The Lair of the White Worm 1988
6 / 10
The Lair of the White Worm
When an archaeologist uncovers a strange skull in a foreign land, the residents of a nearby town begin to disappear, leading to further inexplicable occurrences.
When an archaeologist uncovers a strange skull in a foreign land, the residents of a nearby town begin to disappear, leading to further inexplicable occurrences.
Videos & Photos
All 3 Videos & 36 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
... Lady Sylvia Marsh
... Lord James D'Ampton
... Eve Trent
... Angus Flint
... Mary Trent
... Peters
User reviews
See All 1 Reviews23 Jun 2021 by Wuchak
***Quirky, amusing, sometimes surreal horror about a snake cult in England*** Directed & written by Ken Russell and loosely based on Bram Stoker’s novel, “The Lair of the White Worm” (1988) chronicles events in England when a young archeologist (Peter Capaldi) uncovers a skull of some unknown beast near a bed & breakfast run by two sisters (Sammi Davis & Catherine Oxenberg). These three and Eve’s beau (Hugh Grant) soon stumble upon an ancient snake cult led by the eccentric Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe), who dwells at a lavish estate nearby. The movie is a creative and entertaining creature feature reminiscent in tone & theme of “Squirm” (1976), but with Russell’s well-known offbeat excesses. The “creatures” are vampire-like snake people plus a gigantic serpent at the close, both of which recall the snake worshipers & giant serpents from “Conan the Barbarian” (1982). There are some iconic cinematic images, like Donohoe as the vampiric snake lady, not to mention a few well done horror scenes, like a snake woman who’s cut in half, but still wiggles with furious intent. The snake cult is diabolical in an anti-Christ way and I can see why some viewers might find the movie shocking and offensive, like the weird nun-raping flashback. Yet everything's so exaggerated and sometimes cheesy with a bit o' humor thrown in that the film can't be taken very seriously, which negates it from being shocking or disturbing. Fun in a horrific way? Yes. Disturbing? No. Also, keep in mind that horror villains/monsters are SUPPOSED to drip with ee-vil and be shocking. The question is, do they win or do the noble protagonists win? On the female front, the chief snake lady thinks she’s hotter than she really is as Donohoe amusingly hams it up. Meanwhile Catherine Oxenberg as Eve is a semi-highlight, particularly in the last act. The film runs 1 hour, 33 minutes and was shot entirely in England (Hertfordshire; Manifold Valley, Staffordshire; Peak District National Park; and Derbyshire). Thor's Cave in Manifold Valley is magnificent. GRADE: B-
Release Date:
Sep 21, 1988 (United Kingdom)
Run Time:
1hr 33`
MMPA Rating:
R
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
United Kingdom
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:
Related Movies To
The Lair of the White Worm
***Quirky, amusing, sometimes surreal horror about a snake cult in England*** Directed & written by Ken Russell and loosely based on Bram Stoker’s novel, “The Lair of the White Worm” (1988) chronicles events in England when a young archeologist (Peter Capaldi) uncovers a skull of some unknown beast near a bed & breakfast run by two sisters (Sammi Davis & Catherine Oxenberg). These three and Eve’s beau (Hugh Grant) soon stumble upon an ancient snake cult led by the eccentric Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe), who dwells at a lavish estate nearby. The movie is a creative and entertaining creature feature reminiscent in tone & theme of “Squirm” (1976), but with Russell’s well-known offbeat excesses. The “creatures” are vampire-like snake people plus a gigantic serpent at the close, both of which recall the snake worshipers & giant serpents from “Conan the Barbarian” (1982). There are some iconic cinematic images, like Donohoe as the vampiric snake lady, not to mention a few well done horror scenes, like a snake woman who’s cut in half, but still wiggles with furious intent. The snake cult is diabolical in an anti-Christ way and I can see why some viewers might find the movie shocking and offensive, like the weird nun-raping flashback. Yet everything's so exaggerated and sometimes cheesy with a bit o' humor thrown in that the film can't be taken very seriously, which negates it from being shocking or disturbing. Fun in a horrific way? Yes. Disturbing? No. Also, keep in mind that horror villains/monsters are SUPPOSED to drip with ee-vil and be shocking. The question is, do they win or do the noble protagonists win? On the female front, the chief snake lady thinks she’s hotter than she really is as Donohoe amusingly hams it up. Meanwhile Catherine Oxenberg as Eve is a semi-highlight, particularly in the last act. The film runs 1 hour, 33 minutes and was shot entirely in England (Hertfordshire; Manifold Valley, Staffordshire; Peak District National Park; and Derbyshire). Thor's Cave in Manifold Valley is magnificent. GRADE: B-
Cast & Crew of
The Lair of the White Worm
Directors & Credit Writers
... Third Assistant Director
... Second Assistant Director
... Director
Cast
... Lady Sylvia Marsh
... Lord James D'Ampton
... Eve Trent
... Angus Flint
... Mary Trent
... Peters
... P.C. Erny
... Dorothy Trent
CP
Chris Pitt... Kevin
... Nurse Gladwell
... Joe Trent
LP
Lloyd Peters... Jesus Christ
MC
Miranda Coe... Maid / Nun
... Maid / Nun
CAK
Caron Anne Kelly... Maid / Nun
... Maid / Nun
... Maid / Nun
ES
Elisha Scott... Maid / Nun
... Maid / Nun
PE
Paul Easom... Soldier / Witchdoctor
Produced By
Videos & Photos of
The Lair of the White Worm
Videos ( 3)
![thumbnail-The Lair of the White Worm (1988) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pMHZQDVnVUU/hqdefault.jpg)
Photos ( 36 )
Related Movies To
The Lair of the White Worm
Lilo & Stitch (2025)
0 /10
The wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.
Run Time: 1hr 48` . MMPA: PG . Release: 17 May 2025
Director: Aldric La'Auli Porter , Stephanie Tull , Dean Fleischer Camp
Producer: Louie Provost , Leigh Shanta , Jonathan Eirich
Stars: Chris Sanders , Maia Kealoha , Zach Galifianakis , Billy Magnussen , Sydney Agudong , Courtney B. Vance
Sinners (2025)
0 /10
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Run Time: 2hr 18` . MMPA: R . Release: 16 Apr 2025
Director: Marvin Williams , Amir R. Khan , Ryan Coogler
Producer: Francine Maisler , Ammar Mohamed , Zinzi Coogler
Stars: Michael B. Jordan , Jack O'Connell , Delroy Lindo , Jayme Lawson , Wunmi Mosaku , Hailee Steinfeld
A Minecraft Movie (2025)
0 /10
Four misfits find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve.
Run Time: 1hr 41` . MMPA: PG . Release: 31 Mar 2025
Director: Ben Bamford , Monique Knight , Nick Satriano
Producer: Austin Alig , Anthony Tittanegro , Jay Ashenfelter
Stars: Jack Black , Jason Momoa , Matt Berry , Pauline Chalamet , Jennifer Coolidge , Danielle Brooks
The Cult (2024)
0 /10
When a young woman relocates to a small town in Europe, she notices the place has something weird. As time goes by, she starts to fear for her life. Based on actual events and in the book the day she became plastic.
Run Time: 1hr 30` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Jun 2024
Director: Alexandre Alonso
Producer:
Stars:
Final Destination Bloodlines (2025)
0 /10
Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.
Run Time: 1hr 50` . MMPA: R . Release: 14 May 2025
Director: Emely Martin , Carl Mason , Carl Mason
Producer: Devon Downie , Dave Neustadter , Kira Dimitri
Stars: Tony Todd , Melissa Barrera , Anna Lore , Renata Vaca , Teo Briones , Quintessa Swindell
Santa Isn't Real (2023)
0 /10
After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas Eve, Nikki struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol' Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to terrorize the group in their remote cabin the next Christmas, Nikki and her friends must overcome disbelief as they fight to stay alive.
Run Time: 1hr 16` . MMPA: R . Release: 08 Dec 2023
Director: Zac Locke
Producer: Jordan Michaud-Scorza
Stars: Scarlett Sperduto , Kaya Coleman , Dana Millican , Cissy Ly , Michelle Damis , William Earl Ray
Crypto Legacy (2020)
2.5 /10
Troy Morgan doesn't like his family's farm. The place creeps him out. After spotting some strange lights one evening, Troy and his little sister Carrie go to investigate the creepy barn.
Run Time: 1hr 11` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2020
Director: Charles Townsend
Producer: Charles Townsend
Stars: Sheri Gill Dixon , Brian Kunz , Brandon Young , Nathaniel Barton , Linzi Gray , Thalia Reynolds
Conjuring the Cult (2024)
0 /10
After discovering his blood-soaked daughter dead in the bathtub, David Bryson attends a self-help group to help save him from his ghostly nightmares. But when a group of mysterious cult-like women offer to help him resurrect his daughter. David's choices will not just decide his fate... but the fate of his dead daughter's SOUL.
Run Time: 1hr 33` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2024
Director: Calvin Morie McCarthy
Producer:
Stars: Neil Green , Elissa Dowling , Chynna Rae Shurts , BJ Mezek , Jason Brooks , Brad Littlefield
The Mount 2 (2023)
4 /10
A year after the incident at the Mount, the police are still investigating the murders of Philomena and Caroline. The Mount has been cordoned off by the police. However, on Halloween night, a group of teenagers break in. They plan on holding a wedding between friends, conducted by a rather odd character, however, little did they know some unexpected guests would show up to crash the party.
Run Time: 1hr 21` . MMPA: . Release: 12 May 2023
Director: Ian Charles Serra , Isaac Barrao
Producer:
Stars: Niall Serra , Esther Roiz , Mia Sen , Christina Linares , Sam Bush , Tony Loddo
The Suicide Squad (2021)
7.2 /10
Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
Run Time: 2hr 12` . MMPA: R . Release: 28 Jul 2021
Director: Katy Galow , Lars P. Winther , James Gunn
Producer: Daniel Martinez , Deborah Snyder , Arianne Benedetti
Stars: Margot Robbie , Idris Elba , John Cena , Joel Kinnaman , Sylvester Stallone , Viola Davis
Until Dawn (2025)
0 /10
One year after her sister Melanie mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one...only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening.
Run Time: 1hr 43` . MMPA: R . Release: 23 Apr 2025
Director: David F. Sandberg
Producer: Charles Miller , Gary Dauberman , David F. Sandberg
Stars: Ella Rubin , Michael Cimino , Ji-young Yoo , Odessa A'zion , Peter Stormare , Maia Mitchell
Remnant (2024)
0 /10
Grace is a young woman whose life has been turned upside down by tragedy. When she returns home to the family farm to rebuild her shattered life, her world begins to unravel as a series of strange events haunt her, pushing Grace to the edge of madness. A mysterious figure lurks in the shadows and a ghostly woman appears in the darkness of night. Is Grace imagining these apparitions, or are they a warning of a nightmare still to come?
Run Time: 1hr 52` . MMPA: . Release: 30 Jun 2024
Director: Mike Horan
Producer:
Stars: Nicole Pritchard , Shaun Robert Foley , Tsu Shan Chambers , Remi Webster , Megan Bell , Martin Ashley Jones