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Original Piranha from Piranha (1978)

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Movie - Memorabilia Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Original Piranha from Piranha (1978)
Hollywood never has any problem being shameless. When a movie hits big and loud (translation: it makes a ton of money), everyone, and I mean everyone quickly jumps on the bandwagon to imitate it. Perhaps the best example of this was what happened after the massive success of Spielberg’s “Jaws” (1975). Everyone and his uncle suddenly was finding some other creature with a big appetite to invade a resort town! What makes this gold rush so ironic is that “Jaws” was actually beset with a myriad of production problems, and was actually closed down several times before it was actually completed, and then released. One of the first to rush into production was legendary “rush into production” producer Roger Corman (famous for starting the careers of some of the biggest names in Hollywood such as Coppola, Scorsese, Nicholson, Bogdonovich and Cameron). He quickly hired writer John Sayles (who became a respected writer-director himself with such films as “Passion Fish" 1992, “Eight Men Out” 1988 and “Brother From Another Planet” 1984) to come up with the story, and then got another of his discoveries, Joe Dante (“Gremlins” 1984) to direct it. As co-producer he also hired a young Jon Davidson (who went on to co-produce such hits as “Airplane!” 1980, “RoboCop” 1987 and “Starship Troopers” 1997). Instead of a shark, he went for other mean old fish, and called his movie simply “Piranha” (1978). Again, there’s a summer resort, and this time those little fish with the big teeth have been accidently released into the water. One of the special effects artists to create these monsters of the river was Rob Bottin (“The Howling” 1981, “The Thing” 1982, “Total Recall” 1990). Although a quickly made film to ride the coattails of “Jaws”, with Corman’s amazing ability to spot talent, “Piranha” actually was an entertaining movie. And a successfully one at that (creating its own series of sequels and remakes). This is an actual original screen used mouth chomping piranha puppet prop . It’s made of latex rubber and has the original mechanics inside that moves the mouth and teeth! (Approx 12x8)