59 reviews
Za Snake Iz Loooze!
I've just had the pleasure of re-acquainting myself with this forgotten gem of early '80s British horror which scared me half to death as a little kid.
"High concept" years before the term was invented, the plot ostensibly hangs on a series of belief-stretching co-incidences which result in a hostage siege taking place in a posh London home, with the police camped outside and a deadly (as we are repeatedly reminded) black mamba snake loose in the heating ducts.
Made many years before CGI came along and gave us bloated nonsense like Anaconda and Snakes on a Plane the film-makers had to be fairly economical with their beastie's screen time. Going down the Jaws route , Venom makes highly effective use of POV camera shots, shadowy lighting and an unsettling score (an early work from the much missed composer Michael Kamen; and no, I have not forgotten that he was also responsible for that Bryan Adams monstrosity) to suggest the snakes' presence. When the creature is fully revealed it is more often than not the exceedingly dangerous real thing; borrowed from London Zoo, and provoked into getting the hump in the direction of the nearest camera by their, at the time, resident reptile expert Michael Ball (who gets both an un-credited cameo in the film, and himself played by a cranky Michael Gough in to the bargain).
However, all of these slithery shenanigans are a mere aside to the real terror on show here. The casting of the infamously intense and insane Klaus Kinski opposite the famously drunk and antagonistic Oliver Reed. By all reports these two hated each other on sight and spent the whole shoot at war with each other, with Reed referring to Kinski as a Nazi at every possible opportunity. However, what must have a nightmare situation for director Piers Haggard (parachuted in after Tobe Hooper walked with shooting already under way) as they share virtually every scene together, paid off in dividends as the warring actors enthusiastically pour every ounce of their scenery-chewing one-oneupmanship onto the screen. Stir into this mix a few more well-renowned "difficult" actors: Nicol Williamson (The famously OTT Merlin from Excalibur) getting his Sweeney on, Sarah Miles, and Sterling Hayden among them; and what results is a glorious bombast of angry intense thesping, that grabs this would-b-movie by the balls and drags it into "forgotten classic" territory. A daft, wonderful, guilty pleasure. Seek it out.
"High concept" years before the term was invented, the plot ostensibly hangs on a series of belief-stretching co-incidences which result in a hostage siege taking place in a posh London home, with the police camped outside and a deadly (as we are repeatedly reminded) black mamba snake loose in the heating ducts.
Made many years before CGI came along and gave us bloated nonsense like Anaconda and Snakes on a Plane the film-makers had to be fairly economical with their beastie's screen time. Going down the Jaws route , Venom makes highly effective use of POV camera shots, shadowy lighting and an unsettling score (an early work from the much missed composer Michael Kamen; and no, I have not forgotten that he was also responsible for that Bryan Adams monstrosity) to suggest the snakes' presence. When the creature is fully revealed it is more often than not the exceedingly dangerous real thing; borrowed from London Zoo, and provoked into getting the hump in the direction of the nearest camera by their, at the time, resident reptile expert Michael Ball (who gets both an un-credited cameo in the film, and himself played by a cranky Michael Gough in to the bargain).
However, all of these slithery shenanigans are a mere aside to the real terror on show here. The casting of the infamously intense and insane Klaus Kinski opposite the famously drunk and antagonistic Oliver Reed. By all reports these two hated each other on sight and spent the whole shoot at war with each other, with Reed referring to Kinski as a Nazi at every possible opportunity. However, what must have a nightmare situation for director Piers Haggard (parachuted in after Tobe Hooper walked with shooting already under way) as they share virtually every scene together, paid off in dividends as the warring actors enthusiastically pour every ounce of their scenery-chewing one-oneupmanship onto the screen. Stir into this mix a few more well-renowned "difficult" actors: Nicol Williamson (The famously OTT Merlin from Excalibur) getting his Sweeney on, Sarah Miles, and Sterling Hayden among them; and what results is a glorious bombast of angry intense thesping, that grabs this would-b-movie by the balls and drags it into "forgotten classic" territory. A daft, wonderful, guilty pleasure. Seek it out.
Worst pet shop ever!
Not to be confused with Spasms, another early-'80s Oliver Reed snake-themed horror movie, Venom sees a kidnapping go awry when a deadly black mamba escapes into the house where the villains are holding ten-year-old Philip (Lance Holcomb) and his grandfather Howard (Sterling Hayden) hostage.
Reed is chauffeur Dave, who, along with sexy maid Louise (Susan George) and German terrorist Jacmel (Klaus Kinski), find themselves cornered by police Commander William Bulloch (Nicol Williamson) and his men (after a shotgun toting Dave gets trigger happy with a cop) and menaced by the highly venomous and very aggressive reptile, the result of a mix-up of orders at a pet shop.
Despite a top-notch cast (which includes Sarah Miles as toxicologist Dr. Marion Stowe, and Michael Gough as a snake expert), director Piers Haggard (The Blood on Satan's Claw) is unable to elevate his film from mediocrity thanks to a pedestrian script that is a little light on the snake action and a touch too heavy on police procedure, delivering not nearly enough suspense or horror. Kinski is as slimy and menacing as always, Ollie turns to the booze when the pressure is on (no surprises there), and George strips to her underwear (no surprises there either!).
5.5 out of 6, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.
Reed is chauffeur Dave, who, along with sexy maid Louise (Susan George) and German terrorist Jacmel (Klaus Kinski), find themselves cornered by police Commander William Bulloch (Nicol Williamson) and his men (after a shotgun toting Dave gets trigger happy with a cop) and menaced by the highly venomous and very aggressive reptile, the result of a mix-up of orders at a pet shop.
Despite a top-notch cast (which includes Sarah Miles as toxicologist Dr. Marion Stowe, and Michael Gough as a snake expert), director Piers Haggard (The Blood on Satan's Claw) is unable to elevate his film from mediocrity thanks to a pedestrian script that is a little light on the snake action and a touch too heavy on police procedure, delivering not nearly enough suspense or horror. Kinski is as slimy and menacing as always, Ollie turns to the booze when the pressure is on (no surprises there), and George strips to her underwear (no surprises there either!).
5.5 out of 6, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.
- BA_Harrison
- Aug 26, 2016
- Permalink
A predator even more deadly than Klaus Kinski
Engaging tale of a band of thieves whose plan to take a child and his grandfather hostage in their plush London townhouse, to extort money from the child's wealthy mother, is short-circuited by a rampaging Black Mamba that's been mistakenly brought into the mix. Intriguing to see how the plan unravels as the inimitable Klaus Kinski and his accomplices fall prey one by one to the elusive predator, its venom more deadly than any other species of snake. Cornered by the law on the outside, and the aggressive asp from within, they must adapt and improvise to affect a miraculous escape, no longer concerned with money, but basic survival.
Taut little suspense-thriller enabled by a strong cast, decent dialogue and well-paced direction. Kinski as the main protagonist is chilling, and he's well supported in Oliver Reed as the boozy henchman and Susan George as an unlikely (and unlucky) accomplice. Also noteworthy is Nicol Williamson as the dedicated police inspector who finds himself at the helm of a tense stand-off between the bandits, their captures and the unpredictable rogue reptile. While Sterling Hayden's characterisation of an aging ex game hunter is somewhat vague and incidental to the plot, it does add another dimension to the proceedings that stirs the curiosity and colours the complexity of an otherwise straightforward yarn.
Effective use of sets, lighting, music and tight editing nicely complement the occasional sadistic and surprisingly graphic violence. The snake itself, sometimes portrayed by a replica, is also well staged and looks convincingly hostile. Understated and somewhat obscure considering its impressive credits (Tobe Hooper was also linked with the film early on, but parted ways with the project), "Venom" is a compelling hostage thriller, cleverly bolstered by an unorthodox twist, and is well worth the time.
Taut little suspense-thriller enabled by a strong cast, decent dialogue and well-paced direction. Kinski as the main protagonist is chilling, and he's well supported in Oliver Reed as the boozy henchman and Susan George as an unlikely (and unlucky) accomplice. Also noteworthy is Nicol Williamson as the dedicated police inspector who finds himself at the helm of a tense stand-off between the bandits, their captures and the unpredictable rogue reptile. While Sterling Hayden's characterisation of an aging ex game hunter is somewhat vague and incidental to the plot, it does add another dimension to the proceedings that stirs the curiosity and colours the complexity of an otherwise straightforward yarn.
Effective use of sets, lighting, music and tight editing nicely complement the occasional sadistic and surprisingly graphic violence. The snake itself, sometimes portrayed by a replica, is also well staged and looks convincingly hostile. Understated and somewhat obscure considering its impressive credits (Tobe Hooper was also linked with the film early on, but parted ways with the project), "Venom" is a compelling hostage thriller, cleverly bolstered by an unorthodox twist, and is well worth the time.
- Chase_Witherspoon
- Apr 28, 2011
- Permalink
Exciting film! Excellent film!
This is a much maligned film. Given the fine acting and the really Hitchcockian development and story line, this thing delivers in a big way. I don't want to give away the story line, but let's just say that while snakes play a part in it, this is not a shlocky horror film. In fact, the storyline doesn't revolve around snakes; they're more of a plot device. This is a thriller of the best caliber. The British actors are some of the finest ever cranked out and the claustrophobic atmosphere seems to drive you even crazier. If you are afraid of snakes, then you'll be gut wrenchingly terrified (I was). If you aren't, then you'll still be glued to your seat. Watch it and if you dare, do it with the lights off!
A powerful thriller
VENOM (1982) ***½ Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, Nicol Williamson, Sarah Miles, Susan George. Even though this film is called "Venom" and features a snake, this is no "creature feature." Two English domestics (Reed and George), along with an international criminal (Kinski), conspire to kidnap their wealthy employers' ten-year-old son. The plan goes awry after the boy mistakenly receives a highly aggressive, super-poisonous black mamba (originally intended for a research facility), which kills one of the conspirators and transforms the attempted kidnapping into a tense armed standoff. A box-office flop in its day, American audiences were probably turned off by the film's stodgy English production values and thanks to a misleading advertising campaign probably felt duped once they realized it wasn't a killer snake movie. Still, a strong script and Kinski and Reed's explosive performances make this a powerful thriller. Highly recommended.
- aschepler2
- Feb 25, 2004
- Permalink
Pretty good thriller.
"Venom" is an enjoyable thriller directed by Piers Haggard("Satan's Skin").A deadly black mamba snake threatens the denizens of an elegant townhouse.As long as the slithering creature is on the loose,no one is safe...The film has its share of surprises-some scenes are actually pretty nerve-wracking.The acting is exceptionally good with pretty familiar cast(Klaus Kinski,Susan George,Nicol Williamson,Oliver Reed)to boost.Highly recommended.
- HumanoidOfFlesh
- Feb 25, 2003
- Permalink
An Extremely Aggressive and Deadly Snake
"Ruth Hopkins" (Cornelia Sharpe) is looking forward to a vacation in Rome with her husband and leaves her asthmatic son, "Phillip" (Lance Holcomb) with his grandfather, "Howard Anderson" (Sterling Hayden) to look after him in their London apartment. What she doesn't realize is that the maid, "Louise Andrews" (Susan George), the chauffeur "Dave Averconnelly" (Oliver Reed) and a German criminal named "Jacques Muller" (Klaus Kinski) have made detailed plans to kidnap the boy for a huge ransom. Unfortunately, their plans go awry when a policeman comes to the door and Dave mindlessly shoots and kills him. This results in the police surrounding the house with the kidnappers holding both Phillip and Howard as hostages. Now, while this might sound like a mediocre kidnapping movie, what gives this film some added excitement is that by complete accident Phillip has recently brought an extremely aggressive and deadly snake home with him and it has just gotten loose. To that end, the directors (Piers Haggard and Tobe Hooper) manage to keep the film somewhat suspenseful by utilizing some shock value and music to pretty good effect. In short, while this film certainly won't win any major awards, it still managed to pretty much keep my attention from beginning to end. That said, I figure it deserves at least an average rating.
Kinski fans will be intrigued....
Menacing, but not in an over the top psychotic way, Klaus Kinski delivers a very believable performance. He is more calculating than usual, and has no problem outsmarting the British police, who seem more interested in drinking coffee than anything else. What ever happened to tea? Klaus easily steals this movie from the remaining likable cast. The snake has it's own point of view, which works quite effectively. The story plays out with a couple tense moments,and at least one major surprise, that is unfortunately revealed in the trailer, so I recommend skipping watching the extra's until after the feature. Overall, one of Kinski's best, and he has ample screen time, for you to enjoy this wonderful actor. - MERK
- merklekranz
- May 3, 2008
- Permalink
Entertaining B-Movie with an A-Cast
By all accounts this is basically a formulaic kidnapping flick that would be standard B-movie fare. Having a poisonous snake thrown into the mix only adds to the B-movie feel.
However, it is saved by its A-cast. Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, and Nicol Williamson all chew the scenery as only they can (though one has to pity the director, who had to work with the 3 most ornery actors alive at the time). The only disappointment was that Sterling Hayden didn't get more material to work with for what would be his last movie.
The other highlight is the fact that they used a real and professionally handled black mamba in most of the scenes. In most movies of this type, they would just throw in a harmless rat snake or something and hope that nobody would notice the difference.
However, it is saved by its A-cast. Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, and Nicol Williamson all chew the scenery as only they can (though one has to pity the director, who had to work with the 3 most ornery actors alive at the time). The only disappointment was that Sterling Hayden didn't get more material to work with for what would be his last movie.
The other highlight is the fact that they used a real and professionally handled black mamba in most of the scenes. In most movies of this type, they would just throw in a harmless rat snake or something and hope that nobody would notice the difference.
- Edward_de_Vere
- Apr 4, 2006
- Permalink
Gives new meaning to the phrase: "Trouser Snake."
A Major Surprise
- JasparLamarCrabb
- Jul 16, 2005
- Permalink
Don't see this one alone!
Suspenseful and Fun Film
I thought this was a rather fun film with a lot of suspense and a few shocks. It brought back some good memories of seeing some great actors from the past in some good performances; Oliver Reed and Klaus Kinski. John Forbes-Robertson is still acting today. And I found out that the actor, Lance Holcomb, who played the kid in the film, a photo that looks like the child all grown up, comes up in Google as a salesperson for a Ford dealership in Washington! Some gruesome attack scenes in the film too! It brought several shocks. The direction is very good and the DVD that Blue Underground released the color is beautiful. Good Extras on the DVD too.
Yes, we sent you the wrong box...you got the one with the deadly snake.
It has been awhile since I saw this movie, but from what I remember it wasn't the best picture ever. Though it did have its moments. This one has two parts to it. One is the kidnappers; the other is a black mamba snake running loose. The snake ultimately screws up the kidnapping as it starts killing and terrorizing everyone in the building where the kidnappers are. This all starts out because the kid was supposed to get a harmless snake, but you know those darn mix ups. I sort of feel for the kidnappers though, you have the perfect plan all your details in check and a snake ruins everything. I realize black mambas are dangerous, but are they really as aggressive as the movie portrays? The ending is rather cool though.
Better than most reviewers rate it.
An exciting story with lots of suspenseful moments. Kinsky makes a great villain. Sterling Hayden did seem a bit under the weather, but Nicol Williamson gave an outstanding performance as a very different kind of policeman. I think the reviewers have been far too hard on this thriller. It sure kept me on the edge of my seat.
Caught between a rock and a hard place
While, the lady of the house is heading to Rome to be with her husband, her asthmatic son stays home with his housekeeper and grandfather. We learn that the housekeeper and the family driver have organised a plan along with a Russian criminal to kidnap the boy, but things go awry. The boy's harmless pet snake is accidentally switched at the pet shop with a vicious black mamba. The snake actually escapes during the kidnap attempt and not to soon the police arrive to surround the house after one of their officers was shot dead by the kidnappers. Now the group are trapped inside with the deadly reptile on the loose, while the police force are waiting on the outside.
At best "Venom" is an mediocre siege movie with an ambitiously, venomous twist. Though, what really gave the film the added hoick was that there was an excellent A-cast basically giving their all in a simple minded B-grade feature. With the likes of Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed and Nicol Williamson. I found it hard not to be entertained even if not much wasn't going on. Those three actors equally hold such a great screen presence. But with a title like "Venom" you'll be expecting some glorious snake action and it does deliver, but not as frequently as it should. When it did finally pop up it would rack up the excitement levels with some memorable (if sometimes slightly risible) attacks and a gratuitously, over-exaggerated (but fitting) climax. But it's Klaus Kinski's coldly, stern performance as the international terrorist Jacques that's far more unsettling. Those glazed eyes were just piercing! Oliver Reed on the other hand hams it up as the worrying family driver and Nicol Williamson is cracking as the officer in charge Cmdr. William Bulloch. The support roles by the likes of Sterling Hayden, Susan George and Sarah Miles are just as sensationally good. But it was the rapport clash of egos between Kinski and Reed that kept me glued, well other than the nasty surprises that awaited them. Director Piers Haggard, who took over from Tobe Hooper did a fine job for such a sudden inclusion. He's able to moderately construct some tight suspense from the bleak, claustrophobic confinement even if the story's structure follows a predictable pattern and sometimes the tautness falls away in patches with the constant cutting between the cops, kidnappers and snake. But what was unpredictable was the spontaneously, furious snake attacks that were chucked in for good measure. You just didn't know where the snake would show up next and when it does it's done so in an surprisingly, effective manner. Implemented into the picture are some creative camera shots, such as snake vision and the forceful score basically telegraphs the action and suspense impeccably well with its energy. Maybe the production does have that TV feel about it, but that doesn't hurt the film. The two genres behind this story (siege and creature on loose) might not be nothing new, but I found the uneven mixture of the two an entertaining experiment. Maybe it's not completely successful in combining them, but simply it's a decent time-waster.
A modest plot is brought to life by a well ensemble cast, a deadly snake and some tautly controlled direction. It's nothing totally special, but its better than average compared with most films of its ilk.
At best "Venom" is an mediocre siege movie with an ambitiously, venomous twist. Though, what really gave the film the added hoick was that there was an excellent A-cast basically giving their all in a simple minded B-grade feature. With the likes of Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed and Nicol Williamson. I found it hard not to be entertained even if not much wasn't going on. Those three actors equally hold such a great screen presence. But with a title like "Venom" you'll be expecting some glorious snake action and it does deliver, but not as frequently as it should. When it did finally pop up it would rack up the excitement levels with some memorable (if sometimes slightly risible) attacks and a gratuitously, over-exaggerated (but fitting) climax. But it's Klaus Kinski's coldly, stern performance as the international terrorist Jacques that's far more unsettling. Those glazed eyes were just piercing! Oliver Reed on the other hand hams it up as the worrying family driver and Nicol Williamson is cracking as the officer in charge Cmdr. William Bulloch. The support roles by the likes of Sterling Hayden, Susan George and Sarah Miles are just as sensationally good. But it was the rapport clash of egos between Kinski and Reed that kept me glued, well other than the nasty surprises that awaited them. Director Piers Haggard, who took over from Tobe Hooper did a fine job for such a sudden inclusion. He's able to moderately construct some tight suspense from the bleak, claustrophobic confinement even if the story's structure follows a predictable pattern and sometimes the tautness falls away in patches with the constant cutting between the cops, kidnappers and snake. But what was unpredictable was the spontaneously, furious snake attacks that were chucked in for good measure. You just didn't know where the snake would show up next and when it does it's done so in an surprisingly, effective manner. Implemented into the picture are some creative camera shots, such as snake vision and the forceful score basically telegraphs the action and suspense impeccably well with its energy. Maybe the production does have that TV feel about it, but that doesn't hurt the film. The two genres behind this story (siege and creature on loose) might not be nothing new, but I found the uneven mixture of the two an entertaining experiment. Maybe it's not completely successful in combining them, but simply it's a decent time-waster.
A modest plot is brought to life by a well ensemble cast, a deadly snake and some tautly controlled direction. It's nothing totally special, but its better than average compared with most films of its ilk.
- lost-in-limbo
- May 8, 2006
- Permalink
It s a pity that Tobe Hooper stopped working on that film>
- andreygrachev
- Aug 2, 2008
- Permalink
Painless time-killer.
My "one-line summary" pretty much says it all. A film of absolutely no significance, utterly forgettable, yet watchable enough if you have two hours available to waste. OK direction, with some inventive shots from the snake's point-of-view. If there is one problem with the film than stands out, it's Oliver Reed's terrible, overscaled performance; Nicol Williamson, on the other hand, keeps his dignity and comes off best. (**)
Kinski VS. Mamba: a virulent battle.
Terrifically entertaining (yet heavily flawed) Brit-thriller with a downright sensational cast and not one but TWO very competent directors. Tobe Hooper, still very popular and reliable those days, started the assignment but he got fired and replaced by no less than Piers Haggard. The latter made one of my personal favorite horror films during the early 70's ("Blood on Satan's Skin") and really knows how to bring tension to the screen. The plot of "Venom" is very simple and perhaps even a bit stupid, but the action sequences are far too exciting for you to care about that. Two dubious servants and one internationally wanted criminal plot to kidnap the sickly son of a rich English family, but face a very venomous obstacle. For you see, the boy was supposed to receive a harmless snake as a gift from his grandfather, but the pet store messed up and 'accidentally' delivered him a Black Mamba; the most dangerous and aggressive snake in the world. The reptile escapes and prevents the kidnappers from leaving the house while police forces gather around outside. The lethal-snake-on-the-loose concept results in a handful of very claustrophobic suspense sequences, while its violent attacks are well shot and providing the film with some jumpy moments. Horror and/or Creature Feature-fanatics shouldn't expect a lot of gore, but the make-up effects following a snake bite are effectively unsettling and gruesome. Demigod Klaus Kinski is just as petrifying as a poisonous snake and gives away a superb performance as always. Oliver Reed occasionally overacts as the sneering & nervous sidekick Dave, but he also has a couple of highly memorable scenes. Bringing these fine actors together in one film is already quite an accomplishment, and then there are still supportive roles for Nicol Williamson, Sterling Hayden and the natural beauty Susan George. "Venom" even stars British veteran Michael Gough in a neat cameo appearance! I could also mention some of the dramatic story lines that are clichéd or the twists that are implausible, but I merely just wish to emphasize that "Venom" is a fun flick and an excellent thriller-choice to watch when you're in an undemanding mood.
Caught this in a movie theatre back in 1981...
...and had trouble staying awake! Horrible, boring "thriller" about a bunch of kidnappers (or terrorists or something) stuck in a house with some hostages and a killer snake. Periodically the snake appears and bites someone. Yawn. This was a troubled production. Original director Tobe Hopper was fired over "creative differences" (I think he actually read the script and realized it was hopeless) and the DOP left a few days later. There were well-reported screaming matches between the stars and director. It was a wonder this thing was ever finished! I just can't figure how they got such a distinguished cast of actors in this. They all give out their worst performances by the way. Oliver Reed especially--he appears drunk through most of the film (maybe he was). Klaus Kinski just walks through his role and Sarah Miles and Nicol Williamson look embarrassed (no surprise there). Only Susan George shows any acting ability--and she's only in it for a short period of time. The snake POV attacks are kind of cool but they're a VERY small portion of this. Not a horror film but a slow, dull thriller with a lousy script and atrocious performances. Only worth seeing to watch a bunch of talented actors embarrass themselves. A 1 all the way.
Trouser Snake
Really, really bad
This movie's so horrible, the only thing it deserves is a demographic rating of 1, all categories & ages included. Lousy direction and an utterly uninspired and lame script makes this movie somewhat painful to watch. I can't even believe I'm wasting more valuable seconds writing this up after fast forwarding it through.
Stay away from it, no excuses.
1/10
Stay away from it, no excuses.
1/10
Superb 'Slithery Serpintine Suspenser!
Venom, is a great suspense that take's place in a luxurious townhouse in the heart of London, The film's premise is simple, a rich hotel magnate's son become's the target for a kidnap, that goes awry,
Susan George,plays the maid who scheme's with her chauffeur/lover Oliver Reed, And Klaus Kinski, plays a deadly eastern European terrorist, who wants the boy in exchange for a ransom, Thing's unfortunately don't go to plan as the boy who is a reptilian nut of sort's inadvertently brings home a deadly black mamba, as there was a mix up at the pet shop,
Also starring, the legendary Sterling Hayden(In his last major motion picture performance) play's the boy's big game hunting grandfather,
Scottish actor Nichol Willaimson, plays the dour police officer who deals with the crisis, And Sarah Miles plays the pivotal role of a toxicologist, who is called in to deal with the task of providing the pivotal antidote,and is also held hostage when an exchange for the antidote goes wrong,
In the townhouse,their are some great scare's in this flick, where you would NOT expect it them! the snake's point of view is Excellently represented by quashed anamorphic Len's's, which work really well,
All in all a moderately budgeted entertaining suspense that really bite's, People who don't like snake's need not apply!
Susan George,plays the maid who scheme's with her chauffeur/lover Oliver Reed, And Klaus Kinski, plays a deadly eastern European terrorist, who wants the boy in exchange for a ransom, Thing's unfortunately don't go to plan as the boy who is a reptilian nut of sort's inadvertently brings home a deadly black mamba, as there was a mix up at the pet shop,
Also starring, the legendary Sterling Hayden(In his last major motion picture performance) play's the boy's big game hunting grandfather,
Scottish actor Nichol Willaimson, plays the dour police officer who deals with the crisis, And Sarah Miles plays the pivotal role of a toxicologist, who is called in to deal with the task of providing the pivotal antidote,and is also held hostage when an exchange for the antidote goes wrong,
In the townhouse,their are some great scare's in this flick, where you would NOT expect it them! the snake's point of view is Excellently represented by quashed anamorphic Len's's, which work really well,
All in all a moderately budgeted entertaining suspense that really bite's, People who don't like snake's need not apply!
A hostage thriller
with a snake!
- wierzbowskisteedman
- Jun 15, 2006
- Permalink
Very Angry Mamba, Mainly A Crime Story
It's mainly/mostly a crime story where terrorists are trying to get money over holding a young rich boy hostage. The boy's mom went on a trip, left him with a maid and her dad at her place. The boy ordered a harmless snake but received the mamba by mistake - the mamba was suppose to have gone to the local toxicologist (the toxicologist received the boy's pet snake).
Most of the film is about the crime being committed - arguing crooks! Only a little is shown of the snake - mainly the beginning of the film and the ending. This could have simply been a crime-thriller (that is mainly what it is anyway) and left out the horror aspect with the rarely shown snake.
Okay film - just not great as a horror film. Good when viewed as a crime-thriller.
5/10
Most of the film is about the crime being committed - arguing crooks! Only a little is shown of the snake - mainly the beginning of the film and the ending. This could have simply been a crime-thriller (that is mainly what it is anyway) and left out the horror aspect with the rarely shown snake.
Okay film - just not great as a horror film. Good when viewed as a crime-thriller.
5/10
- Rainey-Dawn
- Sep 12, 2017
- Permalink