'Claws' (1977) - Richard Bansbach and Robert E. Pearson.

A rampaging outsized Grizzly bear goes on a seemingly unstoppable kill frenzy in the vast unforgiving mountainous expanses of Alaska after skeevey opportunistic poachers fail to bring him down. While 'Claws' is not quite as monstrously great as William Girdler's 'Grizzly', the fun, cannily stock-footage-laden, fuzzy-headed 'Claws' is an amiable enough 'Jaws' cash-in, with the elephantine, blood-hungry bear soon being regarded as an altogether more malevolent entity, an ancient vengeful evil named 'Kush-Ta-Kah', and it will take likeable character actor Jason 'The Brain That Wouldn't Die' Evers enviable ability to charismatically channel Armand Assante and Sly Stallone at the same time in order to heroically slay the titanically toothsome terror which has caused him so much personal tragedy.

A mystically marauding bear with beady Baphomet eyes that eerily leaves no tracks, unless it wants to, can out-think hokey analogue tracking tech, and, to be fair, it also has a wickedly murderous knack for unleashing a supernaturally silent, super-deadly side tackle! On a more personal note, I would have appreciated a wee bit more of Myron Healey, being one of the enigmatic cinematic heavies, but full marks are due to music maestros Gene Kaver and Douglas lackey for their atmospheric, splendidly effective score! I could well be in the minority here, but, for me at least, this is one especially clawsome 1970s monster movie that unequivocally proves that bears do far more than just sh*t in the woods! Grindhouse fans may care to note that 'Claws' co-director Robert E. Pearson was also the memorably majestic skeezer in Stu Segall's iconic slasher grunge-fest 'Drive-In Massacre'. Right on!