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

ADDITION: Code Red Blu-ray (January 2021): Code Red have transferred Sergio Martino's The Great Alligator to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "2016 HD Master". It doesn't look bad at all - some light vertical scratches here and there - it's on a single-layered disc with a supportive bitrate. This appears to be the same Scorpion transfer as the 2016-2017 HD scan with extensive color correction done in the U.S. that was briefly out-of-print on Blu-ray. It seems to have the same supplements as well. We don't have it to compare. Anyway, this looks surprisingly strong - the typical green cast (supposedly shot in Sri Lanka) isn't too strong and there is depth and only a few aberrant visual anomalies. One of the better image qualities of this, frequently weak video, genre. I suspect this version is cut (I see more graphic gore/nudity stills floating around) - perhaps someone can let me know.   

NOTE: We have added 66 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Code Red use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the English language. It's fairly modest with only tribal sounds as agressive but has an effective score in the lossless by Stelvio Cipriani (What Have They Done to Your Daughters, The Night Child, Nightmare City, The Blood Stained Shadow, Killer Cop, Rabid Dogs, Baron Blood, A Bay of Blood) sounding a shade inconsistent at times. Code Red offer no subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Code Red Blu-ray offers a few supplements; Round Table Discussion with SFX Paolo Ricci, Cinematographer Giancarlo Ferrando and Art Director Massimo Antonello Geleng entitled 3 Friends and an Alligator running 1/4 hour. Shooting Underwater is a 7-minute interview with underwater camera operator Gianlorenzo Battaglia. Alligator Rock is a 16-minute interview with camera operator Claudio Morabito and In the Crocodile's Nest is a 35-minute interview with director Sergio Martino and art director Massimo Antonello Geleng. There is also a trailer running shy of 3-miniutes. 

While Sergio Martino's The Great Alligator is weak in many areas - notably the creature visuals - constrained, no doubt, by the budget. This is compounded by there being very few actual scenes with the Gator. It is an obviousness attempt to capitalize on the Jaws creature-craze of the mid-70's. But Martino always seem to rise above his colleagues in these low-budget schlock-fest popcorners. There is a strange appeal; snippets of nostalgia and... star-slumming - always with the edgy natives. The Code Red Blu-ray has quality extras and a, better-than-anticipated, HD presentation. But it's a weak genre film, be forewarned, but has a Sergio Martino attraction and should hold your attention.

Gary Tooze