The Lair of the White Worm (1988)

This movie definitely belongs in the, "it's so bad it's good" category. However, the more times I see it, I'm thinking it's more like, "It's so bad, it's GREAT"! A good movie is in some ways is like a great plate of Italian food. It needs a firm base, some zesty sauce, and just the right amount of cheese.

I first heard about this movie when I was in high school. Everyone around me was catching it on cable except me. Everyone seemed to have the same opinion of the movie, "man, it's so weird". When I finally got to see the movie, we were over at a party at a practical strangers house in a town far from our own at 3 in the morning; an uncomfortable situation. But, when this movie came on, for some reason it made everything alright. I saw it years later in a bargain bin VHS rack and I had to get it. It was by far the best $5 I've ever spent. This is one of those movies that is great to watch late at night with a good buzz on. I'm sure it annoys the hell out of my wife, but this movie makes me laugh like a little kid.

Filmwise, the movie is terribly made (or, if you're a Ken Russel fan, wonderfully made). There's holes in the script, the acting is bad, the props even worse; but there are so many insanely bad puns in this movie that it gets more entertaining each time you see it.

I know I haven't said too much about the movie, but perhaps that's for the best. To sum it all up, it's a great flick if you're in the mood for a real cheesy B grade movie.

Fmovies: Lair Of The White Worm is a great British made horror movie filled with English style black humor. It is based off the Bram Stoker novel and directed by English director Ken Russell (Gothic, Altered States). It is about a small English country town, that celebrates the centuries old slaying of a giant snake god that once lived there with an annual party extravaganza, hosted by Lord James D'Ampton, who's family slayed the giant serpent centuries earlier. But some of the co-eds have now discovered a giant snake skull in their excavated yard and are about to find out that the legend of 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.

The Lair of the White Worm (1988) was a bizarre horror film that was based upon one of the last stories written by Bram Stroker whilst he was suffering from Bright's disease. This helped the strange prose and it was augmented by the strange mind of weird film maker Ken Russell. The movie is also about a strange mythology and occultism that is as old as time itself.

The movie was a surrealistic trip and if you enjoy Ken Russell's other films then you're going to enjoy this one big time. Filled with wild imagery and fascinating set pieces will almost certainly keep you busy. Amanda 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.

The Lair of the White Worm fmovies. This is a kitschy, sexy and funny movie. Ken Russel(the director of Whore and Track 29)is at his best. Taboos are endless. Scottish rock, demon worship, S&M and the defiling of Christian icons. Amanda Donohoe is luscious as the blood-sucking, dildo wielding Priestess of the Worm.

Catherine Oxenberg is a perfect blonde damsel in distress and Hugh Grant is at his sexy, bored playboy of the manor born. The production value is not the greatest but there are moments when the not-so-special effects lend an aire of underground theater to the proceedings. I highly recommend this film.

Do you know what I think. Do you really care. Well whether you do or don't here goes.

I believe that one day Ken Russell woke up and said " I'm sick and tired of being accused by critics of making over the top exploitation movies masquerading as art with naked women, men showing their TODGERS and mad nuns being raped. This time I'm going to make an a movie of class. I'm going to get the brightest and the best of new British talent and use a story by a well known author. Well by the end of that week cuddly Ken had all the elements in place. A story horror by Bram stoker, author of Dracula. A great cast made up of the beautiful Catherine Oxenberg, A wonderful young character actress called Sami Davis, an up and coming Scottish actor called Peter Capaldi, a classy actress called Amanda Donohoe.. Oh and some bloke called Hugh or something. Add a few more out of work BBC Thespians to the mix and you have a classy supernatural film that will thrill the critics and maybe win some awards.

Then Ken thoughtÂ… F**K IT.

I'm going to make a crass exploitive films with Nuns being raped, naked women, giant snakes, Boy scouts being bitten on their TODGERS, Stone Dildos, Jesus on a cross, Bagpipes ( well one of the cast is a Scott). Then I'm going to re-dub my lead actress. Make sure the actors look like they've forgotten their lines and have a really bad song sung by badly dubbed singers during a party scene.

Ken you are Amazing. Lair of the White worm is Amazing. Its so bad, you can't help but watch it over and over. All the cast went on to bigger and better things. Well except that Hugh bloke? Not sure what happened to him. But I'm still sure all the actors and crew will never forget there work on Lair of the White Worm. Its the only movie where Ken Russell can plead GUILTY with a big grin on his face to all the rubbish critics have written about his work. P.S I HOPE THEY GOT THE JOKEÂ…? Â…. I DID!

Why is this film consistently downgraded as "dire" etc...? It is one of the funniest I have ever seen. It is sexy, camp, and laughs at its own pretensions. Hugh is a delicious parody of himself Ice. the character he was born to play. Amanda Donahoe is the sexiest snake priestess ever. It contains the psychedelic trademarks of the Russell mindset: exquisitely blasphemous, gaudy, kinky and tripped out. I love introducing people to this film - if I can read their personality right that is. I've got it wrong once or twice and some just find it confusing and weird...others see these 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.)