THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM

UK, 1988, 93 minutes, Colour.
Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, Stratford Johns, Paul Brooke, Imogen Claire, Gina Mc Kee, Christopher Gable, Lloyd Peters.
Directed by Ken Russell.

The Lair of the Whitecap worm is based on a novel by Bram Stoker, one of his last, after his successful career with vampire stories and Dracula. It has been adapted by writer-director Ken Russell in his highly idiosyncratic style, lavish, loud, over the top, visually arresting, the range of music, the pagan symbolism, the Christian symbolism, with touches of blasphemy.

At the centre of the film is Lady Sylvia, played with assurance by Amanda Donohoe, beautiful, dominating. And she is the priestess of the local monster, the White Worm, a snake-dragon creature. Her neighbour is Lord James, played at the beginning of his career by Hugh Grant, bringing some foppish style to his being The Lord of the Manor. There are two young girls, Eve and Mary, Old Testament and New Testament names, played by Catherine Oxenberg (whose voice was dubbed) and popular actress at the time, Sammi Davis.

There is also a Scottish archaeologist who unearthed the monster. He is played by Peter Capaldi (later to be Dr Who). Rising stars like Gina Mc Kee and, Ken Russell favourite, Christopher Gable, are in supporting roles.

Audiences prone to take everything seriously will find the film quite absurd. Audiences in the know about Ken Russell will appreciate what to expect and those who like his films will relish his being over the top, the film being something of a hoot!

1. Ken Russell film? A Bram Stoker story? Horror, the Russell treatment, kitsch and over the top? For many audiences, a Hoot?

2. Bram Stoker, 19th-century writing, English country traditions, pagan and Christian traditions, his writing on the supernatural, vampires? The adaptation from his 19th-century story, update?

3. Derbyshire, the mansions, the countryside, caves and cliffs? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score and range and its tone?

4. Special effects, for the fantasies, the dreams? The insertion of the effects, their style, Christianity, the convent, the nuns and violation, symbols, the Romans and brutality, Jesus on the cross? The reaction of Lady Sylvia?

5. The title, the simple, the story of the Lambton Worm, adaptation? Wyrm in old English meaning snake or dragon? The paintings, the caves? The worm imagery? The songs and ritual dances?

6. The plausibility of the plot, the horror in the English countryside, the Christian tradition, confidence, myths, again, Christianity, rituals? Life and sex? Blood and death? Vampirism and the priestess of the worm?

7. The household, Lord James, the Hugh Grant style? The two daughters, Eve and Mary, the old Testament and new Testament names? Life in the household? The place of the daughters? The threats to Eve? Her sufferings, rescue?

8. Lady Sylvia, her place in the countryside, her house? Her personality, strong, beautiful, dominating? The encounters with the Lord James? With the daughters? The revelation of who she was? The priestess? The personification of the snake? Her behaviour, rituals, anti-Christian, the crucifixion? The erratic behaviour, biting the Boy Scout? The build-up to the confrontation? The snake being cut in half by Lord James?

9. Angus Flint, Scottish, archaeologist, his excavation work, his discoveries, the effect on him personally? Friendship with James? The battle with evil and his place? The final confrontation?

10. The supporting cast, the locals, members of the household, their contributions?

11. The overall tone of the film, exaggerated, kitsch, the touches of the blasphemous, the colours and design, the fantasies and dreams, the rituals – and the Ken Russell tradition?