Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Q (1982)
Q
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Photos (see all 9 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   1,644 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 5% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Larry Cohen
Writer:
Larry Cohen (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Q on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 October 1982 (USA) more
Genre:
Horror | Drama | Thriller more
Tagline:
You'll just have time to scream... before it tears you apart! more
Plot:
New York police are bemused by a spate of reports of a giant flying lizard that has been spotted around the rooftops of New York... more | add synopsis
User Comments:
Worth seeing mainly for Michael Moriarty's performance. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Michael Moriarty ... Jimmy Quinn
Candy Clark ... Joan

David Carradine ... Shepard

Richard Roundtree ... Powell
James Dixon ... Lt. Murray
Malachy McCourt ... Commissioner
Fred J. Scollay ... Capt. Fletcher
Peter Hock ... Det. Clifford
Ron Cey ... Det. Hoberman
Mary Louise Weller ... Mrs. Pauley
Bruce Carradine ... The Victim
John Capodice ... Doyle
Tony Page ... Webb
Larkin Ford ... Curator
Larry Pine ... The Professor
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Q: The Winged Serpent
Serpent
The Winged Serpent
more
Runtime:
93 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Iceland:16 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Norway:18 | UK:15 (re-rating) (1982) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Pre-production for the movie lasted just one week. The film was conceived after Larry Cohen was fired from a low budget film shooting in New York. Cohen, determined not to waste the hotel room he had paid for, hired the actors and prepared a shooting script within six days. more
Quotes:
Jimmy Quinn: Eat 'em! Eat 'em! Crunch crunch! more
Movie Connections:
References "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) more
Soundtrack:
Dancing Too Close to the Flame more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful:-
Worth seeing mainly for Michael Moriarty's performance., 2 June 2005
7/10
Author: Scott LeBrun from Winnipeg, Canada

Tongue-in-cheek, character-driven little Larry Cohen film, made in the veteran maverick director's inimitable style.

It's ostensibly about a monster, Quetzlcoatl, an enormous flying bird/serpent/god that was supposedly brought back into existence by the performance of gory, ritual killings.

However, as anyone who's seen this can tell you, the creature and its rampages become secondary to the characters and their dilemmas.

Michael Moriarty portrays Jimmy Quinn, an odd guy (just check out his unique and stylized performance; it's unlike anything else I've seen him do) who would like to be a jazz pianist (Cohen found out that this was a hobby of the actor in real life and made it a part of the role, much to Moriarty's delight) but who is forced to participating in crimes to make what little money he can. After a heist goes wrong, Quinn runs and hides in the very top of the Chrysler Building, where he discovers a big nest and a big egg. Knowing how much the fearful city wants the flying menace eliminated, he figures to profit from his knowledge of the creature's hiding place. Things don't quite work out that way, however.

Great to see Richard Roundtree as always, and VERY amusing to see David Carradine in a coat and tie as a detective. Carradine plays a guy who contrary to most cops in movies like this is willing to accept the unreal.

Effects are by the late David Allen, as well as Randy (Randall William) Cook and Peter Kuran; the latter two did work for John Carpenter's "The Thing", released the same year as this.

Carradine's brother Bruce turns up as a victim near the film's conclusion.

Despite similarities to 1998's "Godzilla" (which blatantly rips off this film's final shot), "Godzilla" is basically a dumb, overblown, and yet kind of fun popcorn movie. "Q" is more substantial and more interesting, overall.

Features some of the best overhead shots of NYC that I've ever seen.

7/10

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Q (1982)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Please Help...Need the name of a movie...Help iron_twinkie
'Do Not Disturb' pcventures
Was movie Q based on novel 'Peregrine'? avalonrock
Additional Photography: Daniel Pearl help_yourself
Plane? DamageInc_88
fabulous performance by Moriarity! brucedgo
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
King Kong Edmond The Phantom of the Opera Godzilla The Basketball Diaries
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Horror section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.