Tubi Thursday: Slithis (1978)

 To Spawn or not to Spawn- that is a question.

The Title Card says Spawn of the Slithis.  Every single Poster and DVD says Slithis.

Regardless, here's a '70s Alien Monster Movie that I have somehow not reviewed yet!

A pair of kids are playing frisbee by the Canal in Venice, California.

For no good reason (unless the Film ran short), they both run to the edge in Snyder-style slow motion and find two dead dogs.

They are never seen again.

Some unseen creature with Monster POV that looks like they put a coke bottle on a camera kills a Couple, after they argue about wearing a bathrobe.

This Film is Rated PG.

Our Hero is a High School Journalism Teacher who decides to work the case.  He looks like a young Steve Guttenberg.

What does he find out?

Well, a soil sample is given to this John Landis-looking guy.

He tells our Hero that it contains a substance called Slithis, stuff made by nuclear radiation and gunk.

That's where the Title comes from and why the Title Card makes more sense, as the creature was exposed to said substance.

They speak to this Scientist- who was also exposed to some stuff- about how to prove the existence of the substance.

This sets him on a path to hire a boat, which will pay off later.

Another night finally gives us a proper glimpse of the titular creature as it stalks a Hobo.

It... looks like if H.R. Giger created the Ninja Turtles.
It looks like those drawings of the dinosaur-Human Hybrids from the planned Jurassic Park 4.

It looks...ugly.

The Film has a put of a problem focusing, so it spends a good 5-10 minutes following this couple driving to a boat and eventually being killed.

Our Heroes can't get help from the Cops, so they try to catch the creature.

The Captain and our Hero finally slay the beast, the former saying that the beast should be returned to the Ocean.

As they do so, it comes back to life and the Film ends on a bleak freeze frame.

People were depressed in the '70s and they made it your problem!

It's not bad, but it's not great.

Positives first...
The Film has a unique look with its regional Venice, California Setting.
The creature looks appropriately freaky.
I enjoy a Giallo-style Hero who wants to solve the case because he simply hates teaching.

The negatives are pretty notable too though.

Pacing is an issue, as some Scenes are really drawn out.
One in particular features constant cuts to our Hero reacting and, well, he's not the most dynamic guy.

I legit do not get why they spend a whole section of the Film (which is just under 90 minutes) on this random couple, their ride home, the romance and then the creature attack.

Aside from that, there's the bones of a really good Movie here that, like others, could do with a Remake.  Why Remake the good ones, when there are so many Films like this?

A decent enough Film at moments, but it definitely has pacing issues.  A tighter, more focused Remake would honestly be great.