Cult of the Cobra (1955)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Francis D. Lyon

Writers:

Jerry Davis (story)
Jerry Davis (writer) ...

Release Date:

5 August 1955 (Finland)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Can a woman's beauty be changed to a thing of terror?

Plot:

While stationed in Asia, six American G.I.'s witness the secret ritual of Lamians (worshipers of women who can change into serpents)...

Plot Keywords:

Cobra | Cult Favorite | Psychotronic | Beautiful Woman | Snake Goddess

Cast

Faith Domergue	...	Lisa Moya
Richard Long	...	Paul Able
Marshall Thompson	...	Tom Markel
Kathleen Hughes	...	Julia Thompson
William Reynolds	...	Pete Norton
Jack Kelly	...	Carl Turner
Myrna Hansen	...	Marian Sheehan
David Janssen	...	Rico Nardi
Leonard Strong	...	Daru
James Dobson	...	Cpl. Nick Hommel
Walter Coy	...	Police Inspector
Carlsson	...	Cult Dancer (as The Carlssons)
Carlsson	...	Cult Danceuse (as The Carlssons)
Olan Soule	...	Major Martin Fielding
Helen Wallace	...	Mrs. Webber

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (Certificate #17364) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Not Rated (DVD)

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Mari Blanchard started the film, but was replaced after a few days' shooting by Faith Domergue.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Son of Svengoolie: Cult of the Cobra (1955) (#1.120)" (1981)

Stick With It

Set in 1945, six American GIs crash a snake-worshipping cult, and are threatened to be killed, one by one, for their misdeeds. The setup is a bit long (about 15 minutes), but once they get back to New York City, the excitement begins. Faith Domergue is amazingly beautiful, and most alluring, as a faux Asian "Cobra Woman", an instrument of death. Despite his third billing in the film, Marshall Thompson is her co-star, giving a strong performance as the GI who falls for her, and proves her ruin. He and the rest of the cast, Richard Long, William Reynolds, Jack Kelly and David Janssen, became more successful as television stars. Kathleen Hughes is also on hand as a pretty blonde love interest. Not much is made to recreate the era, it's definitely 1955, via the clothes, makeup, hairstyles, etc. And when Domergue is transformed back to a human, she's fully clothed! But as in most of Universal-International's decade of sci-fi/horror classics, which hold up better (and are re-shown on Cable and released to DVD/video) than their other output, save a few Douglas Sirk dramas, it's well-written, photographed, scored, paced and acted.