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Monster Shark
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = Monster Shark
| image = Shark - Rosso nell'oceano (1984 Film).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Italian theatrical release poster by Enzo Sciotti
| native_name =
| director = Lamberto Bava
| producer = Mino Loy
Max Pcas
| writer =
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on =
| starring =
| narrator =
| music = Fabio Frizzi
| cinematography = Giancarlo Ferrando
| editing = Roberto Sterbini
|production_companies =
| distributor = DLF Distribution Lanciamento Film
| released =
| runtime = 95 minutes
| country =
| language =
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'Monster Shark' is a 1984 science fiction-horror film directed by Lamberto Bava. It was also released in various countries as 'Devil Fish', 'Monster from the Red Ocean', 'Devouring Waves' and 'Shark: Red in the Ocean'. The script was co-written by Dardano Sacchetti, based on a story idea contributed by Luigi Cozzi and producer Sergio Martino. released in Italy from September 7, 1984, later in United States as 'Devil Fish' in November 14, 1986, this was the final film distributed by Cinema Shares International Distribution.
Plot
The film takes place along a stretch of coastline somewhere in Florida, where a local tourist spot has become plagued by a mysterious marine creature. Unbeknownst to them, the monster is the product of a secret military experiment; it is a genetic hybrid mutated from a common octopus and the prehistoric 'Dunkleosteus'. Unfortunately, the creature has broken loose and is now feeding on swimmers and tourists swimming or sailing along the coast. As the monster is only an infant, it will continue to grow if it is left to hunt much longer.
A team of scientists led by a scientist named Peter and his colleague, Dr. Stella Dickens, are trying to find the creature and stop it; meanwhile, a group of military scientists are trying to stop the scientists, as the experiment was classified military business. The creature slowly picks off both groups while they try to track it down. They eventually find it hiding in the Everglades, corner it in shallow waters, and kill it with repeated blasts from flamethrowers.
Cast
* Michael Sopkiw as Peter
* Valentine Monnier as Dr. Stella Dickens
* Gianni Garko as Sheriff Gordon
* William Berger as Professor Donald West
* Iris Peynado as Sandra Hayes
* Dino Conti as Dr. Bob Hogan
* Cinzia de Ponti as Florinda
* Paul Branco as Dr. Davis Barker
* Dagmar Lassander as Sonja West
Reception
'TV Guide' called it "wholly amateurish" and criticized the film's unconvincing monster. Star Michael Sopkiw attributes the film's flaws and negative reviews to the production's limited budget, saying that Lamberto Bava was a great director.[http://monstermovietv.blogspot.it/2013/08/shark-week-day-three.html?m=1 Monstermovietv]
'Mystery Science Theater 3000'
On August 15, 1998, 'Monster Shark', under its alternative title of 'Devil Fish', was featured on an episode of the movie-mocking television series 'Mystery Science Theater 3000', on which it was spoofed for its poor acting and erratic editing. One scene of this film contains a brief glimpse of a male character's genitals, the show censored by superimposing the 'MST3K' logo, and two key death scenes were removed.
See also
*'Sharktopus'
Footnotes
References
*
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