- Overview
On a farm owned by Eve Trent and her sister Mary, young archaeologist Angus Flint discovers a large and inexplicable skull, which he soon deduces belonged to the D'Ampton Worm, a mythical beast supposedly slain generations ago by the ancestor of the current Lord D'Ampton. The predatory Lady Sylvia Marsh soon takes an interest in both Flint and the virginal Eve, hinting that the vicious D'Ampton Worm may still live.
- Release Date
21 September 1988
- DirectingKen Russell
- Budget
$2,500,000.00
- Revenue
$1,189,315.00
- Stars
Videos
User Reviews
See moreWuchak
23 June 2021
***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-
More Like This
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
See more
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
In the deep south during the 1930s, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them. On their journey they...
See more
Dracula
British estate agent Renfield travels to Transylvania to meet the mysterious Count Dracula, who is interested in leasing a castle in London. After...
See more
About a Boy
Will Freeman is a good-looking, smooth-talking bachelor whose primary goal in life is avoiding any kind of responsibility. But when he invents an...
See more
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
When eccentric candy man Willy Wonka promises a lifetime supply of sweets and a tour of his chocolate factory to five lucky kids, penniless Charlie...
See more
Bloodsucka Jones vs. The Creeping Death
In this sequel, Bloodsucka Jones and his friends must battle zombies, weight gain, and tumbleweeds as they attempt to save the world from certain...
See more
Instruments of Evil
Created in the ancient mists of time by the Viking god Loki, four musical demons have left carnage and horror in their wake as they’ve travelled...
See more
The Perfect Find
After a high-profile firing, everything is at stake for 40-year-old Jenna: her career, her ticking biological clock, and her bank account. Her...
See more
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?
When theater major Leah, brings home the special someone in her life to meet her mom, Julie, the family is met with a surprise when Pearl comes to...
See more
The Snoop Sisters
A spinster and her widowed sister, both authors of murder mystery novels, try to track down the killer of a former movie star.
See more
Lesbian Dracula Submarine
In 1931, a ragtag group of goofballs must face Contessa Dracula, a seductive sapphic pseudo-fascist who lives on a magical submarine.
See more
To Die For
Suzanne Stone wants to be a world-famous news anchor and she is willing to do anything to get what she wants. What she lacks in intelligence, she...
See more
Jaws
When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police, a young marine...
See more
Interview with the Vampire
A vampire relates his epic life story of love, betrayal, loneliness, and dark hunger to an over-curious reporter.
See more
Vampyr
A student of the occult encounters supernatural haunts and local evildoers in a village outside of Paris.
See more
Closely Watched Trains
At a village railway station in occupied Czechoslovakia, a bumbling dispatcher’s apprentice longs to liberate himself from his virginity. Oblivious...
See more
The Omen
Immediately after their miscarriage, the US diplomat Robert Thorn adopts the newborn Damien without the knowledge of his wife. Yet what he doesn’t...
See more
Lolita
Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged British novelist who is both appalled by and attracted to the vulgarity of American culture. When he comes to stay...
See more
Rosemary's Baby
A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the...
See more