The Lair of the White Worm

Name: The Lair of the White Worm
Genre: Horror
Released: October 21, 1988
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 61
Cast: Amanda Donohoe, Catherine Oxenberg, Chris Pitt, Gina McKee, Hugh Grant

1988

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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The Lair Of The White Worm

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Movie Details & Credits

Vestron Pictures | Release Date: October 21, 1988 | R

Starring: Amanda Donohoe, Catherine Oxenberg, Chris Pitt, Gina McKee, Hugh Grant, Imogen Claire, Paul Brooke, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, Stratford Johns

Summary: When an archeologist uncovers a strange skull in foreign land, the residents of a nearby town begin to disappear, leading to further unexplainable occurrences.

Director: Ken Russell

Genre(s): Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 93 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Staff (Not Credited)

Donohoe as the vampire seductress projects a beguiling sexuality that should suck the resistance out of all but the most cold-blooded critics. She is also hilarious, a virtue shared by everyone and everything in The Lair of the White Worm. Read full review

Gene Siskel

Director Ken Russell is at his kinky best in this horror story that is adult in its thrills, humor and sexuality. Figuring out who is the worm in the movie is quite easy. But the particulars of Russell's imagination are delightfully outrageous. [11 Nov 1988, p.A]

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Given a distinctly playful treatment by Russell, who crams some kind of phallic imagery into almost every frame, THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM is solid, campy fun--much more entertaining than any of the director's "serious" films. Russell (who also scripted) enjoys himself with all kinds of fetishistic images, from a naked Amanda Donohoe slithering around in green body paint, to a white bra- and panties-clad Catherine Oxenberg suspened over a pit as a sacrificial offering to the great white worm-snake--whose flickering tongue is, no doubt, firmly in his cheek. Read full review

Janet Maslin

Not a worm is left unturned in Ken Russell's buoyant, mischievous and predictably overwrought new film. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

The mad campy moments—which chiefly involve snake woman Amanda Donohoe slinking around in various stages of undress or in dominatrix outfits—are worth waiting for. Read full review

Roger Ebert

It has everything you want: shadows, screams, feverish scientific speculations, guttering candle flames, flowing diaphanous gowns, midnights, dawns and worms. Russell was once, and no doubt will be again, considered an important director. This is the sort of exercise he could film with one hand tied behind his back, and it looks like that was indeed more or less his approach. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Tiresome. Read full review

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User Reviews

Detective_Lindy

May 11, 2021

Roger Ebert saved his most savage paragraph ever written for this film, which isn't as good as my score indicates, but has its fans who are right about it. Did Ebert get up and go to the bathroom during the fantasy/dream sequences? They demonstrate a surrealist ethic that would make SalvadorRoger Ebert saved his most savage paragraph ever written for this film, which isn't as good as my score indicates, but has its fans who are right about it. Did Ebert get up and go to the bathroom during the fantasy/dream sequences? They demonstrate a surrealist ethic that would make Salvador Dali himself jealous.
Based on one of the worst horror novels ever written (of the same name by Bram "Dracula" Stoker, no less), Ken Russell hits his stride with an adaptation that finds a perfect balance between desire and repulsion, dumb jokes and disturbing scares. A pre-famous Hugh Grant gives us a nice view of his range, while Amanda Donohoe gives us the last great female villain since Cruella DeVille. If you don't find the latter equal parts sinister and sexy, then you are probably dead. With marijuana legalization sweeping the nation, this film should rightfully claim its mantle as a cult classic (cough cough, looking at you Denver...wow...look at the colors!) Seriously (and I was being serious), if you liked Peter "Lord of the Rings" Jackson for his spectacular work in his zombie sendup "Braindead," stop reading this review and give this movie a shot.… Expand

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dr_zoidberg590

Oct 6, 2020

It's great, succeeds at what it tries to do, a sensual, slightly lovecraftian adventure with a good direction and aesthetics, likeable characters. One for Hammer Horror fans, but it's so much more than that. A real treat.

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Kai82

Feb 24, 2022

This movie is fascinating, enjoyable and unique. It is also strange and cheesy and I can see why other would rate it as garbage. It is the kind of movie you have to watch as reviews cant grasp it entirely but I will do my best. It is said to be based on a book by legendary Bram Stoker withThis movie is fascinating, enjoyable and unique. It is also strange and cheesy and I can see why other would rate it as garbage. It is the kind of movie you have to watch as reviews cant grasp it entirely but I will do my best. It is said to be based on a book by legendary Bram Stoker with the same name but I did not read the book and even more did discover this fact only recently. They use also the legend of the Lambton Worm which is a folklore legend from the United Kingdom for set up. The story is set in modern times and stars Angus Flint who is an archaeology student in Durham Scotland. It starts when he discovers a skull at an excavation side that appears to belong to a giant unknown species of snake. He believes to have found the truth behind the legend of the Lambton Worm. He tells this the current lord of the Lambton estate who is a descendant of the hero who defeated the worm back then. There is also the mysterious Lady Sylvia who takes a lot of interest in this. Here I stop to avoid spoilers. Like I said the story is fascinating, cheesy, maybe in the so bad is good category but I could not turn it off as it was too entertaining. The actors work good enough but I must mention there are some cheesy scenes too which I cant blame them for. We have Hugh Grant as Lord D’Ampton. He works well and it is one of his first movies. The star is Amanda Donohoe as Lady Sylvia. She is incredible and a highlight. Then there is Peter Capaldi as Angus Flint. Today he is famous as “The Doctor” and here he does a convincing job. Catherine Oxenberg and Paul Brooke round up the cast. Again like I said a good performance with some cheesy moments. The special and practical effects are mixed. Some are really bad, some entertaining and some really good considering the time and budget. I must warn you that there are some disturbing images in this movie but those are not inserted for outrage or effects. Those are fitting into the story and narrative. Director Ken Russel is famous for this and a bit controversial. Overall this was a unique and fascinating experience. While I generally shy away from the phrase “Not for everyone” it is valid here.… Expand

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tonyGreen

Sep 12, 2022

Camp, kooky, and unique. A genuine black comedy mixed with moments of shock and horror. Great locations, direction and cast. Phallic symbolism anyone?

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