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Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel, Ray Barrett, Jacqueline Pearce, Michael Ripper ... see more see more... , John Laurie , David Baron , Harold Goldblatt , Charles Lloyd Pack , Marne Maitland , George Woodbridge , Harold Pinter

This chilling monster film metaphorically examines the horrors brought home by British colonialism. Harry and Valerie (Ray Barrett, Jennifer Daniel) inherit the Cornwall home of Harry's brother, who d... read more read more...ied under mysterious circumstances. The local villagers are tight-lipped and afraid, and the couple's neighbor, the hostile Dr. Franklin (Noel Willman), hides in a large mansion with his frightened daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce) and a strange foreign man (Marne Maitland). The truth is that Franklin had been investigating a secret tribe of snake-people on his last trip to Borneo, and they had reacted to his intrusion by making Anna one of them. As a result, the girl turns into a hideous cobra-woman every winter, with bulging eyes, a scaly face, and large, venomous fangs. Other than the unusual monster, The Reptile may as well be a direct remake of Hammer's The Mummy, a film which this one apes in many of its contrivances. Director John Gilling does manage some effective setpieces, such as the sulfur-spring below the mansion, which keeps Anna warm as she writhes beneath a blanket to shed her skin. Underrated character-actor Michael Ripper appears in one of his more substantial roles as Tom, the local pub-owner, who goes from avoidance to digging up graves and risking his life to save the couple. There are some inconsistencies in Anthony Hinds' script, but the film is handsomely mounted and delivers its share of shocks. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

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42% liked it

1,017 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: John Gilling

Release Date: April 6, 1966

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DVD Release Date: November 2, 1999

Stats: 76 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (76)

  • rubystevens
    October 9, 2010
    rubystevens
    more strange goings on in the cornish countryside. the reptile builds good suspense with plenty of spooky atmosphere but the creature itself is a bit of a letdown. cheers to hammer for featuring a female monster tho :)
  • newvogueravyn
    April 16, 2009
    newvogueravyn
    As with most Hammer horror, it's dated but still an enjoyable watch. If you can forgive the bad make up effects, they were on a budget after all.
  • sayers1977
    April 1, 2012
    sayers1977
    Made back to back with 'Plague of the Zombies' this uses many of the same sets and a couple of the actors. Like Zombies both Lee and Cushing are sadly missing from this Hammer film but there isn't really a decent part for them to get their teeth into. The monster is only really s... read moreeen in short bursts but the repurcussions of her bite are some nasty looking corpses. It'd good to see Ripper getting a decent amount of time in the limelight and most of the acting here is pretty solid. Laurie steals the honours as Mad Peter but is killed off too quickly. The make-up for Pearce is pretty good but she isn't as effective here as she is in Zombies. The one thing that struck me was that the film was nowhere near horrific enough and I found myself getting a little bored.
  • HenrikSchunk
    March 21, 2011
    HenrikSchunk
    This is one of Hammer's better films, albeit quiet unknown in the world of horror. I can see why though. Not because it is a bad film, but it does not come with any Hammer star power or scream-queens, the film is a tad similar to A Plague of Zombies and the creature in this film ... read moremay be typical Hammer material but arguably the most obscure and therefore quite laughable in parts.

    However, the rest of the film stands in the tradition of fines British old school Horror film making, a remote village in the countryside (Although Cornwall has never been that puny as it is portrayed in the film), distrusting villagers, an old manor, a murky moor, lots of lush, grave-digging and lovely costumes.

    The story is simple but supported by the basic human interest of a man questioning the circumstances of his brother's death, works fine. The film is less spectacular and action oriented than some other Hammer films and crawls along with a slow but entertaining pace, throwing titbits of information to the protagonist and his wife.

    Towards the climax, the scope and the weirdness factor goes a bit out of hand and it is all rather formulaic, that is, if you know other Hammer Horror films and it lost me there but the spooky and creepy atmosphere is enough to make this one entertaining.

    Another thing that annoyed me quite a bit is the character of Dr. Franklyn's manservant, a mysterious man from India - which probably was enough in the sixties to make a proper English Gentleman scared but I think it feels goody and outdated to include a foreigner to explain the nightmarish ongoings. Maybe it fits into the historic context of the film, but I did not like that.

    The cast is solid, no big leaps of talent here, Noel Willma gives a steady performance until the film calls for him to step it up and he is clearly more of a subtle actor, if anything.

    A hidden gem for fans of the genre, British horror and of course Hammer Horror films. All others might be irritated by the slow pace and lack of hands-on gore.

    HX
  • johnxerxes
    February 12, 2012
    johnxerxes
    Great under-utlized title creature with a lame origin story. Plus the creepy snake handler Malay clearly has a more Egyptian/Indian feel than any south Asian Borneo jerk. Still. He makes a good shadow creeper, even if her goes out like a punk. A lot of insulted townsfolk streamin... read moreg out of pubs, MOORS, and the same sets and grave disturbing as in PLAGUE OF ZOMBIES (which was filmed back to back with this one). Jacqueline Pearce shines while playing the sitar, seeing that alone was worth the awful mewing of the black kitten. Stay for the pub keeper's navy beard and the scenes of domestic intrigue during a terribly awkward dinner party!

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Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
October 7, 2008
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

One of the better Hammer films. Full Review

Ken Hanke
July 19, 2004
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Better than average -- and often overlooked -- Hammer opus.

Emanuel Levy
October 1, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Geoff Andrew
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

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