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The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was keep. (non-admin closure) b uidh e 14:28, 27 March 2020 (UTC) reply

Rattlers (film)

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Fails WP:NFSOURCES. Hitcher vs. Candyman ( talk) 21:42, 20 March 2020 (UTC) reply

Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Film-related deletion discussions. Shellwood ( talk) 21:45, 20 March 2020 (UTC) reply
Note: This discussion has been included in the list of China-related deletion discussions. Lightburst ( talk) 22:41, 20 March 2020 (UTC) reply
  • Keep per the significant coverage in multiple independent reliable sources.
    1. Noonan, Bonnie (2015). Gender in Science Fiction Films, 1964-1979: A Critical Study. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp.  140– 141. ISBN  978-0-7864-5974-2. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
    2. Thomas, Kevin (1976-09-23). "Desert Horror in 'Rattlers'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.
    3. Keaton, Bob (1976-02-10). "'Rattlers' Bites Wallet". Fort Lauderdale News. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.
    4. Oren, Allen (1976-03-17). "Beware of 'Rattlers,' It's A Shoddy Movie". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.
    5. "Snake Thriller On Screen". Seguin Gazette. 1976-01-29. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.
    6. "Sam Chow is snake expert in "Rattlers"". Eunice News. 1976-08-17. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.
    Sources with quotes
    1. Noonan, Bonnie (2015). Gender in Science Fiction Films, 1964-1979: A Critical Study. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp.  140– 141. ISBN  978-0-7864-5974-2. Retrieved 2020-03-24.

      The book notes:

      Not nearly as gruesome is outlier Rattlers (1976), though the film does begin with an opening sequence of two angelic young boys being bitten to death by crazed rattlesnakes. Rattlers also nods to the trope of the woman in science—this time, following the Fifties lead of Audrey Aimes in Beginning of the End and Marge Blaine in The Deadly Mantis, a photographer. Of course the film's male lead, herpetologist Dr. Tom Parkinson, is outraged that his partner on the dangerous expedition into the Mojave Desert is going to be a female. The town sheriff both complains about her ("Every damn women's lib group is on our backs about job equality") and defends her ("Look, she spent two years in Vietnam as a press photographer, and she'll be able to handle herself, okay?"), thus satisfying everyone (or no one). Rattlers does not add anything new to the sub-genre of the creature film. The snakes are subdued, the herpetologist and the photographer make love, and the corrupt general who illegally disposed of the nerve gas that caused the snakes to mutate is appropriately punished. Rattlers is not even listed in Variety's Complete Science Fiction Reviews.

    2. Thomas, Kevin (1976-09-23). "Desert Horror in 'Rattlers'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.

      The review notes:

      To their credit producer-director John McCauley and writer Jerry Golding, who are reportedly making their feature debuts, avoid completely the lurid grisliness that characterizes the animal horror genre. If anything, "Rattlers" is a little too low-key for its own good. However, McCauley and Golding wisely go for naturalness both in performances and dialogue. In this film they demonstrate that they know how to establish a plausible premise; next time out they should concentrate on picking up pace and building suspense in a more taut fashion.

      With considerable experience in TV, Chew is a poised, capable actor who has what it takes for more important assignments. Miss Chauvet is adequate for the circumstances. Dan Priest has some good scenes as a gung-ho colonel and so does Ron Gold as a boozy Army medical officer. Celia Kaye, playing an unhappy divorcee with small children, is seen all too briefly as one of the snakes' victims. All other credits are competent.

    3. Keaton, Bob (1976-02-10). "'Rattlers' Bites Wallet". Fort Lauderdale News. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.

      The article notes:

      But beyond the subject matter, "Rattlers is a horror picture that's a pretty horrible production. It bites us where it hurts most, in our wallets, without giving us our money's worth.

      "Rattlers" is amateurishly scripted, directed and acted. Actually Jerry Golding had a feasible idea for a story. Too bad it's so sketchily developed.

      ...

      The dialogue and acting are often unintentionally funny, as when a corporal, called before the general, is reprimanded for talking about the nerve gas. "I promise I won't do it again," he says, looking like a little boy scolded for eating candy before dinner.

    4. Oren, Allen (1976-03-17). "Beware of 'Rattlers,' It's A Shoddy Movie". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.

      The review notes:

      If "Breakfast Pass" is a grade B "Orient Express," "Rattlers" is no better than a grade D "Jaws."

      Again, a common premise treated with uncommon awkwardness.

      It's snakes, not sharks, that terrorize in "Rattlers," first striking the unexpectant, then those warned, but regretfully careless. As in "Jaws," an academic expert is finally summoned; expert arrives, crisis departs.

      Not before we should, though. This is an amalgam of shoddy acting in the services of shoddy script, under direction that favors the ill-lit, ill-composed, and finally the indecent, with snakes slivering beneath pants legs, and then through bathtub drains to bathers.

      It seems to be re-debubbed very often, and cut as if re-takes had been added later.

    5. "Snake Thriller On Screen". Seguin Gazette. 1976-01-29. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.

      The review notes:

      "Rattler" is a thriller from first scene to last. It opens Jan. 28 at the Palace Theatre.

      ...

      Dan Priest portrays the secretive Colonel, Tony Ballen is the county sheriff, and Ron Gold puts in a fine performance as Delaney. As director of photography, Irv Goodnoff did an excellent job bringing to the screen the impressive reality of dozens of rattlesnakes on the warpath. The viewer is spellbound as what could be a real story unfolds with suspenseful force.

    6. "Sam Chow is snake expert in "Rattlers"". Eunice News. 1976-08-17. Archived from the original on 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2020-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.

      The article notes:

      As a snake expert in "Rattlers," Sam gives an impressive performance by which he convinces the viewer that the events portrayed in the film really could happen today. Joining Sam in this realistic thriller are Elizabeth Chauvet, Dan Priest, Ron Gold, and Tony Ballen. Produced and directed by John McCauley, the film is released by Boxoffice International Pictures.

    There is sufficient coverage in reliable sources to allow Rattlers to pass Wikipedia:Notability#General notability guideline, which requires "significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject".

    Cunard ( talk) 09:37, 24 March 2020 (UTC) reply

  • Keep Sources mentioned above indicate not only coverage in LA Times, an authoritative source for film and entertainment, but a wide release. There was coverage of its making in Variety and other Hollywood press according to AFI catalog. [1]. In recent years it has academic coverage and more popular interest thanks to Cinematic Titanic. It features in books such as Brute Force: Animal Horror Movies By Dominic Lennard (SUNY Press) and Francesco Borseti's It Came from the 80s (McFarland). IMDb lists 30 online reviews [2] a lot not meeting notability/reliability requirements, but that's a lot of reviews and again indication of some notability. Not The Deer Hunter but enough material for an article. -- Colapeninsula ( talk) 22:15, 25 March 2020 (UTC) reply
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.
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