Q - The Winged Serpent

Rating:
Summary: Don't bother
Review: I was lured to buy the DVD version of "Q" after reading some amazon costumers' reviews. However, once I saw the film, I had to conclude they greatly overrated it. "Q" is badly written and has a terrible edition. Besides, it focuses so much in Michael Moriarty's character that it ends overlooking the snake itself (and I don't actually mean showing the monster... sometimes you can achieve really artistic results without doing that frequently). There are better low budget monster movies out there. Thus, my recommendation is that you forget about this title and get "The Howling" or something like that.

Rating:
Summary: Larry Cohen Strikes Again!
Review: If you like outrageous humor, Q is simply irresistable. First, there's a giant mythic Aztec "serpent" which makes a habit of swooping down on unsuspecting New York sunbathers and construction workers. (We get to see New York through the eyes of the bird---expressionistic style.) In a likeable performance, David Carradine as a police detective, diligently researches the creature and then tracks it down---his efforts climax in a hilarious "finale" in which Carradine and his cohorts attempt to machine-gun the monster as it collides into buildings. Doubling the fun is a wonderful performance by Michael Moriarty as a frustrated jazz pianist who resorts to small-time crime to make a living and ends up discovering the serpent's egg at the top of the Empire State Building. (As Mr. Moriarty happily confides to the audience, "I'm afraid of almost everything, but I'm not afraid of heights!") Whether singing scat songs, hobbling through New York on a gimpy leg, or demanding immunity from the police ("I want a Nixon-like pardon!"), Mr. Moriarty is always a delight. And so is this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Larry Cohen Strikes Again!
Review: If you like outrageous humor, Q is simply irresistable. First, there's a giant mythic Aztec "serpent" which makes a habit of swooping down on unsuspecting New York sunbathers and construction workers. (We get to see New York through the eyes of the bird---expressionistic style.) In a likeable performance, David Carradine as a police detective, diligently researches the creature and then tracks it down---his efforts climax in a hilarious "finale" in which Carradine and his cohorts attempt to machine-gun the monster as it collides into buildings. Doubling the fun is a wonderful performance by Michael Moriarty as a frustrated jazz pianist who resorts to small-time crime to make a living and ends up discovering the serpent's egg at the top of the Empire State Building. (As Mr. Moriarty happily confides to the audience, "I'm afraid of almost everything, but I'm not afraid of heights!") Whether singing scat songs, hobbling through New York on a gimpy leg, or demanding immunity from the police ("I want a Nixon-like pardon!"), Mr. Moriarty is always a delight. And so is this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Its Name Is Quetzalcoatl, but Just Call It Q
Review: No matter how preposterous or cliche a film's bare premise may sound, if Larry Cohen's name is attached to it, you can be certain that it's an interesting and entertaining piece of cinema. Cohen's scripts and films are always filled with lots of wild imagery (both literal and figurative), often complex themes, and lots of sophisticated satirical subtext. And his 1982 opus Q: THE WINGED SERPENT is no exception, despite whatever the goofy-sounding title may seem to imply. As usual, writer/director Cohen's tongue-in-cheek film sidesteps the usual horror cliches and instead delivers a fairly tight story, interesting characters, clever dialog, and a ton of subtle yet witty social metaphor. And yes, there is also a little nudity and gore.

The titular Q is Quetzalcoatl, a flying serpentine god of the ancient Aztecs who has been summoned to modern-day Manhattan via bizarre sacrificial rituals performed by a contemporary Aztec priest. Since its arrival in The Big Apple borough, the humongous beastie has been swooping down on unsuspecting pedestrians, swimmers, and sunbathers and chowing down, but police are initially skeptical of the eye-witness reports of a giant flying reptile but are at a loss for any other explanation. Enter street thug and opportunist Jimmy Quinn (Michael Moriarty). Having inadvertently stumbled across Q's nest, Quinn's willing to give that information to the cops--for a price.

The special FX in Q: THE WINGED SERPENT, especially the stop-motion animation of the serpent itself, are admittedly cheesy. But the FX aren't really the point as far as Cohen is concerned; they're just window dressing. Instead, with his usual satiric flair, Cohen uses the film to take some playful pokes at the modern Western lifestyle. For example, Q: THE WINGED SERPENT draws several sardonic parallels between ancient pagan religions and modern Christianity. Notes one cop after learning the details of the Aztec sacrificial ritual: "The victim's heart is ritually removed and presented to the god. Luckily, all WE have to do today is eat the wafer and drink the wine--that?s being civilized." And in several shots of the Chrysler Building, Cohen makes deliberate visual comparisons of the modern architecture to that of ancient Aztec temples.

The acting in the film is pretty good overall, and Cohen manages to coax an especially outstanding performance from actor Michael Moriarty. In a role that is the opposite of the conservative types that he usually plays, Moriarty is hilarious yet believable and sympathetic as the dim-witted, hapless hood who hopes to sell his knowledge of Q's whereabouts to city authorities for a cool $1,000,000. David Carradine (of KUNG FU fame) does a pretty good turn as the city detective in charge of the Q case, and Richard Roundtree--cinema & TV's original SHAFT--is delightful as Carradine's partner. Cute Candy Clark, nominated for an Oscar for her performance in 1973's AMERICAN GRAFFITI, also does a great job in a minor role as Moriarty's live-in girlfriend.

Blue Underground's DVD release of Q: THE WINGED SERPENT is a must-have for Cohen fans. It offers a nearly pristine digital transfer of the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (16x9 enhanced), with audio options that include the original mono, an excellent stereo remix, a Dolby 5.1 track, and a DTS 6.1 track. Bonus features include an informative and entertaining running commentary with Cohen and his protege Bill Lustig, as well as a teaser trailer, a photo gallery, and some DVD-ROM-only goodies.

In short, Q: THE WINGED SERPENT may not be Cohen's best flick, but it's a pretty good one that won't disappoint fans of the writer/director or fans of B-movie horror. And Blue Underground's DVD is well worth the price of admission.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Transfer & Sound but.........
Review: One does not usually expect to find quality acting in a movie like this, but I was quite surprised.

David Carradine plays a policeman on the trail of two cases that seem linked. The first involves a window washer who suddenly loses his head. Later there are more rooftop disappearances, seemingly perpetrated by a giant bird. The second case involved a series of ritualistic murders. They seem to be the work of a fanatic following Aztec rituals to bring back the god Quetzalcoatl.

Carradine's portrayal is excellent but he cannot hold a candle to Michael Moriarty who plays a down-on-his-luck loser. He wants to be a jazz pianist but is still unemployed. He is also a timid small-time crook. He is a driver ("I don't go inside and I don't carry a piece!"). But a job goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.

Moriarty hides in the Chrysler building and discovers that the run-down art-deco spire is the home of the giant bird. There is even an egg in the nest. A body hidden there gets him thinking. The city is in fear of the bird and he knows where it is. He is convinced he is now the most important man in the city.

Now that he thinks he has power, he holds the safety of the city for ransom. He wants money and a "Nixon-like" pardon. But his arrogant cockiness loses him his girl (she had felt sorry for him but now could see how mean he really is).

The city acquiesces to Moriarty's demands and go after the monster. Because the bird is not in the nest when they arrive, the city is able to pull out of the deal.

In the end, Carradine manages to take care of the bird and track down the ritual killer. Moriarty is back where he started minus one girlfriend (although Carradine tries to convince him to go back to her).

Good tight acting with Moriarty giving an amazing performance. The stop-motion effects on the creature are a little crude at times but not really bad considering the time period and the budget.

Definitely a fun film to watch with a minimum of gore (although there is a scene where street crowds are splattered by blood from the skies). Find it and watch it.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful acting
Review: One does not usually expect to find quality acting in a movie like this, but I was quite surprised.

David Carradine plays a policeman on the trail of two cases that seem linked. The first involves a window washer who suddenly loses his head. Later there are more rooftop disappearances, seemingly perpetrated by a giant bird. The second case involved a series of ritualistic murders. They seem to be the work of a fanatic following Aztec rituals to bring back the god Quetzalcoatl.

Carradine's portrayal is excellent but he cannot hold a candle to Michael Moriarty who plays a down-on-his-luck loser. He wants to be a jazz pianist but is still unemployed. He is also a timid small-time crook. He is a driver ("I don't go inside and I don't carry a piece!"). But a job goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.

Moriarty hides in the Chrysler building and discovers that the run-down art-deco spire is the home of the giant bird. There is even an egg in the nest. A body hidden there gets him thinking. The city is in fear of the bird and he knows where it is. He is convinced he is now the most important man in the city.

Now that he thinks he has power, he holds the safety of the city for ransom. He wants money and a "Nixon-like" pardon. But his arrogant cockiness loses him his girl (she had felt sorry for him but now could see how mean he really is).

The city acquiesces to Moriarty's demands and go after the monster. Because the bird is not in the nest when they arrive, the city is able to pull out of the deal.

In the end, Carradine manages to take care of the bird and track down the ritual killer. Moriarty is back where he started minus one girlfriend (although Carradine tries to convince him to go back to her).

Good tight acting with Moriarty giving an amazing performance. The stop-motion effects on the creature are a little crude at times but not really bad considering the time period and the budget.

Definitely a fun film to watch with a minimum of gore (although there is a scene where street crowds are splattered by blood from the skies). Find it and watch it.

Rating:
Summary: There are better effects in a Godzilla movie.....
Review: Q is a fun, low budget thriller from B-movie auteur Larry Cohen. The premise is that an ancient Mexican God Quetzalcoatl has taken the form of a giant flying serpent and is living somewhere in New York, feasting on unsuspecting residents. Sunbathers, window washers, high-rise construction workers are all fair game for this gigantic beast.

Michael Moriarity stars as Jimmy Quinn, an out of work piano man/small time criminal. It's so weird seeing him in a role like this, as I am used to seeing him on the TV show Law & Order as an ADA. In this movie, his character stumbles on the secret location of the beast's nest, and he tries to use that information to get money and the respect he thinks he deserves. While a criminal, I did feel a certain amount of sympathy for this character in the beginning, which evaporated rather slowly as the intoxication of power sets in, along with its' illusions. In the beginning, he was just some poor schlub who couldn't catch a break, but later on his true nature appeared. I read a quote once, I am not sure by who, that said something like 'to really see what's in a man's heart, give him some power'.

David Carradine plays a detective who's trying to solve a series of gruesome murders, and his investigation leads him into uncharted territories of the unknown. The deeper he gets, the more he butts heads with his supervisors, who would rather see things cleared up neatly and without any superstitious mumbo jumbo. Also look for Richard Roundtree, as Sergeant Powell, a cop wound a little too tight whose beliefs are based on what he can see and touch.

The actual creature does not get much screen time, but its' presence is noticeable throughout the movie. I really enjoyed the storyline with Quinn, his tenuous relationship with his girlfriend (Candy Clark), and the manner in which he tries to use the vital information. Here's a small time schnook, never had a break in his life, literally trips over something, sees nothing but the value to himself, and tries to get everything but ends up with nothing.

Here is another fine example of a filmmaker making a lot out of very little. The horror aspects of the movie are present, and the special effects are used sparingly, but the characters drive the story. Another example of this is the original Jaws movie. I suppose the special effects were kept to a minimum due to budgetary limitations, but it helped, rather than hindered, the movie. This movie also has a raw, gritty feel to it, in the sets, use of locations, dialogue, giving us an almost documentarian feel.

The movie is presented in a wide screen format, with good audio. A number of special features include commentary by the filmmaker, biographies, trailers, and promotional materials. All in all, not a bad way to spend 93 minutes.

Rating:
Summary: It's name is Quetzalcoatl...
Review: Q is a fun, low budget thriller from B-movie auteur Larry Cohen. The premise is that an ancient Mexican God Quetzalcoatl has taken the form of a giant flying serpent and is living somewhere in New York, feasting on unsuspecting residents. Sunbathers, window washers, high-rise construction workers are all fair game for this gigantic beast.

Michael Moriarity stars as Jimmy Quinn, an out of work piano man/small time criminal. It's so weird seeing him in a role like this, as I am used to seeing him on the TV show Law & Order as an ADA. In this movie, his character stumbles on the secret location of the beast's nest, and he tries to use that information to get money and the respect he thinks he deserves. While a criminal, I did feel a certain amount of sympathy for this character in the beginning, which evaporated rather slowly as the intoxication of power sets in, along with its' illusions. In the beginning, he was just some poor schlub who couldn't catch a break, but later on his true nature appeared. I read a quote once, I am not sure by who, that said something like 'to really see what's in a man's heart, give him some power'.

David Carradine plays a detective who's trying to solve a series of gruesome murders, and his investigation leads him into uncharted territories of the unknown. The deeper he gets, the more he butts heads with his supervisors, who would rather see things cleared up neatly and without any superstitious mumbo jumbo. Also look for Richard Roundtree, as Sergeant Powell, a cop wound a little too tight whose beliefs are based on what he can see and touch.

The actual creature does not get much screen time, but its' presence is noticeable throughout the movie. I really enjoyed the storyline with Quinn, his tenuous relationship with his girlfriend (Candy Clark), and the manner in which he tries to use the vital information. Here's a small time schnook, never had a break in his life, literally trips over something, sees nothing but the value to himself, and tries to get everything but ends up with nothing.

Here is another fine example of a filmmaker making a lot out of very little. The horror aspects of the movie are present, and the special effects are used sparingly, but the characters drive the story. Another example of this is the original Jaws movie. I suppose the special effects were kept to a minimum due to budgetary limitations, but it helped, rather than hindered, the movie. This movie also has a raw, gritty feel to it, in the sets, use of locations, dialogue, giving us an almost documentarian feel.

The movie is presented in a wide screen format, with good audio. A number of special features include commentary by the filmmaker, biographies, trailers, and promotional materials. All in all, not a bad way to spend 93 minutes.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best monster movies of the 80s.
Review: Q is a Larry Cohen movie, so b-movie fans know what to expect - a kinetic, almost documentary visual style, characters that are witty and behave like human beings, James Dixon (Cohen's Dick Miller), and little surprises to keep the movie from becoming predictable. The basic plot has a rash of ritualistic murders linked to disappearances from rooftops in mid-town Manhattan (starting with the beheading of an Empire State Building window washer) leading to the discovery of a monster sized winged serpent. Jimmy Quinn, a struggling former junkie/hood played beautifully by Michael Moriarty (Law & Order), stumbles across the creature's nest in the Chrysler Building (NOT the Empire State Building as some think). After putting the creature to good use, Jimmy attempts to make a deal. Police Officers David Carradine and Richard Roundtree are not amused. For a bare bones disc (Q is presented in a widescreen 1:85:1 aspect ratio and that's it, no trailer, no commentary, nothing) this release is rather steep, but b-movie lovers will want it in their collection. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Quetzalco-What-L?!
Review: Q is for Quetzalcoatl, the flying, feathered serpent god of the ancient aztecs. It seems that some nut is loose in NYC, performing ancient sacrificial rites on willing participants, skinning them alive and taking out hearts and things. The police figure it's just another crazy serial killer. Only David Carradine's character believes there's more to it than that. Meanwhile, a small-time, ex-heroin addict, and street crook (played perfectly sleazily by Michael Moriarty) is being hunted by thugs who think he's ripped them off. These elements begin to merge when a gigantic flying monster starts biting people's heads off in broad daylight! Moriarty stumbles upon the creature's nest, complete with giant egg, while trying to hide in the top of the Chrysler building. He later leads his enemies back to the nest, telling them he's hidden their money there. They quickly become monster chow. Moriarty then decides to tell police where the beast lives, if they will drop all charges against him, and give him a million bucks. He considers himself to be prince of the city, and becomes extremely arrogant about it. The cops destroy the egg and it's mum, in a battle reminiscent of king kong. The "high priest" serial killer guy is enraged by this, and pays a visit on our slimey anti-hero. This is a movie only Larry Cohen (It's Alive!, God Told Me To) would / could make! Low-low budget, but excellent nonetheless. We don't see a lot of the monster, but when we do, it's pretty cool for 1982. Q for Quality...