Slither (1973)

80% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(277 ratings)

In Slither, James Caan plays Dick Kanipsia, a recently paroled car thief whose plans to go straight are interrupted when his best pal Harry Moss (Richard B. Schull) is shot and killed. As he lies dying, Moss advises Kanipsia to seek out fellow crook Barry Fenaka (Peter Boyle), who knows where a huge… More In Slither, James Caan plays Dick Kanipsia, a recently paroled car thief whose plans to go straight are interrupted when his best pal Harry Moss (Richard B. Schull) is shot and killed. As he lies dying, Moss advises Kanipsia to seek out fellow crook Barry Fenaka (Peter Boyle), who knows where a huge amount of money stolen by Moss is hidden. Aware that he himself is a marked man, Kanipsia has to play it cool en route to Fenaka. This proves difficult when his erstwhile travelling companion, dopehead Kitty Kopetzky Sally Kellerman, robs a roadside diner in his presence. Since nothing is ever quite what it appears to be in Slither, perhaps we shouldn't tell you any more. This truly serpentine tale served as the feature-film directorial debut of Howard Zieff, the former TV-commercial helmsman responsible for the famous Spicy Meatball ad. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Howard Zieff
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 7, 1973 Wide
On DVD: Dec 11, 1991

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A confoundingly funny pic.
Michael Szymanski, Sci-Fi Weekly
This movie has a nostalgic retro feel to it, like the old Universal horror movies that we now find very funny. But alas, where are all the drive-in theaters to show it in?
Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News (Maine)
As with so many zombie movies, table manners have no place here--why should they when fresh intestines are on the menu? Gluttony, however, does bloom in Slither, and what it builds to is one savage little garden.