piece of dialogue I previously overlooked and I burst out laughing. The film features probably the single best line of any movie ever made, delivered with dead-pan foppishness by a not-yet famous Hugh Grant. "I believe we probably have another reptile on the premises." Watch it and you'll understand why it's so funny. It's all about context. While some may find many flaws in this production, I recommend just going with the flow and trusting Russel and his cast, who all also seem to be in on the joke. Amanda Donohoe as the evil serpentine priestess and Stratford Johns as Hugh Grant's butler are particularly on target with every line delivered. I'm going out on a limb and giving this a 10/10. In actuality it probably deserves and 8/10 at best. But it is one of my personal faves and seems to age like a fine wine.

characteristics as creative virtues. I give it a 10 - nobody could or has yet to my knowledge* done this sort of genre-play better. *corrections invited - I would love to find something else in this pigeonhole as good.

slithering skintight scrumptiously slinky. I even bought a snakes and ladders set just like the one "Rosebud" that she threw into the flames. The worm was brilliant and deserved an Oscar for his role as he arose from the depth of the cave. I also love the song played in the beginning too. My only irk is that Catherines voice appears to be dubbed by someone else. One of the high points for me was when Sylvia sprayed venom over the cross. My reason for voting this movie so high is because it delivers on so many levels and it is a 'classic' in my book.

of some brain-disease, so the story is pretty fragmented. He died shortly after completing it in 1912. But the general-ideas are great, and the story predates Lovecraft's similar-obsessions with cosmic-horror. A faithful-version on film would not be very exciting. Russell, being Russell, intuited the sexual-subtext of the story, and takes it to realms of comic-transcendence.Russell saw the exquisite-potential in the story, and even spiced-it-up further with his wonderful blend of sexual-obsession and high-camp. He also lends the story a very-serious mysticism. It's ripping! Amada Donohoe stands-out as Lady Sylvia Marsh, an acolyte of a once-dead "sect" of vampiric serpent-worshippers, and she shines here. It is probably her best-performance in a movie. There are so-many great-moments in this film, and many are very witty and funny, with plenty-of sex-jokes this is a Ken Russell film, after-all . Russell wisely let the film be campy and tongue-in-cheek, since he wanted the audience to laugh with the story rather than at it! Characters practically wink at the camera after delivering their witty-lines, and Hugh Grant is pretty funny, he gets it. This has to be the first time most American audiences saw Grant in a starring-role, and it left a big-impression on me.The theme I enjoyed-most was the idea of pagan-religions being dormant for Centuries, and then reasserting-themselves in our modern-world in many-forms, like folklore, songs, and even in physical-manifestations , it's an exciting-concept with all the sexual-implications Russell loves trotting-out. There's also atmosphere-galore, and some very pointed-jabs at Orthodox-Christianity that the cynical will enjoy. What I really loved, though, was how campy the whole-affair is, since much of this is for laughs. The film also has an interesting new take on a kind-of serpent-vampirism. Sex was the basis in most Victorian-literature, so Russell has a field-day with it, and why not? He lays-bare Stoker's sexual-obsessions, and has them out-in-the-open, not really a major-shift from the original-novel! The title says-it-all, doesn't it? Lesbianism, paganism, mystery, religion, archaeology, humor, murder, monsters--how can you lose? This was part of a three-picture deal that director Ken Russell had with Vestron pictures, and included the excellent "Gothic" 1986 and D.H. Lawrence's "The Rainbow" 1989 . The 1980s was possibly his purest period where he had a very free-hand in his productions. It should be noted that Russell is a great adapter of D. H. Lawrence, and has done some justice to Aldous Huxley with "The Devils" his only political-film that surely ranks as horror , so literature is no problem for this most-controversial director. His infatuation with Britain's folklore is so apparent in this and his other films! In-fact, there is a scene where a genuine folk-song about the "Dampton Worm" is sung, since the legend is a real one from an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom.Pioneer actually got this one right for-once. The film is widescreen, and has a very-good transfer. The sound is stereo, and it is fairly active. Now, if they can get the rest of the catalog right...

the snake god and its human sacrifice is still very much alive today, and they are about to find themselves a part of it.Whereas the Bram Stoker novel is a very serious and creepy turn of the century story, the movie version of Lair Of The White Worm took a lot of liberties from the book. The emphasis is still on scares, but with a late 80's twist full of horror-comedy, great one-liners and wicked, naughty fun. Hugh Grant is at his finest as the young and friendly wealthy English gentleman landlord D'Ampton, who has returned from an Air Force tour of duty, and now leads his friends to unlock the mystery they are now apart of. His girlfriend, played by attractive Catherine Oxenberg is well cast, as is Amanda Donahue as the mysterious and alluring Lady Silvia Marsh who may very well be connected to the ancient snake legend.Ken Russell fans will be in for a real treat with his usual blending of eerie and fantasy dream sequences inter-cut with reality. Ken Russell does a great job as a visual director here making the camera help tell his story with talent moving in and out of wide angle lenses to emphasis the weirdness and unreality of the subject manner. Dick Bush's colorful night lit cinematography full of shadows adds to the story's atmosphere. The viewer also will see more in the movie each time with repeated viewings. Highly recommended.

Donahoe is quite compelling as the Worm's keeper with an infectious bite. Sammi Davis no not the singer wise guys Catherine Oxenberg and Hugh Grant co-star in this odd horror film. I'll never look at snakes and ladders the same way ever again.Highly recommended for Ken Russel fans.

that should please everyone able to suspend their logic for 90 minutes. I loved it. My rating - 8 out of 10.

Grant , and lovely sisters Mary Sammi Davis and Eve Catherine Oxenberg .The director is Ken Russell of such classics as "The Devils", and he also produced and adapted the novel by "Dracula" creator Bram Stoker. So we know going in to expect a fair amount of outrageousness. Fortunately, this film never does get out of control, but it combines some sober drama with some very campy and sometimes hilarious horror. Clearly, it's not meant to be taken all that seriously, especially when we consider the crudely done fantasy sequences envisioned by the characters and the audience. People who are easily offended will undoubtedly be put off by some of this imagery. The makeup is amusing, but what's really a hoot is the beast itself, Dionin. Excellent location shooting adds atmosphere.The actors, commendably, maintain serious expressions. Although he's reputed to refuse to talk about this film, Grant does a good, droll job. Capaldi is a decent hero who, at one point, attempts to attract a reptilian presence by putting on a kilt and playing the bagpipes. Oxenberg and Davis look appropriately scared, Stratford Johns is a solid presence as the butler Peters, and Donohoe, often dressed in very sexy outfits, does appear to be having some real fun as the villainess.A truly frightening film this is not, but it's quite entertaining just the same.Eight out of 10.