The Reptile Movie Download

10 / 10

Another master stroke in horror from Hammer Studios
By all rights, Hammer’s quartet of cheapie pictures (DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS, RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK, PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES and this) deserved little, if any success. However the four films present some of the best of the Hammer output, four rich little horror films which blend the subtle chills with some gory shocks – and are all films which remarkably disguise their low budgets with a classy sheen. Only RASPUTIN is an average film while the other three are among my Hammer favourites. THE REPTILE is a smashing film from beginning to end, a perfect little film in every way. The structure is good (there is a deliberate slow pace, in order to build the tension) and the music is the typical Gothic dread we have come to expect from the famous studio, but it is perhaps the story which remains the most interesting aspect, a spin on the werewolf legend with a reptile monster taking the place of the wolf.

The reptile could easily have been an object of ridicule (like the cardboard creations in THE MUTATIONS), but thanks to Roy Ashton’s famous make up, it remains the most inventive creature in the whole Hammer horror cycle. The fangs and bug eyes may not be the most realistic things ever portrayed, but they’re original and cleverly done, and perhaps the work of a genius. Once again, Hammer have come up with a fine ensemble cast who perform their roles perfectly, capturing every side of their characters. There’s Jennifer Daniel as the ubiquitous blonde female victim, and Jacqueline Pearce as the lovely but quite deadly Anna, cursed to become a snake woman. Her looks are memorable whether she’s in snake form or not.

Ray Barrett stars as the rugged hero, appearing somewhat like a Welsh version of Rod Taylor, while Noel Willman plays his role perfectly as the stern, coldly aloof, unlikable doctor (come to think of it, Christopher Lee would have been great too), torn between protecting his daughter and his own interests. He too is an imposing screen presence, almost up there with the Cushings and Lees of the period. The supporting players are perhaps the most memorable. Michael Ripper gives solid support as a pub landlord (what else? Expect the usual dialogue such as, “they don’t like strangers round here!”) who offers assistance whenever he can, and his is a heartfelt performance of a genuinely kind, friendly character. John Laurie plays another eccentric person, and his cries of “corrupt and evil, corrupt and evil” are certainly similar to “we’re all doomed”! With a burning mansion at the end, plenty of heroism, shocks, grave digging, memorable make up, and solid acting, THE REPTILE remains one of my Hammer favourites. It just has that polished feel to it, with gruesome activities taking place in a quite rural village, that I love. You won’t be disappointed.Read More