Cult of the Cobra

Six army buddies decide to do some sight-seeing among a cult of shape-shifters when they should have stayed in the bar and had a few more beers.

The movie's not as bad as the title suggests, thanks mainly to enthusiastic performances from Thompson, Kelly, and Long. You might expect them to walk through their parts in a low budgeter like this, but they don't. Instead they inject needed vitality into the far-fetched premise. Now, if Domergue could just suggest some menace in an otherwise deadpan performance as the snake lady, we might get a hint of a coming shape-shift. No wonder director Lyon has to use a pin light on her expressionless face to indicate she's no lady after all.

The bowling alley sequence is the movie's only scary part. Too bad Lyon doesn't play up the suspense in the other stalking sequences. Instead, we go from snake shadow to dead body, leaving out the scary part. Then too, I wish they had more than one staircase street set. If I catch this flick again, I'll try counting the times they use and re-use it. In my book, the movie isn't bad enough to make it as camp. Instead, it's a not-very-good horror flick, mainly because of Domergue. But at least the guys went on to starring success with TV.

Set in 1945, six American GIs crash a cult that worships snakes, and are threatened to be killed, one by one, for their misdeeds. Back home in New York City, their fates start to unravel. Faith Domergue is amazingly beautiful, and most alluring, as an Asian "Cobra Woman", an instrument of death. Despite his third billing in the film, Marshall Thompson is her co-star, giving a strong performance as the GI who falls for her, and proves her ruin.

Cinematography by eventual Oscar-winner Russell Metty is amazing: In one arresting scene, after Faith professes love for Thompson but can not kiss him, he leaves her apartment and she sits - the door's closing giving a half-shadow on her face, as if to reflect her dual torment for him between love and as a hit woman. He and the rest of the cast, Richard Long, William Reynolds, Jack Kelly and David Janssen, became more successful as television stars. Kathleen Hughes is also on hand as a pretty blonde love interest. Not much is made to recreate the era, it's definitely 1955, via the clothes, makeup, hairstyles, etc.

But as in most of Universal-International's decade of science fiction/horror classics, which hold up better (and are re-shown on television and released to VHS/DVD/Blu Ray) than their other output, save a few Douglas Sirk dramas, westerns, etc., it's well-written, directed, scored, paced and acted.

I came across this movie by accident as part of a collection. Not reading any reviews ahead of time I was surprised to see so many well-known actors; then I realized this is 1955 and a lot of them were just starting.

American G. I.s who trespass on a cult called Lamia.

Lamia - a mythical monster, with the body of a woman or with the head and breasts of a woman and the body of a snake, said to prey on human beings and suck the blood of children.

You know what happens next as they get cursed, and someone must pay.

Great formula and suspense; we get to see the shadow of metamorphosis and sometimes even root for the misunderstood dispatcher.

Trailer - "From halfway around the world she had come to make friends with five unsuspecting young men. And when she walked in the night, death followed swift and violent."

On paper, this was arguably the least promising entry among Universal's second exclusive "Sci-Fi Collection" – but it turned out to be quite enjoyable in its unassumingly campy way, lying somewhere between the exotic fancy of Universal's earlier COBRA WOMAN (1944) and the cautionary Gothic of Hammer's THE REPTILE (1966). Director Lyon generally cut his teeth on a variety of Western oaters and, while not exactly inspired by the material at hand, elicits a very good performance from his leading lady Faith Domergue – a former protégée' of the legendary Howard Hughes. The story starts at the tail-end of WWII where six G.I. buddies, looking for some kicks before leaving Asia for home, attend a clandestine ceremony held by the titular sect where no reptiles are actually worshipped – instead we have a woman painted like one who comes out of a large vase and crawls around on the floor! Suspicious Richard Long, embittered (and incredulous) Marshall Thompson and a carefree David Janssen comprise half of the band of infidels who incite the wrath of the cultists by their irreverent presence (foolishly, one of them photo-graphs the ceremony, even if he had been repeatedly warned beforehand not to); needless to say, the proverbial curse is invoked on them by the High Priest which is subsequently enforced when they return to the United States. In quick succession, four of them get offed (including bowling alley owner Janssen who expires in a fairly spectacular car crash) after having a close encounter with a cobra; their demise coincides with Thompson's meeting with his sensuous but enigmatic neighbor Domergue. There are virtually no transformation scenes (or, rather, only in silhouette and via a quick dissolve to boot!) and we only get a good look at the large cobra during its last attack backstage in a theater, where it eventually receives its come-uppance by being pushed out a high window by Thompson (for whom the conflicted Domergue actually almost jeopardized her mission!)...and which is just as well, since there is no creature on earth that I loathe or fear more! Incidentally, I was somewhat bugged by the fact that when the dead snake inevitably regains human form, it is unaccountably dressed in the black gown Domergue wore prior to her demise!

What's the first behavior rule when you're visiting a faraway continent – particularly Asia, Africa or South America – that culturally speaking differs a lot from your own? Duh, don't interfere with local religious movements and/or voodoo cults, because they WILL come after you and they WILL find you, even when you consider yourself to be safe back home again. "Cult of the Cobra" is a charming and fairly entertaining 50's occult thriller, but it's certainly nothing special or unique. In fact, the plot is quite derivative of the Jacques Tourneur/Val Lewton classic "Cat People" (undeniably one of the greatest horror milestones ever made), since both stories revolve gorgeous women living with the ability – or is it curse? – to transform into a deadly animal. Six American members of the same Air Force unit spend a few touristy days in an Asian country (my best guess would be either India or Malaysia) and bluntly pay a snake charmer big money to secretly attend a gathering of the infamous Lamian cult, of which the members supposedly change themselves in snakes and back. Naturally they get caught, when the dumbest boy of them all takes a photograph, and only narrowly escape. Unaware they've been placed under a curse, the six friends start being killed off one by one when back in the United State. Moreover, the mysterious accidents began simultaneously with Tom acquaintance with an introvert exotic beauty living across the hall. "Cult of the Cobra" benefits the most from Faith Domergue's performance as the oddly seductive Lisa (she's a lot better here than she was in "This Island Earth" or "It Came from beneath the Sea") and a couple of imaginative camera gimmicks, like for example snake POV shots and nice use of shadow effects. Unfortunately, there are also several overlong and tedious scenes and not a single one of the male protagonists deserves any of your sympathy. Especially Tom is a pretty loathsome guy, since his behavior is obtrusive and aggressive towards women and jealous towards his own friends.