In den Krallen der Leidenschaft

SERPENT'S LAIR is ostensibly a horror movie on paper (with shades of ROSEMARY'S BABY in the set-up) but it plays out as one of those late night softcore thrillers of the kind that Shannon Tweed made a career of starring in during the 1990s. This one has Jeff Fahey, one of the more underrated stars of the era, playing one half of a couple who buy a new apartment only to find it haunted by a succubus with designs on the hubby. All of this leads to the usual gamut of softcore fumblings and nude sequences, which quickly become tiresome to all but the hungriest of erotic film fans. Fahey does his best, but I found this one tiresome before long.

Tom and Alex move into a new apartment, which was vacated suddenly by the suicide of the previous owner. Tom is visited by a friendly, black cat, but finds himself seduced by the beautiful, but deadly Lilith.

I don't think anyone will change my mind when I say that the early 90's was a pretty lame period for horror, and this is a gleaming example of my reasoning.

Lifeless, wooden, drab and boring, I can't really think of any positives, this film is laboured and long drawn out, the scares are thin on the ground, and it takes so long to open up, when it does you'll already be dosing.

There's not much I can think of to say, other than save yourself the time and effort.

Very poor.

3/10.

Definitely a fun little erotic creepy movie!! One of those mid 90s erotic thrillers.

Horror movies buffs will be very disappointed with this flick.It is never never frightening,and the derivative screenplay borrows from "the exorcist" "Rosemary's baby" "the tenant" "the omen" and more.The first scenes ,notably the moment when the young couple enters their brand new flat (complete with a fountain in the yard) where a man committed suicide directly comes from Ira Levin/Roman Polanski 's story.All in all it is rather a -very soft -erotic movie where Lisa B. tries her best to be at once sexually attractive and threatening.The lines are very vulgar and use the word "f...." a lot more than they should.Do not bother.

Tom (prolific actor Jeff Fahey) and wife Alex (Heather Medway) move into an apartment, its previous occupant was a guy called Steve who was into demonology and committed ritual suicide there. They adopt a female black cat which shows affection towards Tom but it quite nasty to Alex. Whilst she is in hospital (the cat caused her to have an accident) Steve's sexy sister Lilith (there's a clue in the name!) turns up at the apartment to pick up his stuff but soon casts a spell over Tom (cue "Omen" style music). From now on Lilith (model/singer/actress Lisa B) and cheating Tom engage in a lot of noisy passionate sex, there's a bit of topless nudity and bare bums but nothing to get too excited about. This erotic supernatural horror/thriller is set in an unnamed American city though it was filmed in Romania, much of the architecture is obviously European as are the motor vehicles (mainly East European makes at that). I thought that the various tenants gave the movie, coupled with the occult angle, a touch of "Rosemary's Baby." The film's title may be derived from an impressive serpent water feature in the courtyard. This was my second viewing and despite a few flaws I found it engaging , well paced and enjoyable. Certainly worth a watch.