a a bit of a horror film buff and i be always look to check out some of the old b movie horror of the past and both to learn more about what make for a good scare and as well a to get interesting insight into exactly how and why those thing have change over the decade . and i can safely say that eaten alive provide none of that for me . this be the third film from director tobe hooper ( know mainly for his cult classic the texas chain saw massacre ) . once again and the film revolve around a mentally disturbed person and living within the southern part of the united state . this time around and the story be about a deranged inn keeper who and for reason never explain and keep kill the guest who come to his motel and feed them to the large crocodile in the swamp next to it . those who be familiar with hooper style and will see a lot of similarity between this film and his most famous work and the texas chain saw massacre and which be the film he make directly precede this one . it be fill with the kind of strange and oddball cinematography and with weird neon lighting and close up focus shot on weird image throughout . but unlike the previous work and it doesn not really gel here . what once might have be directorial excess and be simply pointless and unintelligible nonsense . it be obvious he try to set an eerie and creepy atmosphere and but it be just so poorly craft and lack in any sense of commonality and that what be mean to feel bizarre and surreal and feel completely unbelievable instead . the script for this must have be about one page long and a that be how bad the plot and storytelling here be . the acting be and also and very much below par and even by low budget horror film standard . it be show that the inn keeper ( play by neville brand ) be out of his mind and but we never come to understand why or what it be the guest do that set him off . this lack of context make it almost impossible to be scar by his crazy ( re ) action and leave you more inclined to scratch your head in puzzlement and than to feel any sense of dread or menace . none of the other character really get enough development for you to care about them and save that of buck ( play by a then unknown robert englund ) . his performance be the only one to have any real resonance at all and even that isn not very much . perhaps hooper thought he could capture lightning in a bottle for a second time and like he do with the texas chain saw massacre a couple year earlier ( even go so far a to bring back marilyn burn to play the part of a victim once more ) . but a this film show and it isn not something you can force or easily recreate . a a result and eat alive never really come to life or find it own voice ( a point only belabor and by the fact this film have be rename many different time ) . it just stagnates and meander and provide no real thrill and scare and or even the macabre tone of tcm . if you be a hooper completist and you might derive some kind of enjoyment or interest from this out . otherwise and you be best just to skip on this uninteresting and plot less bomb . the reason this film be highly overlooked and isn not because it be ahead of it time . it be because effort this poor be good off be forget .