This Friday the new creature horror movie CRAWL slithers into theaters to make thousands crouch up into their seats in terror. Paramount Pictures invited us to come hang out at the Los Angeles Zoo to chat with producers Sam Raimi and Craig Flores on this new white-knuckler on how the project came about and what it is that makes an effective suspense movie.

 

CRAWL tells the lean story of Hailey (Kaya Scodelario) a woman who attempts to save her father Dave (Barry Pepper) during a category 5 hurricane in the Florida Swamps. Things go from bad to worse when voracious alligators trap the two in the flooding home with no way to escape. Good times!

CRAWL - Interview with Craig Flores and Sam Raimi

If that weren’t enough, we were also treated to a delightful alligator feeding. Yes, the cute reptilian couple swimming in the lagoon behind the interview space was treated to a feast of rats and fish as we learned about their diet and behaviors. Dangling carcasses at water’s edge the handlers hit the shore with a wooden pole to draw the gators to the noise. This, incidentally, comes into play in the movie as you can imagine, with characters avoiding making noise lest they draw the attention of the predators.

Did you know that gators never stop growing? Yeah. Also, this small meal they enjoyed would hold them for a week. However, they have been known to gorge and eat things much larger holding them over for months. Feeding frenzies are also a known behavior with the creatures gnashing and tearing in a fit of rage. Yeah we didn’t get too close.

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We will have our review of CRAWL up tomorrow for your enjoyment. Suffice it to say we loved it. CRAWL was exactly what it set out to be. A tense, suspense driven horror movie filled with nonstop action. Way too much fun.