Les marais de l'enfer

TERROR IN THE SWAMP was most likely greenlighted after the success of LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK, which spawn a new genre and a slew of films that have to do, more or less, with Bigfoot or Sasquatch, or other such mysterious creatures from the cryptozoology field. Unlike BOGGY CREEK, which, in its amateurish way, really scared the bejesus out of me when I was a kid, TERROR IN THE SWAMP has absolutely no scary scene in it whatsoever. In fact, the Rednecks populating the landscape are more frightening than the poor bipedal hairy thing that lurks in the swamp.

Now, I don't know if this was meant as some sort of post-modern statement by the makers of this film (I doubt it) but if you call a movie TERROR IN THE SWAMP and sell it as a horror film of sorts but the human characters in it are more frightening than the actual monster advertised on the poster, well there's really something wrong here and I call it false advertising. As a fan of Bigfoot, I needed to see this film. But if you're not a Bigfoot completist, skip it. Your time is worth much more than seeing fat Rednecks arguing, drinking moonshine or blowing up mysterious creatures.

I am loath to give such low marks to a movie but I had to vote "1" on this one. It was just so very lame. The acting was stilted and choppy, the soundtrack was just awful with very sloppy dubbing and randomly-placed music, and above all, there was very little to be seen of Nutriaman, who appeared to be more of a tallish baboon than anything else. I got quite a few laughs out of this one, but not for the reasons the filmmakers might have intended.

This movie was purchased for 69 cents at a thrift store and we got about 20 minutes into the movie before we agreed that it was a bad watch. That being said, the idea for the movie might be a neat story for a Hollywood remake at some point with someone like Rob Zombie at the helm who might appreciate this sort of camp. Here's the gist, a mutant rodent is out in the swamp killing people. However, a humorous audience will find plenty of 80' s fashion and facial hair to keep you interested for as long as that's your bag. the music is wacky and fun, the cinematography is at times a little "Evil Dead" and the characters keep you missing the Burt Reynolds look. Overall, pretty bad-and not even in a cool way.

My review was written in July 1985 after watching the movie on New World video cassette.

"Terror in the Swamp" is a tame horror picture available as a video cassette, bypassing domestic theatrical release. Filmed in Houma, Louisiana, in 1983, pic is typical of low-budget, regional horror filmmaking but is rather skimpy in the shocks and violence area.

The late Billy Holliday, who resembles Dabney Coleman on screen, worte and toplines as game warden Frank. He finds a mangled body on the Copasaw (local swamp area), but can't figure out whether a gator or perhaps a bear killed the man. It turns out that local scientists, funded by South American backers, have been experimenting on breeding a larger nutria (a brown-furred, webbed-foot water rodent) to be used in making fur coats. Inadvertently, a mutated nutriaman has been created and is killing local folks.

While the police, Frank and military authorities hunt the critter, good ol' boys such as the very fat T-Bob (Michael Tedesco) and his brother also head toward Poacher's Cove to kill it. An unsatisfying ending has the monster burned up on a boat.

Director Joseph Catalanotto (who reteamed with Holliday on latter's final film, "French Quarter Undercover") wisely shows the nutriaman only in long shots or obscured through bushes, avoiding a revelation of a phony guy in a hairy outfit. Main interest here is the local color and interesting regional accents of the folksy cast.

This gem was shot in the swamps of houma, Louisiana, not even an hour from new Orleans. if you can find this rare horror flick i do suggest giving it a chance. If you are a fan of B horror films then this should do the job. it's about a half man / half nutria that kills people.. thats all i will say about the story.. the acting is awesome.. there is a scientist/doctor? character in the movie that has all of his lines poorly over dubed.. no one else but him received the overdubs. it's pretty funny. and if you pay attention there is a mistake in the editing towards the end of the movie that films are doin now a days to be hip.. but Terror in the Swamp started this trend!! don't be fooled!