The Reptile

Rating:
Summary: Great movie all around
Review: I have a thing for Horror, especially for the 60's, 70's stuff. This here is a truely great one, one of the best Hammer films I've ever seen. It's like a much better version of "The Golem" which exposes similar themes. A man moves with his wife to the village where his Brother lived and died ( he died mysteriously ). They inherit his House and soon enough, People start dying. The Townsfolk is scared and bullies the couple, exept for the Barkeeper, who is trying to help them solve the mystery. Could it be that Dr. Franklin has a secret? And who is that creepy servant in his house? And why does he do anything to keep his Daughter at Home?
Everything you want is there : Moors, Spooky Graveyards, A really cool looking Creature ( It would be way cooler if it wasn't on the Box ).

The Acting by everybody is great, nobody hams it up here, which is a good thing. Especially Jacqueline Pearce, I wonder what she's doing now. Her performance shines all around she really makes you feel for her. Hail Jacqueline! Her performance alone makes this movie worth watching. Her performance would make "Grim" worth watching.

One Thing most Monster Movies try but horribly fail is to make us feel for the Monster. This movie doesn't try and I nearly cried at The Reptile's final words. The "Mad Peter" Character was funny, his line "I don't take part in some things that people take so serious these days, for example..." is hiliarous.

If you're in the Mood for some good ol'fashion Horror, check out the Reptile, it's perfect stuff. Sure there are a lot of plot holes and the suspense doesn't always hold up but still, this is one great movie and shouldn't be forgotten.

Rating:
Summary: Good old hammermade horror
Review: If you like your horrorfilms oldfashioned, with fog and faces at the windows and a brave damsel in distress, and don't mind ridiculous monsters, you'll like this one. It's got a lot of atmosphere, some nice characters and creepy scenes, and although it's hardly ever really frightening, it's entertaining. Just the right thing for a rainy evening.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad--nothing to boo-hiss at.
Review: In a small rural village in Cornwall, a series of villagers have died from the Black Death. No, it isn't 1348, but consider the symptoms: black discolourations of the skin, foam crusting the mouth, and swelling.

The latest victim is one Charles Spalding, and it isn't long before his brother Harry and his wife Valerie, arrive in Claggmoor Heath to live in Charles' cottage. They are strangers in a small village so naturally, the locals don't take to them well. Only Tom Bailey, the innkeeper, is decent and kind, providing them with a cart and provisions. And he is the only one who decides to help Harry find out what is going on.

On their first evening, the couple meet Mad Peter, whom they "invite" to dinner. They hear a flute playing out in the moors, and Peter tells them he heard that the night Charles died. He flees, only to return, dying of the same symptoms as Charles.

Other residents include Dr. William Franklyn, a martinet and intimidating personage who studied primitive religions of the Far East. He has a strange grip over his lovely daughter Anna, a sensitive young woman who is somewhat troubled. And then there's the Malay servant whose relationship to the Franklyns belies something more than just master-servant.

The effects of the title creature are well-realized--the back of the video cover is a good indication.

Jacqueline Pearce (Anna) is best known as Servalan in the Blake's Seven series, was Chessene in Doctor Who-The Two Doctors, and appeared in White Mischief. And Harold Goldblatt, who has a few minutes in the beginning as the solicitor, plays Professor Dale in Doctor Who-Frontier In Space.

As for Ray Barrett, someone should have told him to lighten up and quit playing it so straight.

There are shades of Bram Stoker and Sherlock Holmes' The Speckled Band in this Hammer production without Dracula or the Frankenstein monster. It is low budget but is an effective atmosphere builder, with hardly any filler scenes.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad--nothing to boo-hiss at.
Review: In a small rural village in Cornwall, a series of villagers have died from the Black Death. No, it isn't 1348, but consider the symptoms: black discolourations of the skin, foam crusting the mouth, and swelling.

The latest victim is one Charles Spalding, and it isn't long before his brother Harry and his wife Valerie, arrive in Claggmoor Heath to live in Charles' cottage. They are strangers in a small village so naturally, the locals don't take to them well. Only Tom Bailey, the innkeeper, is decent and kind, providing them with a cart and provisions. And he is the only one who decides to help Harry find out what is going on.

On their first evening, the couple meet Mad Peter, whom they "invite" to dinner. They hear a flute playing out in the moors, and Peter tells them he heard that the night Charles died. He flees, only to return, dying of the same symptoms as Charles.

Other residents include Dr. William Franklyn, a martinet and intimidating personage who studied primitive religions of the Far East. He has a strange grip over his lovely daughter Anna, a sensitive young woman who is somewhat troubled. And then there's the Malay servant whose relationship to the Franklyns belies something more than just master-servant.

The effects of the title creature are well-realized--the back of the video cover is a good indication.

Jacqueline Pearce (Anna) is best known as Servalan in the Blake's Seven series, was Chessene in Doctor Who-The Two Doctors, and appeared in White Mischief. And Harold Goldblatt, who has a few minutes in the beginning as the solicitor, plays Professor Dale in Doctor Who-Frontier In Space.

As for Ray Barrett, someone should have told him to lighten up and quit playing it so straight.

There are shades of Bram Stoker and Sherlock Holmes' The Speckled Band in this Hammer production without Dracula or the Frankenstein monster. It is low budget but is an effective atmosphere builder, with hardly any filler scenes.

Rating:
Summary: Great Atmosphere In Highly Effective Hammer Horror
Review: In any discussion of this 1966 Hammer production mention almost always is made of the fact that this film was made almost along side Hammer's other big effort of that time "The Plague of the Zombies", using alot of the same sets and cast and employing the same director, John Gilling. "The Reptile", usually comes off the worse when the two are compared but I've always had a great fondness for this film which incorporates a very sinister premise with great photography and an extremely interesting and I might add quite, frightening central creature of the title. Hammer's seemingly favourite locale for their films, the moors of Cornwall, serves ideally as the backdrop for this tale of far eastern curses and underlying menace. The slow build up to what is really happpening also adds greatly to the tension as a number of red herrings are put in place to distract the viewer from finding out why things are happening. The eventual full appearance of the "reptile" of the title comes well into the running time and certainly comes off as one of Hammer's most effective horror creations.

"The Reptile", begins with the strange death of Charles Spalding a newish resident of a small Cornwall village. He is attacked by an unknown creature while in the home of the mysterious Dr. Franklyn. As his funeral is quickly conducted in the village graveyard we find out that he is not the first resident to die a horrible death in recent times. Charles' brother Harry (Ray Barrett) inherits all of his property including his small cottage on the edge of the moor and along with his wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel) decides to travel down to Cornwall and set up residence there. Their arrival in the village however produces some strange reactions among the locals and only the local innkeeper Tom Bailey (Hammer veteran Michael Ripper), befriends the couple and tries to warn them of what might be in store for them in the village. Harry and Valerie make the acquaintance of "Mad Peter", the local eccentric who soon after dies a horrible death with the same symptons, always passed off simply as "heart failure", that Charles had. Each victim has the same strange wound on the neck and blackened face that seemingly comes from some fanged animal and spreads a strange poison throughout the body causing almost instant death. Harry suspects their very strange and inhospitable neighbour Dr. Franklyn is behind the mysterious deaths and his curiosity is further aroused when the doctor's heavily dominated daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce),is seemingly kept away from contact with others. The presense in the doctor's house of a mysterious man servant (Marne Maitland) who seems to have an unexplained hold over the household adds further to the Harry's suspicions about the doctor. After investigating Dr. Franklyn's house late at night for clues Harry is attacked and nearly dies from the same wound as the earlier victims. While Harry is recovering Valerie is lured to the house by a note from Anna asking for help. It is revealed that Dr. Franklyn is not the guilty party afterall as he is the one cursed by an ancient religious cult from South East Asia that worships snakes and has turned his daughter into a half woman, half reptile as punishment for him interfering in their secret society. Anna now awakens from her reptilian slumber and attacks Valerie in the house after she has already killed her father. However in the fight with her father a fire begins which destroys not only the house but Anna as well.

John Gilling reveals a sure hand in his direction of "The Reptile", and wisely doesn't allow the audience to see clearly the creature in question till well into the film's running time. The film has a most suitable air of anticipation and uncertainity about it and about who actually is doing the murders. The whole scenerio of the secret snake worshipping cult taking revenge on outsiders by turning them into part reptiles is certainly an intriguing one and is well employed in this story set in Victorian England. Special effects wise the film may not be as spectacular as Gillings other effort "The Plague of the Zombies", however the reptile's makeup created by Hammer's resident makeup artist Roy Ashton is really first class for the time and makes for one of Hammer's more memorable creature creations. The vivid use of half light and strange far away music usually heard just before one of the horrific murders is eerily appropiate. Performances are all first rate with Ray Barrett who was not a regular Hammer productions regular a stand out in the pivotal role of Harry Spalding. Noel Willman as the supposedly sinister Dr. Franklyn is excellent and his character is one of the most interesting in the cast changing as it does from being the villian to being a man trying to save others from the curse that has wreaked his family. The always reliable Michael Ripper a veteran of countless Hammer Studio productions, for once is given a role of some substance as the innkeeper who helps Harry solve the mystery of who is committing the murders in the village. As with all Hammer efforts the strong period flavour is first rate and use of actual locations in the moors and in the stately but sinister looking mansion adds hugely to the horror element in the story.

If Gothic horror of the old school is your forte then "The Reptile", is a perfect piece of viewing. Hammer studios had a way with bringing these types of stories to the big screen and this film in particular allows the viewer to guess for quite awhile about what actually is going to happen before revealing all. This 1960's type of horror story telling sadly is a definite thing of the past and stories like that of "The Reptile", would possibly appear too slow moving for most modern audiences. I however feel this is a most interesting horror tale enlivened but sincere performances by a professional cast. Enjoy Hammer's excursion into curses and secret religious intrigues in John Gilling's "The Reptile".

Rating:
Summary: Great Atmosphere In Highly Effective Hammer Horror
Review: In any discussion of this 1966 Hammer production mention almost always is made of the fact that this film was made almost along side Hammer's other big effort of that time "The Plague of the Zombies", using alot of the same sets and cast and employing the same director, John Gilling. "The Reptile", usually comes off the worse when the two are compared but I've always had a great fondness for this film which incorporates a very sinister premise with great photography and an extremely interesting and I might add quite, frightening central creature of the title. Hammer's seemingly favourite locale for their films, the moors of Cornwall, serves ideally as the backdrop for this tale of far eastern curses and underlying menace. The slow build up to what is really happpening also adds greatly to the tension as a number of red herrings are put in place to distract the viewer from finding out why things are happening. The eventual full appearance of the "reptile" of the title comes well into the running time and certainly comes off as one of Hammer's most effective horror creations.

"The Reptile", begins with the strange death of Charles Spalding a newish resident of a small Cornwall village. He is attacked by an unknown creature while in the home of the mysterious Dr. Franklyn. As his funeral is quickly conducted in the village graveyard we find out that he is not the first resident to die a horrible death in recent times. Charles' brother Harry (Ray Barrett) inherits all of his property including his small cottage on the edge of the moor and along with his wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel) decides to travel down to Cornwall and set up residence there. Their arrival in the village however produces some strange reactions among the locals and only the local innkeeper Tom Bailey (Hammer veteran Michael Ripper), befriends the couple and tries to warn them of what might be in store for them in the village. Harry and Valerie make the acquaintance of "Mad Peter", the local eccentric who soon after dies a horrible death with the same symptons, always passed off simply as "heart failure", that Charles had. Each victim has the same strange wound on the neck and blackened face that seemingly comes from some fanged animal and spreads a strange poison throughout the body causing almost instant death. Harry suspects their very strange and inhospitable neighbour Dr. Franklyn is behind the mysterious deaths and his curiosity is further aroused when the doctor's heavily dominated daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce),is seemingly kept away from contact with others. The presense in the doctor's house of a mysterious man servant (Marne Maitland) who seems to have an unexplained hold over the household adds further to the Harry's suspicions about the doctor. After investigating Dr. Franklyn's house late at night for clues Harry is attacked and nearly dies from the same wound as the earlier victims. While Harry is recovering Valerie is lured to the house by a note from Anna asking for help. It is revealed that Dr. Franklyn is not the guilty party afterall as he is the one cursed by an ancient religious cult from South East Asia that worships snakes and has turned his daughter into a half woman, half reptile as punishment for him interfering in their secret society. Anna now awakens from her reptilian slumber and attacks Valerie in the house after she has already killed her father. However in the fight with her father a fire begins which destroys not only the house but Anna as well.

John Gilling reveals a sure hand in his direction of "The Reptile", and wisely doesn't allow the audience to see clearly the creature in question till well into the film's running time. The film has a most suitable air of anticipation and uncertainity about it and about who actually is doing the murders. The whole scenerio of the secret snake worshipping cult taking revenge on outsiders by turning them into part reptiles is certainly an intriguing one and is well employed in this story set in Victorian England. Special effects wise the film may not be as spectacular as Gillings other effort "The Plague of the Zombies", however the reptile's makeup created by Hammer's resident makeup artist Roy Ashton is really first class for the time and makes for one of Hammer's more memorable creature creations. The vivid use of half light and strange far away music usually heard just before one of the horrific murders is eerily appropiate. Performances are all first rate with Ray Barrett who was not a regular Hammer productions regular a stand out in the pivotal role of Harry Spalding. Noel Willman as the supposedly sinister Dr. Franklyn is excellent and his character is one of the most interesting in the cast changing as it does from being the villian to being a man trying to save others from the curse that has wreaked his family. The always reliable Michael Ripper a veteran of countless Hammer Studio productions, for once is given a role of some substance as the innkeeper who helps Harry solve the mystery of who is committing the murders in the village. As with all Hammer efforts the strong period flavour is first rate and use of actual locations in the moors and in the stately but sinister looking mansion adds hugely to the horror element in the story.

If Gothic horror of the old school is your forte then "The Reptile", is a perfect piece of viewing. Hammer studios had a way with bringing these types of stories to the big screen and this film in particular allows the viewer to guess for quite awhile about what actually is going to happen before revealing all. This 1960's type of horror story telling sadly is a definite thing of the past and stories like that of "The Reptile", would possibly appear too slow moving for most modern audiences. I however feel this is a most interesting horror tale enlivened but sincere performances by a professional cast. Enjoy Hammer's excursion into curses and secret religious intrigues in John Gilling's "The Reptile".

Rating:
Summary: Fangs of the Cobra-woman
Review: Minor suspense thriller from Hammer's House of Horrors. A remote English village has suffered a rash of grisly deaths among the citizenry. Nervous men look at each other and say it's heart failure, but that doesn't explain the awful plague-like symptoms. Down at the local pub, they shun newcomers and pretend there is nothing awry. Near to this same village, in a gloomy old house, reside a tormented young woman named Anna and her reclusive father. While in India, Anna corrupted herself by unholy union with a vaguely defined eastern religion that adulates cobras. Anna now suffers sporadic "cobra-girl" incarnations and the dreadful night drips with venomous fear and violent death. Although fathoming the gruesome killings is secondary to the suspense, much of the story unfolds as a murder mystery, or maybe an old "Avengers" episode. Venerable Michael Ripper, stalwart Hammer character actor, is the publican and the only familiar name among the obscure cast. Absent the presence of both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, he is the unlikely intellectual force that digs into the mystery. As with many Hammer Horrors, the movie features late-Victorian sets, furnishings, clothing, and hairstyles enhanced by Technicolor. We're sorry to say heaving bosoms are missing from this one. The atmospheric setting is appropriately spooky. The pace is leisurely and the fiery conclusion is ambiguous enough to permit a sequel (which was never made). As classic Hammer Horrors go, this film is a lesser effort. It will satisfy genre fans, and collectors need this one for their home movie shelf, regardless. Good second feature stuff! ;-)

Rating:
Summary: S-s-s-s-sinister - !
Review: Ray Barrett and wife Jennifer Daniels inherit his brother's Cornish cottage, after the brother's unusual demise by the mysterious "Black Death." The locals aren't too friendly, especially austere neighbor Noel Willman, a reclusive gentleman famous for writing about obscure religious cults around the world. Willman's lovely daughter, the inexplicably shy and subdued Jacqueline Pearce, is as friendly to Barrett and his wife as her father is hostile, and inadvertently engages them in what rapidly becomes an ugly murder plot - the same one that claimed Barrett's late brother.

This is one of Hammer's better low-budgeters, which suffers from a few flaws: it's slow moving and a bit padded; the music (as in many films from the same studio in the same period) is overly melodramatic; and the suspense is half-shot from the opening teaser, by explicitly showing precisely the mystery Barrett and Daniels are attempting to solve (though not quite all of its details). It plays like a turn-of-the-century supernatural murder mystery, which is essentially what it is.

However, it's splendidly acted by all involved, especially Willman and Pearce, who suffer from a guilty secret and a resultant family curse beyond their ability to explain to outsiders. The sets and props are gorgeous, the scenery beautiful, the atmosphere heavy. Pearce's makeup is magnificent, even if the papier-mache shows - it's a truly striking effect, and properly underused. There are some very creepy and highly memorable scenes, most notably the finale and one in which Pearce - in a genuinely unspeakable condition - writhes around on her bed while an insidious Malaysian manservant chants over her body.

Anyone enjoying this film should also check out Plague of the Zombies, made by the same production team and many of the same cast members.

Rating:
Summary: S-s-s-s-sinister - !
Review: Ray Barrett and wife Jennifer Daniels inherit his brother's Cornish cottage, after the brother's unusual demise by the mysterious "Black Death." The locals aren't too friendly, especially austere neighbor Noel Willman, a reclusive gentleman famous for writing about obscure religious cults around the world. Willman's lovely daughter, the inexplicably shy and subdued Jacqueline Pearce, is as friendly to Barrett and his wife as her father is hostile, and inadvertently engages them in what rapidly becomes an ugly murder plot - the same one that claimed Barrett's late brother.

This is one of Hammer's better low-budgeters, which suffers from a few flaws: it's slow moving and a bit padded; the music (as in many films from the same studio in the same period) is overly melodramatic; and the suspense is half-shot from the opening teaser, by explicitly showing precisely the mystery Barrett and Daniels are attempting to solve (though not quite all of its details). It plays like a turn-of-the-century supernatural murder mystery, which is essentially what it is.

However, it's splendidly acted by all involved, especially Willman and Pearce, who suffer from a guilty secret and a resultant family curse beyond their ability to explain to outsiders. The sets and props are gorgeous, the scenery beautiful, the atmosphere heavy. Pearce's makeup is magnificent, even if the papier-mache shows - it's a truly striking effect, and properly underused. There are some very creepy and highly memorable scenes, most notably the finale and one in which Pearce - in a genuinely unspeakable condition - writhes around on her bed while an insidious Malaysian manservant chants over her body.

Anyone enjoying this film should also check out Plague of the Zombies, made by the same production team and many of the same cast members.

Rating:
Summary: A Typically Smooth Hammer Production
Review: Shot back-to-back by director John Gilling with his PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, this is a nifty little thriller starring Noel Willman (KISS OF THE VAMPIRE) and the beautiful Jacqueline Pearce in the title role as a girl who has been victimized by an Indian curse that causes her to transform into a snake woman. It's another beautifully-produced Hammer Horror with good performances and great atmosphere. A film with bite!