The Lair of the White Worm (1988)

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Ken Russell (screenplay)
Bram Stoker (novel)

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Scottish archaelogist Angus Flint discovers an odd skull amid the ruins of a convent which he is excavating...

Plot Keywords:

Worm | Temple | Cavern | Skull | Lord

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Amanda Donohoe	...	Lady Sylvia Marsh
Hugh Grant	...	Lord James D'Ampton
Catherine Oxenberg	...	Eve Trent
Peter Capaldi	...	Angus Flint
Sammi Davis	...	Mary Trent
Stratford Johns	...	Peters
Paul Brooke	...	P.C. Erny
Imogen Claire	...	Dorothy Trent
Chris Pitt	...	Kevin
Gina McKee	...	Nurse Gladwell
Christopher Gable	...	Joe Trent
Lloyd Peters	...	Jesus Christ
Miranda Coe	...	Maids / Nuns
Linzi Drew	...	Maids / Nuns
Caron Anne Kelly	...	Maids / Nuns
Fiona O'Connor	...	Maids / Nuns
Caroline Pope	...	Maids / Nuns
Elisha Scott	...	Maids / Nuns
Tina Shaw	...	Maids / Nuns
Paul Easom	...	Soldier / Witchdoctor
James Hicks	...	Soldier / Witchdoctor
David Kiernan	...	Soldier / Witchdoctor
Matthew King	...	Soldier / Witchdoctor
Ross Murray	...	Soldier / Witchdoctor
Andy Norman	...	Soldier / Witchdoctor
Bob Smith	...	Soldier / Witchdoctor
Jackie Russell	...	Snakewoman

Directed by
Ken Russell

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ken Russell		screenplay
Bram Stoker		novel

Produced by
Dan Ireland	....	executive producer
William J. Quigley	....	executive producer
Ken Russell	....	producer
Ronaldo Vasconcellos	....	line producer

Original Music by
Stanislas Syrewicz

Cinematography by
Dick Bush

Film Editing by
Peter Davies

Casting by
Gail Stevens

Art Direction by
John Ralph

Costume Design by
Michael Jeffery

Makeup Department
Stuart Conran	....	special makeup effects artist
Karen Edwards	....	hair stylist
Alan Hedgcock	....	special makeup effects technician
Paul Jones	....	special makeup effects artist
Dave Keen	....	special makeup effects technician
Alistair McPherson	....	special makeup effects technician
Pam Meager	....	chief makeup artist
Elizabeth Moss	....	makeup artist (as Liz Moss)
Steve Painter	....	special makeup effects technician
William Petty	....	special makeup effects technician
Geoffrey Portass	....	special makeup effects designer (as Geoff Portass)
Roy Puddefoot	....	special makeup effects technician
Mary Roberts	....	special makeup effects technician
Gary Ryan	....	special makeup effects technician
Warwick Sayce	....	special makeup effects technician
Karen Winnery	....	special makeup effects technician

Production Management
Laura Julian	....	production manager
Jack Lorenz	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Hall	....	first assistant director (as Chris Hall)
Cordelia Hardy	....	third assistant director
Nick Heckstall-Smith	....	second assistant director
Rupert Ryle-Hodges	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Tom Bowyer	....	carpenter
Alastair Gow	....	construction manager
Ken Hawkey	....	stand-by painter
Ron Higgins	....	stand-by props
James Hunt	....	scenic
Katie Kilroy	....	production buyer (as Kate Kilroy)
Susan McLenachan	....	stagehand
Eddie McMahon	....	stand-by props
Brian Mitchell	....	stand-by stagehand
Con Murphy	....	stand-by rigger
Rodney Pincott	....	property master
Ben Pulsford	....	stagehand
Steven Sallybanks	....	scenic
Robin Thistlewaite	....	carpenter
Anne Tilby	....	set designer
Chris Townsend	....	set dresser
Brian West	....	storeman
Tommy Westbrook	....	stand-by carpenter
Debra Wilson	....	assistant art director trainee

Sound Department
Ray Beckett	....	sound mixer
Blake Bedford	....	sound assistant trainee
John Chandler	....	boom operator
Paul Conway	....	assistant sound editor
Nigel Galt	....	sound editor
Ray Merrin	....	assistant dubbing mixer
Jim Roddan	....	footsteps editor
Bill Rowe	....	dubbing mixer
Richard Wells	....	sound maintenance

Special Effects by
Dave Eltham	....	special effects technician
Kate Murray	....	sculptor
Simon Sayce	....	special effects makeup supervisor
Cliff Wallace	....	special makeup effects technician
Alan Whibley	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Mark Coulier	....	modeler
Neill Gorton	....	modeler
Little John	....	modeler
Arlind Junkerman	....	modeler
Tony Lawrence	....	video editor
Cliff Wallace	....	modeler

Stunts
Abbi Collins	....	stunt double: Eve Trent
Chrissy Monk	....	stunt double: Lady Sylvia
Stuart St. Paul	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Blake	....	gaffer
Richard Brierley	....	focus puller
Robin Browne	....	additional photographer
Clive Coote	....	still photographer
Jim Coward	....	generator operator
Ben Davis	....	assistant camera
Mark Ellis	....	camera grip
John Foster	....	assistant camera
Mark Gay	....	electrician
Tom Ingle	....	assistant camera trainee
David B.A. Jones	....	additional clapper loader
Ronnie McKay	....	best boy
Graham Newton	....	electrician
Tommy O'Sullivan	....	electrician
Steve Parker	....	focus puller

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jenny Hawkins	....	wardrobe assistant
Dianne Murphy	....	wardrobe assistant (as Diane Murphy)

Editorial Department
Peter Hunt	....	color grader
Joe Illing	....	first assistant editor
Adrian Martin	....	editor: video
Wayne Smith	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Ian R. Fleming	....	musician: bagpipes
Emilio Perez Machado	....	additional music arranger
Harry Pitch	....	harmonica music recordist
Stephan Powys	....	additional music arranger
Gilles Tinayre	....	musician: synthesizer
Daniel Vallancien	....	music scoring

Transportation Department
Terry English	....	driver
Ray Jones	....	driver
Andrew Mitchell	....	transportation captain
Ron Narduzzo	....	driver

Other crew
Peter Bath	....	laboratory liaison
Jeremy Bolt	....	assistant to line producer
Imogen Claire	....	choreographer
Lesley Cross	....	script supervisor
Peter Elford	....	location manager
Peter Ettedgui	....	assistant to director
Sabina Fletcher	....	production assistant
Robert Harman	....	wire man (as Bob Harman)
Sarah Lucraft	....	assistant accountant
Rosamunde Maxwell	....	nurse
Matthew Sharp	....	production runner
Will Tyler	....	production accountant
Winnie Wishart	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Simon Broad	....	thanks
Lynn Dillon	....	thanks
John Hargreaves	....	thanks
Stephen Monas	....	thanks (as Steve Monas)
Nigel Palmer	....	thanks
Ron Pearce	....	thanks
Maria J. Peckos	....	thanks

Production Companies

• White Lair

Distributors

• Vestron Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Cinema Classics (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD) (retail) (cut version)
• Eagle Pictures (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Pioneer (1999) (UK) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Vestron Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Image Animation

Other Companies

• Cannon Elstree Studios  sound re-recording
• Cannon Elstree Studios  studios
• Complete Video Facilities  video facilities
• Completion Bond Company  completion bond
• Family Sound Studios Paris  soundtrack
• Film & Photo Design  work prints
• Grip House  additional grip equipment
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Mark Ellis (Gripping) Services  grip equipment
• Optical Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Ruben Sedgwick Ltd.  insurance
• Samuelson Film Service  camera equipment provided by
• Sapex Scripts  scripts
• Set Meals  catering

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Belgium:16 (video rating) | Australia:R | France:-12 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | South Korea:18 | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Gaddesden Place, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

White Lair

Trivia:

The skull of the pagan god Dionin used in the movie was constructed by adding sculpted sections to a real cow skull. The original teeth were pulled and replaced with fabricated ones to simulate the serpent look. Two skulls were fabricated for various scenes in the movie.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Angus's fingers are not moving on the chanter of the bagpipes while he is luring P.C. Erny around the sundial.

Quotes:

Lady Sylvia Marsh: I change my cars as regularly as a snake sheds its skin.

Movie Connections:

References Dance of the Vampires (1967)

Soundtrack:

The D'Ampton Worm

A truly warped and brilliant comic-horror movie!

This is an excellent film that puts the fun back into Horror Films. Ken Russel uses only the title and basic plot outline of Bram Stoker's underrated novel and goes over the top with everything. The result is the most outrageous, outlandish, funny and just damm wierd horror film in years. Sure it's not in the slightest bit scary, but how can you argue with Hugh Grant hopping round the set like a hyperactive bunny, Amanda Donohoe biting a boy scout where it hurts the most and maidens being sacrificed to a giant worm? Fast paced lunacy and mayhem is the name of the game here in a film that should please everyone able to suspend their logic for 90 minutes. I loved it. My rating - 8 out of 10.