SSSNAKE

US, 1973, 99 minutes, Colour.
Strother Martin, Dirk Benedict, Heather Menzies, Richard B. Shull, Reb Brown.
Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski.

Sssnake anticipates a lot of the small-budget horror films of the mid-1970s, especially those influenced by animal menace films like Grizzly and Jaws.

The film begins rather calmly, a bit in the laboratory Frankenstein style. Strother Martin (who menaced Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke) is a doctor experimenting with snake serums. A young man, played by Dirk Benedict of Battlestar Galactica, works as an assistant and is attracted to the doctor’s daughter. He is unaware that he is the target of the mad doctor’s experiment, using the serum to turn him into a king cobra. Once the transformation begins the horror starts.

The film was directed by Bernard L. Kowalski, a television director from the late 50s to the year 2000. He directed a few films for cinema including Stiletto and the last Cinerama film (with geographical inaccuracy), Krakatoa East of Java.

1. Indication of the title? The American title with its hissing? Expectations of science fiction. animal horror? The tone? Audience response to animal films, menacing animal films, the ecology interest of the 70's?

2. Humans versus animals and nature? Traditional animal horror and transformations? The from Walt Whitman, the critical outlook of the 70's about ecology?

3. The tradition of science fiction films and horror with the mad scientist and his playing God? An updated American variety? The touch of the tradition of circus sideshows and freaks?

4. How authentic the atmosphere of the film, realism? Fantasy? Colour, music, laboratories, American settings, circus and sideshow, colleges? The importance of the special effects – especially David's peeling, Tim the snake man, David's ultimate transformation and the fight with the mongoose?

5. Hostile audience reaction to snakes, the traditional and biblical animal, venomous, poisonous? Blend of.horror and fascination? The way that snakes were introduced into this film? As the theme? The future of humans, cold-blooded? How credible was the plot, in terms of science, in terms of horror? How should it be seen as a macabre fable? With the conventions of a parable?

6. Dr Steiner as a type, the doctor, his appearance, his place in a university, in America? His philosophy of life, his speculations about the future, his obsession? The human side with his daughter, employment of David and his seeming friendship? The ugliness of the revelation of the disappearance of Tim and his becoming the snake man? His becoming more a horror figure as the film proceeded ? especially, revenge killing of Steve? His cruelty?

7. The encounter with Dr. Daniel and his imprisoning him and Dr. Daniel's death? The coldness and callousness of his experimentation with David? The inevitability of his own death? An appropriate retribution? The conventional mad doctor? Or a difference, well characterised or not? David as the hero assistant? An ordinary character – victim and her relationship with her father? Romance with David?

8. Suffering brutality from Steve? The bonds between them? The visit to the circus? The transformation with Steve’s attack and then his death? David and his peeling and hallucinations? her fear? David and the gradual change, the ultimate transformation and victimisation? How could audiences be horrified - especially by identifying with David and suffering the experience with him? Kristina and the human side of the plot?