“I love animals….”
Hammer slithers into scaly terror with 1966’s The Reptile. This film wastes no time introducing the horror as the first person that we see on screen, Charles Spalding (David Baron), is killed by an unseen villain. Other villagers have died as well and the locals believe that they are being infected by a sickness that they’ve dubbed the “Black Death.” Charles’ brother, Harry, inherits his deceased brother’s home. Harry and his wife, Valerie, move into the home and are met with resistance by their new neighbors. From having their home ransacked to getting the cold shoulder at the local pub, the Spaldings aren’t welcomed in the village but refuse to leave. Harry does manage to befriend the pub owner, Tom, and also runs into Mad Peter, a local man that’s slightly off his rocker who warns Harry and Valerie that they should leave for their own safety. Harry and Valerie also meet their closest neighbor, the standoffish Dr. Franklyn and his ill-treated daughter, the lovely and friendly Anna, who is severely punished by her father. Along with the Franklyns is the doctor’s servant, known only as the Malay.
As bodies begin to pile up, Harry and Tom decide to investigate the most recent deaths, one of which is Charles Spalding. They discover that all of the victims have two fang marks on their necks, darkened skin, and experience foaming at the mouth. Harry and Tom, both of whom are well traveled men, believe that the bites and the associated symptoms are similar to those of a type of cobra that isn’t native to England. As they continue to investigate, Harry is attacked, but manages to survive. Valerie attempts to befriend Anna but finds Dr. Franklyn trying to keep them apart. Things come to a head when Anna is revealed to be a cursed woman who transforms into a reptilian monster. Dr. Franklyn is trying to protect her and her potential victims. As more truths begin to surface, who turns out to be the true villain? Can Harry and Tom stop the venomous Anna? Check out The Reptile to find out!
This was a pretty fun film to watch. Director John Gilling hides nothing from the audience, making it pretty obvious early in the film that the Franklyns have a dark secret. The film’s cast does a fine job, especially Jennifer Daniel as Valerie Spalding and Jacqueline Pearce as the stunningly gorgeous Anna. Full disclosure, I’ve had a mad crush on Pearce ever since I saw her as Servalan in the British sci-fi drama Blake’s 7. Ray Barrett does a nice job as Harry Spalding and he has great chemistry with Michael Ripper as Tom Bailey. Noel Willman’s Dr. Franklyn is brutal. He’s a trapped man being forced to do things against his will. Marne Maitland is sinister as the Malay as well.
The film is ultimately nothing more than a traditional creature feature, but it’s still a blast to view. It’s got plenty of suspense and just enough gore to appease hardcore Hammer fans. The creature effects work extremely well and the reptile monster looks pretty cool. Pearce is under all of that makeup and manages to be quite terrorizing.
For a good old monster flick, check out The Reptile. I’ll be continuing my Thirty-One Days O’Horror tomorrow, so be sure to return to my page each and every day this month. Thanks for stopping by and reading my post!
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