Cult of the Cobra (1955)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Francis D. Lyon

Writers:

Jerry Davis (story)
Jerry Davis (writer) ...

Release Date:

5 August 1955 (Finland)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Can a woman's beauty be changed to a thing of terror?

Plot:

While stationed in Asia, six American G.I.'s witness the secret ritual of Lamians (worshipers of women who can change into serpents)...

Plot Keywords:

Cobra | Cult Favorite | Psychotronic | Beautiful Woman | Snake Goddess

Cast

Faith Domergue	...	Lisa Moya
Richard Long	...	Paul Able
Marshall Thompson	...	Tom Markel
Kathleen Hughes	...	Julia Thompson
William Reynolds	...	Pete Norton
Jack Kelly	...	Carl Turner
Myrna Hansen	...	Marian Sheehan
David Janssen	...	Rico Nardi
Leonard Strong	...	Daru
James Dobson	...	Cpl. Nick Hommel
Walter Coy	...	Police Inspector
Carlsson	...	Cult Dancer (as The Carlssons)
Carlsson	...	Cult Danceuse (as The Carlssons)
Olan Soule	...	Major Martin Fielding
Helen Wallace	...	Mrs. Webber

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (Certificate #17364) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Not Rated (DVD)

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Mari Blanchard started the film, but was replaced after a few days' shooting by Faith Domergue.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: Cult of the Cobra (#1.99)" (1997)

A Reptile Dysfunction/Imperialism Gets Bit!

I and my friends have viewed this film more than a few times since first seeing it about two years ago. We find it fascinating, because - like many "cheap" productions - it has unconscious psychological/cultural elements that make it timelessly significant and - frankly - as entertaining as hell.

One of the large themes coursing through the film is American imperialism, as it manifests itself in the GIs' callous disregard of local religious customs, and the subsequent defilement of a temple by theft. Needless to say, vengeance is forthcoming in the guise of a cobra/woman. These things happen...

Once this avenger has come to the U.S. the boorish behavior of the men continues, their imperialism now rendered down to mere sexual aggressiveness: one of the men finds it perfectly okay to go into a woman's apartment while she's out and camp on the couch.

Men die, and one shouldn't forget they EARNED it. And the very ending is a psycho-sexual gem, which prompts one to rename the film "Omigod, I Screwed A Snake." The man who skulks away will not be showing his face in any society for a long, long time.