The Reptile (1966)

Director:

John Gilling

Writer:

Anthony Hinds (writer)

Release Date:

6 April 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Half woman - half snake!

Plot:

When his brother Charles Spalding mysteriously dies, Harry Spalding and his wife Valerie decide to move...

Plot Keywords:

Snake | Village | Bartender | Pub | Death

Cast

Noel Willman	...	Dr. Franklyn
Jennifer Daniel	...	Valerie Spalding
Ray Barrett	...	Harry George Spalding
Jacqueline Pearce	...	Anna Franklyn
Michael Ripper	...	Tom Bailey
John Laurie	...	Mad Peter
Marne Maitland	...	The Malay
David Baron	...	Charles Edward Spalding
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	The Vicar
Harold Goldblatt	...	The Solicitor
George Woodbridge	...	Old Garnsey

Directed by
John Gilling

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Anthony Hinds		writer (as John Elder)

Produced by
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	producer

Original Music by
Don Banks

Cinematography by
Arthur Grant

Film Editing by
Roy Hyde

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Art Direction by
Don Mingaye

Makeup Department
Roy Ashton	....	makeup artist
Frieda Steiger	....	hair stylist

Production Management
George Fowler	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William P. Cartlidge	....	assistant director (as Bill Cartlidge)

Sound Department
Roy Baker	....	sound editor
Bill Bulkley	....	sound recordist (as William Bulkley)

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects

Stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Moray Grant	....	camera operator
Bob Jordan	....	focus puller

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Lorna Selwyn	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions
• Seven Arts Productions

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (with "The Lost Continent")
• Elite Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS) (rental)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Works Editora (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

Germany:86 min | USA:90 min | UK:91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1966) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Roy Ashton's makeup for the creature included appliances created from a mold taken of real snakeskin.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Quatermass and the Pit (1967)

Efficient chiller from Hammer...absorbing and atmospheric...

A young couple inherits the husband's cottage in Cornwall, England and soon find themselves confronting a mysterious, unknown serial killer that has been murdering villagers. That's the basic premise of THE REPTILE and the only drawback is that nothing much is explained until the final reel--but along the way it's an absorbing mystery of the kind that Hammer does so well with plenty of chills to keep you watching until the denouement.

It's all done up in the best kind of British color cinematography with sets that look substantial enough and appropriate costumes for the period. Under John Gilling's direction the actors go through their paces in realistic fashion. Noel Willman is especially sinister as Dr. Franklyn while Ray Barrett and Jennifer Daniel play the troubled young couple with conviction. Barrett is especially good in the leading role and Michael Ripper does a fine character role as the tavern owner who helps them.

Summing up: an efficient chiller from Hammer, mysterious and absorbing from beginning to end.