KING COBRA
US, 1981, 92 minutes, Colour.
Fritz Weaver, Gretchen Corbett, Christina Applegate, Norman Lloyd.
Directed by Bob Claver.
King Cobra is a routine but efficient variation on the animal menace theme so popular in the seventies. There have been many films about snakes, eg Stanley, SSS Snake. This one has all the usual ingredients and has echoes of the screenplay of Jaws (as so many of these films do). However, there are also shades of The Exorcist as Satan is incarnate in a King Cobra and menaces a priest. The plausibility is not always strong, but while the film is on the screen, it satisfies as a big budget animal horror thriller.
1. Entertaining horror? The blend of animal menace with Exorcist themes? How well did they combine? Plausibly? For the purposes of nightmare horror?
2. The creation of the realistic atmosphere, the horror atmosphere? The train? The city? The caves outside the city? Techniques for suspense, shocks? The focus on the snakes and their ugliness, violence? Atmosphere, especially with light and darkness, tracking shots e.g. the snake in the room? The fireworks at the end? The atmospheric score?
3. Audience response to snakes? Fear? Stories told of snakes? The tradition of their being evil, cunning, instilling fear? Physical presence, sliding, biting? The confrontation with snakes - biting and venom? The ugliness of the cobras biting and the savagery of their cruelty? The background of Scripture - especially the apocalyptic writings? The quotations? The cobra killing the people on the train, Evelyn, the police, the young kids, causing havoc in the city? The terrorising of Jennifer in bed? The shock and the shooting? The build-up to the final confrontation? The background of the talk about rattlesnakes, the cemetery? The cobra as Satan personifying evil and confronting the priest and God?
4. The priest and his place in the town, drinking, isolation? His explanation of his family and the Irish curse? The Druid influence? His uncle and his visit to him, the cemetery sequence and his fear? The housekeeper? The party and the encounter with Evelyn, the reading of the cup? The anxious phone call? His going to see her and her death? The fear as well as the resolve to confront the cobra? The fearfulness of the chase in the cemetery? The meeting with the police and the decision of how to cope with the crisis? The background of business and moneymaking? His offering Mass and offering himself? His going to confront Satan - with the echoes of The Exorcist? The spectacular confrontation in the cave? The background of religions and witchcraft? His conquering Satan? How credible was it that Satan should appear as a king cobra to confront this priest in the apocalyptic times?
5. Dr Sheridan and her efficiency, having the cope with the victims? Paul and his coming with his expertise? Their discussions and clashes? The importance of Evelyn's death? Jennifer being terrorised in her room? Being terrorised by the bikie and his death? The phone call? Her going to the cave and being a victim on the altar? Paul and his scepticism, his skill, his hunting the snakes, his rescuing Jennifer? Conventional hero and heroine?
6. The background of medicine and the puzzles about the snakes? The examinations and autopsies?
7. The greyhound track and the obtuseness of big business, money-making at all cost? Matt Perry and his pressures? The Mayor? The meetings? The police and their trying to put off the opening? His decision to go on with the meeting? The curfew and his daughter searching, the confrontation with the snake and her being hospitalised? His greed being brought home to him? The people's panic?
8. The police and their work, deaths?
9. The blend of horror, suspense, fear? Linked with religion and the possibilities of Satan on earth? The nightmare aspects and people enjoying being frightened? The message of the animal kingdom being used to turn against mankind?
