‘What a horrible way to die!’
Rattlers is a 1976 horror film about a herpetologist investigating a series of fatal snake attacks and discovering that the reptiles have been infected by a mysterious nerve gas disposed of in the desert by the military.
The movie was produced and directed by John McCauley (Deadly Intruder) from a screenplay co-written with Jerry Golding. Harry Novak, head of Boxoffice International Pictures, was the executive producer.
The movie stars Sam Chew, Elisabeth Chauvet, Tony Ballen, Dan Priest, Ron Gold, Darwin Joston and Gary Van Ormand.
Rattlers was one of many 1970s ‘animals attack’ ecological-themed horror movies, such as Frogs, Squirm, Empire of the Ants and Piranha. In 2021, Dustin Ferguson (Arachnado; Angry Asian Murder Hornets; Ebola Rex; Amityville: Evil Never Dies; The Amityville Legacy; Camp Blood 4 and 5; Meathook Massacre) directed a very belated sequel titled Rattlers 2 but the footage from this original movie was subsequently edited out and it was renamed Big F*ckin’ Snake.
Plot:
When two young boys are savagely attacked and killed by a legion of rattlesnakes in the Californian desert, the local sheriff (Tony Ballen) calls upon herpetologist Doctor Tom Parkinson (Sam Chew), a Los Angeles college professor, to discover why the snakes are displaying abnormal aggression and swarming behaviour. The sheriff teams Parkinson with feminist war photographer Ann Bradley (Elisabeth Chauvet).
As more people in the desert town are killed by the abnormally aggressive rattlesnakes, Parkinson’s and Bradley’s investigation leads them to a nearby army base. However, the commanding officer, Colonel Stroud (Dan Priest), becomes evasive when a mysterious mineshaft is mentioned…
“More fun comes from an array of sexist jokes, the kind of thing common in genre films until about 1980. But even Rattlers’ detractors must admit that the writer-producer-director McCauley seems sincere to want to entertain us. The dialogue is lively, the pacing is quick, and several scenes offer tidbits of fun like snake-eye-views, a stop in Las Vegas, and – most famously – the bubble bath snake attack.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers book
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Choice dialogue:
Doctor Tom Parkinson “Well let me tell you something young lady. If I had my choice in the matter, you’d be sitting on your liberated ass back in the office in that sheriff’s department…”
Cast and characters:
Sam Chew Jr [as Sam Chew] … Doctor Tom Parkinson – Scarab; 10 to Midnight; Time Walker
Elisabeth Chauvet … Ann Bradley
Dan Priest … Colonel Stroud – Moon of the Wolf
Ronald Gold [as Ron Gold]… Captain Delaney – Helter Skelter
Al Dunlap … General Hinch – Killer’s Delight; Point of Terror
Dan Balentine … Pilot Hawkins
Gary Van Orman … Woodley
Darwin Joston … Palmer – Time Walker; The Fog; Eraserhead; Circle of Fear TV series
Cary J. Pitts … Sergeant
Eric Lawson … Guard – King Cobra; Rumpelstiltskin; Skeeter;
Tony Ballen … Sheriff Gates – Welcome to Arrow Beach; Circle of Fear TV series
Richard Lockmiller … Deputy – The Aliens Are Coming
Jo Jordan … Mother – The Last Resort
Scott McCartor [as Scott McCarter] … Rick
Tipp McClure … Plumber
Filming locations:
Mojave Desert, California
Running time:
1 hour 22 minutes
Double-billed with Bug (1975): “two horrible movies”
TV spot:
Trailer:
Free to watch online on YouTube:
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