ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Upton is an American (non-werewolf) writer/editor in London. She currently works as a freelance ghostwriter of personal memoirs and writes for several blogs on topics as diverse as film history, punk rock, women’s issues, and international politics. For links to her work, please visit https://www.jennuptonwriter.com or send her a Tweet @Jennxldn

Not to be confused with the killer fish movie, Piranha (1972) the Venezuelan adventure-thriller sometimes known as Piranha, Piranha, or Caribe, stars William Smith and Peter Brown, who previously worked together in the mid-sixties western TV series Laredo. 

With a plot reminiscent of The Most Dangerous Game and the later rape-revenge films, Piranha concerns wildlife photographers Art Greene (Tom Simcox) and Terry Greene (Ahna Capri) are traveling through the Amazon region with their American tour guide Jim Pendrake (Peter Brown), when they encounter Caribe (William Smith), a homicidal lunatic who enjoys stalking and hunting human prey. It’s made clear early on in the film that Terry is not a fan of guns. First, she insists they not bring one into the jungle, then she is horrified when Caribe kills animals for no reason. Of course, after Caribe violates her and starts picking members of their party off, she changes her tune. By the film’s conclusion, Terry has had enough of Caribe’s macho bullshit and offs him with…you guessed it…a gun. 

I’m not sure if the message is pro-gun or pro-feminist. More than likely, it was neither. The script by Richard Finder (just isn’t that deep as evidenced by the incredibly long motorcycle chase comprises almost one entire act. Script notwithstanding, it’s an entertaining movie and as fine an example of ‘70s “guy cinema” I’ve ever seen. A manly film with manly men doing manly things. They wear matching (and not matching) denim and shirts open to the navel accented with neckerchiefs. Remember those? A stylish way to wick moisture from the muscly necks of guys doing stuff to make them sweat in humid, emerald green jungle environments. They also double as a headband. You might need a shower and a shot of whiskey when it’s over. I know I did.