Home / Piranha

Piranha

Year:

1978

Duration:

94 min | USA:106 min (TV version)

Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

IMDB rate:

5.9

Director:

Joe Dante

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1978-08-03

Filming Locations: Burbank, California, USA

Earnings

Budget: $600,000

Gross: $6,000,000 (USA)$16,000,000 (worldwide)

Cast

Actor

Character

Melody Thomas Scott

Piranha

Bradford Dillman

Paul Grogan

Heather Menzies-Urich

Maggie McKeown

Kevin McCarthy

Dr. Robert Hoak

Keenan Wynn

Jack

Dick Miller

Buck Gardner

Barbara Steele

Dr. Mengers

Belinda Balaski

Betsy

Bruce Gordon

Colonel Waxman

Barry Brown

Trooper

Paul Bartel

Mr. Dumont

Shannon Collins

Suzie Grogan

Shawn Nelson

Whitney

Richard Deacon

Earl Lyon

Janie Squire

Barbara Randolph

Roger Richman

David

Bill Smillie

Jailer

Guich Koock

TV Pitchman

Jack Pauleson

Boy in Canoe

Eric Henshaw

Father in Canoe

Robert Vinson

Soldier

Virginia Dunnam

Girl

Diamond Farnsworth

Water-skier

Bruce Paul Barbour

Man in Boat

Robyn Ray

Screaming Woman

Mike Sullivan

Dam Guard

Jack Cardwell

Brandy

Sally Bondi

Swimming Deb (uncredited)

Eric Braeden

Dr. Robert Hoak (swimming double)

Joe Dante

Scuba Diver #2 (uncredited)

Amy Holden Jones

Hertz Clerk (uncredited)

Andrew G. La Marca

Scuba Diver #1 (uncredited)

John Sayles

Army Sentry (uncredited)

Phil Tippett

Scuba Diver #3 (victim) (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Although implied by the film, the novelization confirms that Paul and Maggie slept together while Hoak is their prisoner.

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Rick Baker was originally tapped to provide the make-up effects but recommended the then 17-year-old Rob Bottin instead.

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Originally, Maggie counted to 300 instead of 100 at the climax. This was probably changed because in all likelihood, Paul would have drowned after being underwater for that long.

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Goofs

In several of the "summer" camp scenes it is clearly early spring. Many of the trees still have no leaves.

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The speed boat is racing in the lake at full speed. The shot cuts to the skiers POV looking at the boat and the pull rope is slack and there isn't any tension on the line at all.

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The position of the plane ticket in Earl's hand as he gives it to Maggie.

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Quotes

Maggie McKeown: Are there any other shacks around here?

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Whitney: The piranhas...

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Reporter: Terror, horror, death. Film at eleven.

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