attraction to Hector? Flying him, his going into the water,
the crocodile coming for him, her taking off? The contrast with the deputy in the canoes, his being killed?

10. Calling in the authorities to capture the crocodile, the plan, the cow suspended from the helicopter, the pursuit of the crocodile, the cow reading water, being lifted, Hector and his helicopter, going into the water, the pursuit of the crocodile, his being rescued? The shooting of drugs into the crocodile? Its being tangled in the helicopter? Kelly and having to swim to the helicopter? The irony of there being a second crocodile?

11. The end of the adventure, Hank and his experiences, his continued clashes with Hector, his disbelief, having to believe his eyes? Jack, the better relationship with Kelly? Her being stimulated by the adventure? Hector, and the lessons learnt?

12. The old lady feeding the baby crocodiles?

13. The film capitalising on action adventure and horror, but having many humorous lines and repartee?