Review of The Lair of the White Worm (1988) by Stuart K — 05 Sep 2012
At the end of the 1980's, Ken Russell found himself with a deal with small American distributor Vestron Pictures, who released Gothic (1986), but offered to release Ken's next 3 films, Salome's Last Dance (1988), The Rainbow (1989) and this, based upon Bram Stoker's 1911 novel.
It's a very lurid and insane film, which was Ken's last stab at lunacy before he shied away from cinema after Whore (1991). It has Scottish archaeology student Angus Flint (Peter Capaldi) doing an archaeological dig in the gardens of a bed and breakfast belonging to sisters Mary (Sammi Davis) and Eve (Catherine Oxenberg).
Angus finds a large skull thought to be that of a snake, but he finds it ties in to a local legend of the d'Ampton worm, who was slain many years ago. Angus meets James d'Ampton (Hugh Grant) and gets him to go on an expedition to Stonerich Cavern, where the worm was allegedly slain.
They stay at the nearby house belonging to Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe), who isn't what she seems, and the plot thickens when Angus and the sisters discover a network of tunnels leading to underneath Stonerich Cavern.
It's absolutely insane, with a rock-folk jamboree at a civilised ball, a vampirish creature who seems to go for the groin and a climax from a Universal horror. But, you have to love Ken for going for this, it's what you'd expect from him.
It's got a good cast, and requisite sex and nudity, what Ken is best at, it's his last hurrah before he went to make films in his garage.
This review of The Lair of the White Worm (1988) was written by Stuart K on 05 Sep 2012.
The Lair of the White Worm has generally received mixed reviews.
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