"Eaten Alive": Tobe Hooper's swamp fever dream... or just a fever?

Alright, so I finally got around to watching Tobe Hooper's "Eaten Alive." I'd heard whispers for years, mainly about its lurid reputation, and yeah, it's definitely lurid. I mean, the plot is straightforward enough – crazy guy with a crocodile dispatches anyone who crosses him – but the execution... whew. It's a strange brew of Southern Gothic, grindhouse sleaze, and just plain weirdness. Neville Brand as Judd, the proprietor of the Starlight Hotel, is pretty terrifying. He's not so much menacing as just unhinged, like a coiled spring ready to snap. The scene where he's arguing with the prostitute and then… well, you know… is genuinely disturbing, even if the effects are laughably bad by today's standards. What struck me, though, was the almost theatrical quality of it all. The sets are so obviously sets, the lighting is garish, and the acting ranges from passable to… well, memorable for the wrong reasons. It feels almost like a warped stage play, which I think adds to the unsettling atmosphere. And the crocodile! Oh, that poor, clearly-not-real crocodile. It's one of those things that should be scarier, but ends up being unintentionally hilarious. The whole thing kind of walks a fine line between genuinely disturbing and so-bad-it's-good. I'm not entirely sure if I'd call it a good movie, per se. It's definitely flawed. The pacing is uneven and the direction is clunky at times. But there's something undeniably compelling about its sheer audacity. It's a raw, unapologetic exploitation flick that revels in its own depravity. I think its got more going on than some give it credit for. Worth a watch? If you're a fan of exploitation cinema or Tobe Hooper's more offbeat work, definitely. Just don't expect a polished masterpiece. Expect something messy, strange, and ultimately, unforgettable. I give it like, a tentative 6.5/10, but that could change after another viewing, haha.