The Reptile

I`m not much of a horror film fan and have always found much of Hammer`s output mediocre ( Especially their FRANKENSTIEN and DRACULA stuff ) but I do believe THE REPTILE is one of best films to have come out of the studio . It does contain some stilted performances and dialogue , some obvious day for night filming , and the corny cliche of an Innkeeper ( " Strangers sir ? We don`t get strangers in these parts " ) but rightfully THE REPTILE concentrates on mystery and atmosphere rather than gore and the make up on the title creature is very good . I remember this film terrified me as a child and seeing it again as an adult I did find it very entertaining . Good scary fun

A small village in England which is terrorized by a horrible creature:part woman-part reptile.A captain Harry quickly discovers that several locals have been killed by mysterious snake bites,something which is also found to have been the cause of his brother death.It seems that Dr Franklyn's daughter Anna was abducted by a snake cult Franklyn was researching in Borneo and now periodically transforms into a snake creature."The Reptile" was actually shot back-to-back with another John Gilling's horror classic "Plague of the Zombies".The reptile attack pattern is even identical to the vampire's and the random killings are creepy enough.The film is quite moody and very subtle,so don't expect any gore.The plot moves swiftly and the direction is effective in creating suspense and menacing atmosphere.9 out of 10.

This film is one of the best period horror films of it's day. The costumes and sets are lavish and the acting is notable. The 'Reptile' itself is hinted at but not seen for most of the film, building suspense. It is a shame that the video box shows what the Reptile looks like, lessening the shock when you see it on the screen. The make up was very ahead of its time, much more realistic than other films of its day. The only problem about the film is that it plays like a mystery, but we already know what is going on. People die after getting on the neck. No one knows who or what is doing the killing. A good guess on our part would be, the Reptile. By the time the players figure that out, we have already have figured out who is the Reptile. The film is a little low on terror and gore for a Hammer film, but writing and effects more than make up for it. Plus the film boasts one of the best 'dead body POV shots' ever filmed. A must for any Hammer fan!