Tentacles ** (1977, John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins, Henry Fonda) – Classic Movie Review 8613

Director Oliver Hellman’s 1977 giant octopus/ killer whale horror thriller Tentacles [Tentacoli] is Italy’s daft, cheap-looking riposte to Jaws, in which a mutated huge octopus menaces a Californian beach resort.

You really do not expect to see Shelley Winters, John Huston, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda in something quite so trashy, but they and the spoofy idea of the lethal whales coming to the rescue are the film’s saving graces.

Some longueurs in the 102-minute full-length version are happily eliminated in the 92-minute short-form version, which is the one to look out for.

Unfortunately, this chiller is not at all well made by the Italian director, whose real name is Ovidio G Assonitis. But it is still quite fun though.

Even with the American stars, its budget was only $750,000, and it was a profitable little hit for American International Pictures, with a cumulative worldwide gross of $3,000,000.

Also in the cast are Claude Akins, Cesare Danova, Delia Boccardo, Alan Boyd, Sherry Buchanan, Franco Diogene, Marco Fiorini, Helena Makela, Roberto Poggi, Alessandro Poggi, Ross Gordon, Patrick Mulvihill, Leonard Lightfoot, Kenneth Lundeen, George Montage, Janet Raycraft, Alan Scarf, Ron Shapiro and John White.

Tentacles [Tentacoli] is directed by Oliver Hellman (Ovidio G Assonitis), runs 102 minutes or 92  minutes, is made by Esse Ci Cinematografica and American International Pictures, is released by American International Pictures (1977) (US), is written by Jerome Max, Tito Carpi, Steven W Carabatsos and Sonoa Molteni, is shot by Roberto D’Ettore Piazzoli, is produced by Ovidio G Assonitis executive producer, Samuel Z Arkoff presenter, Enzo Doria producer and A Caponetto associate producer, is scored by Stelvio W Cipriani and is designed by M Spring.

The Italian production was shot in California.

Fonda filmed his scenes as Mr Whitehead, President of Trojan Construction, in one day. Huston and Winters, playing Ned and Tillie Turner, are absent for the last 25 minutes of the film.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8613

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