Main Cast: Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel, Ray Barrett, Jacqueline Pearce, Michael Ripper
Release Year: 1966
Country: UK
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
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 died 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, All Movie Guide
John Laurie - Mad Peter; David Baron - Charles Spalding; Harold Goldblatt - Solicitor; Charles Lloyd Pack - Vicar; Marne Maitland - Malay; George Woodbridge - Old Garnsey
Credit
Don Mingaye - Art Director, John Gilling - Director, James Needs - Editor, Roy Hyde - Editor, Don Banks - Composer (Music Score), Philip Martell - Musical Direction/Supervision, Roy Ashton - Makeup, Bernard Robinson - Production Designer, Arthur Grant - Cinematographer, Anthony Nelson Keys - Producer, Bowie Films - Special Effects, Les Bowie - Special Effects, Anthony Hinds - Screenwriter, John Elder - Screenwriter
The film takes place in the fictional village of Clagmoor Heath in Cornwall, where several locals are dying from what is allegedly the Black Death in the middle of the night.
Dr. Harry Spalding (Ray Barrett) and his wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel) arrive in the village after Harry inherits a cottage there belonging to his brother, Charles (David Baron), who has allegedly died of heart faliure. They are shunned by the locals, but are given a warm welcome by local innkeeper Tom Bailey (Michael Ripper), who helps them to settle in.
In the middle of the night, the Spaldings are awoken by the presence of Mad Peter (John Laurie), an eccentric Harry had met on arrival in the village. His skin is now a violent green colour, he is foaming at the mouth, and dies in their arms. The Spaldings attempt to alert Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman), the local doctor and landlord, but Franklyn arrogantly states that Peter's death is not his concern.
As time passes, the Spaldings, with the help of Tom, learn that Dr. Franklyn, and his beautiful daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce), are prisoners of their Malay servant Marne Maitland, who is a member of a sinister snake cult intent on bringing nothing but pain and anguish to the world.
The production was filmed back to back with the The Plague of the Zombies, and used many of the same sets, including exterior shots in the grounds of Oakley Court (seen burning in the final frames).
A novelization of the film was written by John Burke as part of his 1967 book The Second Hammer Horror Film Omnibus.
