23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Off beat Cult film!!!, January 28, 2002
This review is from: Lair of the White Worm (DVD)
Up front, NOT everyone will like this film. It's a Ken Russell film, after all. That said, if you are scared of snakes, have a religious bent or hate picked earthworms in aspec, then this film is NOT for you!! Amanda Donahoe turns out a stunning performs as the Lady who is not a lady. Hugh Grant (before he was HUGH Grant) is perfect as Lord D'Ampton. A mystery, a horror with vampire tones, Russell crafts a winning hommage to old Hammer Films, and boldly goes where they rarely did, and adds the dash of droll humour to top off the mix.
Russell's best film!! But as I said, NOT everyone will appreciate it.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
First-Class Trash, October 18, 2000
This one was despised by the serious critics, but all that means is that they weren't weird enough to enjoy it. All right, it's trash. But it's great trash. It's my idea of a feel-good movie. It's kinky, erotic, scary, and funny. And bright. Literally. After zillions of creepy, dark, scary scenes in movies, the sunshine and well-lit rooms in this one emphasize the horror scenes. But who cares about the lighting? It's main attraction is an over-the-top performance by Amanda Donohoe as a very bad girl. Upper-crust Hugh Grant and his cohorts have a lot of fun trying to evade her slithery grasp. That's about all you need to know. But for heaven's sakes, don't take it seriously. If you hate it, you'll really hate it.
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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good horror that is fun to watch, January 8, 2000
This review is from: Lair of the White Worm (DVD)
Lair of the White Worm is originally a story by Bram Stoker (author of Dracula) and the book is really worth reading. It is based on an old folk tale, adapted by many different authors, of how a giant worm (dragon) was slain by a knight. In one story the knight clad himself in a plate mail of spikes and when the worm tried to crush him, it killed itself.
The movie (and book) takes place several hundred years later when the Lord James D'Ampton (Hugh Grant), grandchild of the knight who slew the worm, returns to his castle at the same time as an old skull, of unknown species is found by an archeology student (Peter Capaldi). At the same time a mysterious lady (Amanda Donohoe) arrives from her travels abroad. And people start to disappear.
The story is good, the actors are excellent, the filming is beautiful, but the special effects sometimes leaves something to wish for. One has to remember that this is Ken Russel directing which means spooky dream sequences, some weird camery angles and characters that are a bit too much - in a good way. This is also true for the dialogue. Hugh Grant is simply perfect as the snobbish lord that has set his mind to destroy the new D'Ampton-worm and with Amanda Donohoe as the evil worm-cultist, sexy and manipulating at once, things couldn't be better.
A Ken Russel-fan will definitely love this one, so will any one that has liked Sam Raimi's (Evil Dead) movies, even if this hasn't got as much gore). So will also anyone who likes their horror with an ironic touch. Anyone that wants the standard version of Hollywood Horror should choose another one.
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