Swimming With The Fishes

In 1978, director Joe Dante helmed the B-grade style horror film, Piranha. When I first saw the movie as pre-teen, I thought it was fun, but was really just riding on the coat tails of Jaws and its sequel. But as I got a little older, (and wiser) I began to see the film in a different context, and appreciate it on its own merits. By the time I got to college, pursuing a degree in filmmaking, I thought of Piranha as one of my favorite films of the genre.

As the protege of Roger Corman, a true master in terms of the B-horror movie, Dante captured the spirit of such classics as The Wasp Woman, Attack of the Crab Monsters, Not of This Earth, and The Terror (to name a few) with great style. The F/X may seem a bit dated by today's CGI heavy standards but the movie holds up very well just the same. There's plenty of heebie-jeebie to be had.

Director Chuck Russell, who aside from his action films, like Eraser and The Scorpion King, is also known for the 1988 remake of the 50's B-grade horror classic The Blob, is at it again. This time he has set his sights to revisit Piranha with a remake sometime this year, as reported last week by Variety.

While topping the original will be a tough road to travel, I have to admit, I'm more than a little curious to see where this project goes. Borrowing a phrase: Stay Tuned