Alligator (1980)

In a pique of anger, a surly father (Robert Doyle) flushes his young daughter's (Leslie Brown) pet baby alligator down the toilet. Jump 12 years later and the alligator which has lived in the sewer system eating animal carcasses from an unethical lab doing secret hormonal experiments has mutated into a giant creature. Written by John Sayles and directed by Lewis Teague (CUJO). This homage to B giant mutation sci-fi/horror flicks from the 50s (TARANTULA, DEADLY MANTIS etc.) is more fun than frightening. Sayles doesn't take himself seriously and his screenplay is frequently amusing. I much prefer Sayles B movie screenplays like PIRANHA, THE HOWLING and this to his more "serious" stuff. The film recycles horror/sci-fi cliches but it knows it and even winks at us. But it also takes delight in surprising us.  When a child is put in danger, you think, "Oh, they're not going to dare kill the kid" so when the kid gets gobbled up, you're taken off guard. The film's highlight is a lawn wedding which turns into a feeding frenzy for the gator. The large cast includes Robert Forster, Robin Riker, Henry Silva, Sue Lyon (her final film role), Dean Jagger, Michael V. Gazzo, Jack Carter, Perry Lang, Bart Braverman and Angel Tompkins.