Horror

Comedy

The Lair of the White Worm

White Lair

United Kingdom

English

Amanda Donohoe

Hugh Grant

Catherine Oxenberg

Peter Capaldi

Sammi Davis

Stratford Johns

Paul Brooke

Imogen Claire

Chris Pitt

Gina McKee

Christopher Gable

Lloyd Peters

Miranda Coe

Linzi Drew

Caron Anne Kelly

Fiona O'Connor

Caroline Pope

Elisha Scott

Tina Shaw

Paul Easom

James Hicks

David Kiernan

Matthew King

Ross Murray

Andy Norman

Bob Smith

Ken Russell

Jackie Russell

William J. Quigley

Dick Bush

Stanisław Syrewicz

Peter Davies

Bram Stoker

Dan Ireland

Jack Lorenz

Gail Stevens

Laura Julian

Cordelia Hardy

Winnie Wishart

Christopher Hall

Rupert Ryle-Hodges

William Tyler

Steve Parker

Stuart St. Paul

Peter Elford

John Chandler

John Foster

Sabina Fletcher

Lesley Cross

Kate Kilroy

William Petty

Sarah Lucraft

Wayne Smith

Simon Sayce

Nick Heckstall-Smith

Richard Brierley

Joe Illing

Diane Murphy

Robin Browne

Richard Wells

Bill Rowe

Jim Roddan

Eddie McMahon

Ben Davis

Roy Puddefoot

Geoffrey Portass

Clive Coote

Mark Ellis

Paul Conway

Chris Townsend

Jenny Hawkins

Rodney Pincott

John Cormican

Dave Keen

David B.A. Jones

Ray Merrin

Ron Higgins

Alan Hedgcock

Steven Painter

Tommy Westbrook

Graham Newton

Alastair Gow

Daniel Vallancien

Con Murphy

Alan Whibley

Mary Roberts

Warwick Sayce

Steven Sallybanks

Ronnie McKay

Mark Gay

Tom Bowyer

Karen Edwards

Alistair McPherson

Kate Murray

Cliff Wallace

Arlind Junkerman

Ken Hawkey

Neill Gorton

Mark Coulier

Karen Winnery

Paul Jones

Robin Thistlethwaite

James Hunt

Jim Coward

Gary Ryan

Stuart Conran

Tommy O'Sullivan

Steve Blake

Ronaldo Vasconcellos

Anne Tilby

Michael Jeffery

Abbi Collins

Chrissy Monk

Pam Meager

Nigel Galt

Ray Beckett

John Ralph

Elizabeth Moss

Matthew Sharp

***Quirky, amusing, sometimes surreal horror about a snake cult in England***

Directed & written by Ken Russell and loosely based on Bram Stoker’s novel, “The Lair of the White Worm” (1988) chronicles events in England when a young archeologist (Peter Capaldi) uncovers a skull of some unknown beast near a bed & breakfast run by two sisters (Sammi Davis & Catherine Oxenberg). These three and Eve’s beau (Hugh Grant) soon stumble upon an ancient snake cult led by the eccentric Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe), who dwells at a lavish estate nearby.

The movie is a creative and entertaining creature feature reminiscent in tone & theme of “Squirm” (1976), but with Russell’s well-known offbeat excesses. The “creatures” are vampire-like snake people plus a gigantic serpent at the close, both of which recall the snake worshipers & giant serpents from “Conan the Barbarian” (1982).

There are some iconic cinematic images, like Donohoe as the vampiric snake lady, not to mention a few well done horror scenes, like a snake woman who’s cut in half, but still wiggles with furious intent. 

The snake cult is diabolical in an anti-Christ way and I can see why some viewers might find the movie shocking and offensive, like the weird nun-raping flashback. Yet everything's so exaggerated and sometimes cheesy with a bit o' humor thrown in that the film can't be taken very seriously, which negates it from being shocking or disturbing. Fun in a horrific way? Yes. Disturbing? No. Also, keep in mind that horror villains/monsters are SUPPOSED to drip with ee-vil and be shocking. The question is, do they win or do the noble protagonists win?

On the female front, the chief snake lady thinks she’s hotter than she really is as Donohoe amusingly hams it up. Meanwhile Catherine Oxenberg as Eve is a semi-highlight, particularly in the last act.

The film runs 1 hour, 33 minutes and was shot entirely in England (Hertfordshire; Manifold Valley, Staffordshire; Peak District National Park; and Derbyshire). Thor's Cave in Manifold Valley is magnificent.

GRADE: B-

THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM Trailer [1988]

The Lair of the White Worm (1988) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

The Lair of the White Worm ≣ 1988 ≣ Trailer

Dan Ireland on The Lair of the White Worm

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The Lair of the White Worm

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Amanda Donohoe

Hugh Grant

Catherine Oxenberg

Peter Capaldi

Sammi Davis

Stratford Johns

Paul Brooke

Imogen Claire

Chris Pitt

Gina McKee

Box office

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