12 Memorable Alligator and Crocodile Scenes in Movies
One of the first things I ever wrote for this site was a review of the 1980 movie Alligator. That movie had a huge impact on me when I was a kid, and even to this day I’m fascinated by crocodilians. There’s just something incredibly intriguing about a (literally) cold-blooded killer that uses stealth to approach its prey before exploding forth with its massive jaws wide open. Being eaten alive by any animal has got to be horrible, but it’s got to be particularly horrific in the case of an alligator or crocodile.
Some movies are specifically about a killer alligator or croc, but others simply feature these reptiles in just a scene or two. Either way, it’s tough to forget a crocodilian chowing down on someone. Below, check out 12 of the most memorable alligator and crocodile scenes in movies. If you think I left one off (and I must have), let me know in the comments.
Alligator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st7vWejaYYA
Forget being the best alligator scene in any movie ever, this is one of the best scenes, period, in any movie ever.
Lake Placid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksW2C4anyEU
This is just awesome. The bear never had a chance. That should teach him to watch his back before standing on his hind legs and acting all big and bad.
Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls
This reminds me of the scene in Happy Gilmore…
Happy Gilmore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbYBfbZiO2Q
Yeah, this one.
Crocodile Dundee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgaQ2GlomEg
Sometimes being a Peeping Tom can have its advantages, I guess.
The Goods: Live Hard Sell Hard
I think the one question posed toward the end of this clip pretty much sums it all up.
Fantasia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pbQdtkbCcQ
The Dance of the Hours is one of maybe two or three scenes from Fantasia that I actually remember. I remember the centaurs and, of course, Mickey as the sorcerer’s apprentice. All the mushroom stuff in the beginning? Not so much.
Live and Let Die
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XFpo2vZNnM
James Bond uses Pitfall as an inspiration for his escape.
Eraser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gozb-p51Vq0
You’re Luggage!
Rogue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9xF0c2xlJU
That’s one way to kill a crocodile, I suppose.
Any Given Sunday
How can anyone forget having an alligator thrown in the shower with them?
Black Water
A pretty narrow escape. It seems as though the croc was just toying with her at first.
Are there any I missed? I couldn’t find the clips, but I really wanted to include the rope bridge scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as well as the ending scene in Romancing the Stone.
Peter Pan! Captain Hook! Come on!
@ mb
Of course. The crocodile that took the Captain’s hand…
Don’t forget the scene in Joe Dirt where the gator chomps down on David Spade at the alligator farm…..Hilarious!!!!
What about the scene from the first Jackass movie? Given it’s not a ‘fight’ per say, it was hilarious.
Sorry, “per se”
@ Kyle
Was that the “alligator tightrope?” That was awesome, but I couldn’t remember if it was from the movie or the show. Either way, it was great.
CHUBBS!! First movie I thought of.
How can you leave out Primeval with the mass murdering croc Gustave? Especially since the animal in the movie is real still alive and still killing? Not to mention the scene where it chases Orlando Jones and he complains how he hates Africa. Total Classic!
Glad you put the Live and Let Die scene in there. The Roger Moore years mostly sucked, but at least they were doing awesome stunts for them. I’m not sure how the stuntman made that run across the ‘gators with his gigantic balls in the way.
Where’s the alligator prank from Jackass the Movie?
@ James
As I write to Kyle above, I couldn’t remember if that was part of the show or the movie itself. Had I known it was the movie, I definitely would have included it.
Madison,
I was wondering if you could help me out here. I recently remember a movie whose name I can’t place; there were women washing clothes at a river and some crocodiles/alligators came and then you saw blood in the water… I’ve been searching for it and cannot find it, and I’m beginning to wonder if it was just a dream!! Thanks 🙂