''The Legend of Gator Face'' is a 1996

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

comedy horror Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary genre, literary, television genre, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three ty ...

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

written by David Covell,

Alan Mruvka Alan Mruvka (born 1958 in Bronx, New York) is an American entertainment and media entrepreneur, film producer and screenwriter. He created and co-founded ''Movietime Channel'', which later became ''E! Entertainment'' television. He is the Fou ...

, and Sahara Riley, and directed by

Vic Sarin Victor Sarin (born 1945) is an Indian-born Canadian/American film director, producer and screenwriter. His work as a cinematographer includes ''Partition'', ''Margaret's Museum'', '' Whale Music'', '' Nowhere to Hide'', ''Norman's Awesome Exper ...

. The film first aired as a Showtime Original Pictures for Kids in May 1996. In 1997 it was nominated for a

Daytime Emmy The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (N ...

. ''The Legend of Gator Face'' had a theatrical and television release and is now available on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...

Plot

Two friends, Danny ( John White), and Phil (

Dan Warry-Smith ''The Legend of Gator Face'' is a 1996 Canadian comedy horror feature film written by David Covell, Alan Mruvka, and Sahara Riley, and directed by Vic Sarin. The film first aired as a Showtime Original Pictures for Kids in May 1996. In 1997 it ...

) live in a

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

town near a

swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...

. There is a local legend of a swamp-dwelling creature called "Gator Face". They construct a Gator Face costume by modifying a

wetsuit A wetsuit is a garment worn to provide thermal protection while wet. It is usually made of foamed neoprene, and is worn by surfing, surfers, Underwater diving, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports and other activit ...

.Review, After scaring most of the townsfolk, the pranks make national news, drawing the attention of the

National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

. Danny soon discovers that Gator Face is real and friendly. After Danny, along with his friends Phil and Angel (

Charlotte Sullivan Charlotte Sullivan is a Canadian actress. Career Sullivan began acting professionally as a child. Her first on-screen role was an extra in a Liza Minnelli music video. She has had starring roles in the film ''Harriet the Spy'' (1996) and the ...

), saves Gator Face from a trap, they realize that Gator Face is protecting the swamps. Danny learns that the National Guard will kill Gator Face if he is caught so the three friends resolve to save the monster. Danny's older brother Chip (

Gordon Michael Woolvett Gordon Michael Woolvett (born 1970) is a Canadian actor from Hamilton, Ontario. Career Woolvett's most enduring role was as Seamus Zelazny Harper on the television series '' Andromeda'' (2000–2005). Prior to ''Andromeda'' he starred in anoth ...

) shoots at Danny (while Danny is dressed as Gator Face) with a flare gun and misses when Danny flees into a nearby building. The townsfolk think Danny is the real Gator Face and burns the building with Danny in it, the real Gator Face jumps in and saves Danny but is himself shot. Yet the swamp won't let its defender die, so the fog heals Gator Face and the day is saved.

Cast

* John White as Danny * Dan Warry-Smith as Phil *

as Angel *

as Chip * C. David Johnson as Sheriff *

Paul Winfield Paul Edward Winfield (May 22, 1939 – March 7, 2004) was an American stage, film and television actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark fi ...

as Bob *

Pam Hyatt Pamela "Pam" Hyatt (born April 9, 1936) is a Canadian actress who played Noble Heart Horse in 1986's '' The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation'' and the voice of Kaede in the English version of ''Inuyasha'', guest-starred in USA Network's '' ...

as Mayor's Wife * Jack Newman as Porkbelly *

Gerry Quigley Gerry Quigley (3 November 1928 – 23 December 2003) was a trade unionist and political activist in Northern Ireland. Quigley grew up in the Donegall Pass area of Belfast. He studied at St Joseph's Training College before working as a primary sc ...

as Deputy Dan * Scott Wickware as Reese * Roger Dunn as Mayor *

Kathleen Laskey Kathleen Laskey, sometimes credited as Kathy Laskey, is a Canadian film and television actress."Second City's Laskey now every inch a leading lady". ''Toronto Star'', April 2, 1988. An alumna of The Second City's Toronto troupe, she is most common ...

as Danny's Mom * Sam Malkin as Lydster * Richard McMillan as Skeeter * Matt John Evans as Gator Face

Reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'' wrote that the film was a "blatant rip-off" of ''

E.T. ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dub ...

'', but was "a surprisingly effective children's movie nevertheless." They wrote that the story had the usual cliche lessons for children toward teaching tolerance, but that it was not "too preachy or heavy-handed" and that "the emphasis is on lighthearted adventure from a child's point-of-view". They noted that the film was a bit lengthy, but that "the direction is competent and the cast is likable". John J. O'Connor of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' noted that

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

"strengthened its first-rate record" of providing "innovative, commercial-free family product at dependable times" by its release of ''The Legend of Gator Face''.

Recognition

In 1997 ''The Legend of Gator Face'' was nominated for a

for

for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special.

Release

*''Alec to the Rescue'', ''Wild Horses'', ''The Legend of Gatorface'', ''Russkies (4 Disc set) (Jun 7, 2005 Platinum Disc) *''Legend of Gatorface'', ''Russkies'' (2 Disc set)(Jun 7, 2005 Platinum Disc) *''Legend of Gatorface'' (Feb 8, 2005 Platinum Disc)

References

External links

*
''The Legend of Gator Face''
at

All Movie Guide AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Gator Face 1996 films 1990s comedy horror films Canadian children's comedy films Films based on urban legends Films directed by Vic Sarin English-language Canadian films Canadian comedy horror films 1996 comedy films 1990s English-language films 1990s Canadian films