Monster of the Day #227

Updated on April 5, 2011 By Ken Begg 13 Comments

This was shot back to back with the very good Plague of the Zombies. Hammers’ non series films (i.e, Frankenstein, Dracula, Quatermass, and the Mummy) arguably don’t get enough attention.  Many of them are quite good, including The Gorgon, Curse of the Werewolf, The Devil Rides out, X the Unknown, and some of their more idiosyncratic vampire pictures, such as Vampire Circus and the really quite fab Captain Kronos. This lady, however, is probably the most successful of Hammer’s original creations.

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  • The Rev.

    How do you mean by “successful”? Did it do really well at the box office? I’m just curious, since out of that list, you usually hear about Captain Kronos or Plague of the Zombies (neither of which I’ve seen, although the latter’s on my DVR, along with The Gorgon and The Devil Rides Out).

    I do know that X The Unknown was pretty fab.

  • Yes, that was vague. I might better have said, most memorable. I think this is one of Hammer’s few original beasties to enter the pantheon of familiar monsters.

    Check out all of those titles, but especially Kronos. A very fun film, and well ahead of its time.

  • P Stroud

    “The Lizard”, right? It was on TCM a few months back. I recorded it but haven’t gotten around to seeing it yet.

  • Ericb

    She looks more like a snake, which I’m gueSssssssssss!ing is this week’s theme.

  • Reed

    I love both Vampire Circus and Captain Kronos. The first time I saw Kronos on TV I thought, “Why isn’t this film better known?” However, after repeat viewings I think I can sum it up in 2 words: Horst Jansen. Kronos is a great character (although I really object to his behavior regarding Caroline Munroe), but Horst really has zero charisma.

    I don’t believe I’ve seen today’s subject.

  • roger h

    “Snake women, why did it have to be snake women?”

    Going by forked tongue, it is a snake creature. That, or a white man dealing with Native Americans.

  • David Fullam

    Jaqueline Pearce can bite me anytime!

  • Ken, your fans are gruesomely ignorant. It’s “The Reptile” of course, famed far and wide. She’s supposed to be half-cobra. A nice little movie which I like even more than Plague of the Zombies.

    Actually I was pretty peeved at Plague of the Zombies when it turned out their most awesome shock moment was a dream. Jerks.

  • fish eye no miko

    David Fullam said: “Jaqueline Pearce can bite me anytime!”

    Wow, Servalan’s really let herself go…

  • Gamera

    I rather liked Captain Kronos. I though the whole idea of the ‘vampires’ draining youth rather than blood was cool. And burying the dead toads to find the undead.

    Sorry to say I haven’t yet seen ‘The Reptile’ but the make-up is pretty nifty.

  • The Rev.

    Hey, I remembered the title!

    If only because I blanked on it at that one T-Fest trivia contest, which means I’ll never ever again forget it…

  • Rock Baker

    Weirdly, I recently saw the preview for Snake Woman, which looks vaguely similar to The Reptile.

    I remember The Reptile from TNT’s 100% Weird. I watched it again a few years ago, but I didn’t tape it (still made out good that night, getting The Mummy, Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, and Dracula: Prince of Darkness)! One I really need to see again, but I guess The Gorgon will do until I can actually pick up a copy of The Repitle. I really would like to see it again, I remember so little. (About all I do remember is that Michael Ripper was in it -it was the third time I saw him in a movie, so I had to learn his name, that’s how my mind works.)

  • Petoht

    That’s a pretty cool prosthesis there. Well, except for the eyes. And being able to see the seams around the mouth. Still… that looks pretty cool.