NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Severin Blu-ray (November 2019): Described as "one of the most ridiculously entertaining JAWS rip-offs in ItaloSleaze history", Fabrizio De Angelis' "Killer Crocodile" arrives as either a single disc or double disc (featuring the sequel, "Killer Crocodile 2") Blu-ray set from Severin. Sadly, we were only sent the single disc edition for this review. This 'crocsploitation classic' has been scanned in 2k from the original negative. The main feature is kept on a single-layered Blu-ray and has a modest bitrate throughout the picture's running time. Steady or immobile camera shots show an abundance of detail and nice fine grain. When the camera was in motion I noticed some strange blotchy digitization, and darker scenes are curiously devoid of deep blacks, instead showing a grey/brown picture either due to the lack of contrast in the transfer, or (and more likely) poor source material (film stock). I realize that "Killer Crocodile" is no Citizen Kane, but I'll be honest, this is a better transfer than one would assume.

We are given the option of either an English or Italian audio track (both in 16-bit 2.0 DTS-HD). The English track featured distinct dialogue and sound effects. The score is thanks to the legendary Riz Ortolani (The Pyjama Girl Case, The Valachi Papers, Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes, The McKenzie Break, Day of Anger, Il Sorpasso, Woman Times Seven, Cannibal Holocaust, The Voyeur, Mondo Cane). I prefer some of Ortolani's other work (the "Cannibal Holocaust" score in particular) to this faux John Williams' riff (seriously, go to around the 38-minute mark of the film to hear Ortolani's duh-duh-duh-duh Tuba ala "Jaws") . There are optional English subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray from Severin.

"In the Jaws of the Crocodile" spends 14-minutes with makeup FX Artist Giannetto De Rossi. "The Fearless Crocodile Hunter" is a 23.5-minute interview with actor Pietro Genuardi. "Of Crocodiles and Men" features actor Richard Anthony Crenna. The film's trailer rounds out the Blu-ray disc, as far as bonus features are concerned. The special edition (featuring the sequel) apparently holds a feature-length documentary on De Rossi and I would love to track that down someday.

What more can be said about a sleezy Italian Jaws rip-off featuring a gargantuan croc. That sentence should be all you need to know going into this picture. The Riz Ortolani score is memorable in its (ahem, "Jaws"!) mimickery, and yet Ortolani still manages to have some unique moments. The gore from legendary makeup FX Artist Giannetto De Rossi is also top-notch. Severin's Blu-ray features a decent audio/visual transfer of the film, scanned in 2k from the original negative. If only we received the double-disc Blu-ray limited edition featuring the sequel, which I am now dying to see.

Colin Zavitz