Venom (1981)

International terrorists attempt to kidnap a wealthy couples child. Their plan comes unstuck when, a deadly Black Mamba sent by mistake instead of a harmless snake, escapes,and the ... See full summary »

Director:

Piers Haggard

Writers:

Robert Carrington (screenplay), Alan Scholefield (novel)

Stars:

Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, Nicol Williamson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Klaus Kinski	...	Jacques Müller
Oliver Reed	...	Dave Averconnelly
Nicol Williamson	...	Cmdr. William Bulloch
Sarah Miles	...	Dr. Marion Stowe
Sterling Hayden	...	Howard Anderson
Cornelia Sharpe	...	Ruth Hopkins
Lance Holcomb	...	Philip Hopkins
Susan George	...	Louise Andrews
Mike Gwilym	...	Det. Constable Dan Spencer
Paul Williamson	...	Det. Sgt. Glazer
Michael Gough	...	David Ball
Hugh Lloyd	...	Taxi Driver
Rita Webb	...	Mrs. Loewenthal
Edward Hardwicke	...	Lord Dunning
John Forbes-Robertson	...	Sgt. Nash

Storyline

International terrorists attempt to kidnap a wealthy couples child. Their plan comes unstuck when, a deadly Black Mamba sent by mistake instead of a harmless snake, escapes,and the terrorists and several hostages are trapped in the boy's London home. A tense evening is had by all as the snake creeps around the house picking off the various characters one by one.

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Plot Keywords:

snake | hostage | mamba | kidnapper | belgravia london | 

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Taglines:

The object of man's most ancient fear.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 January 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Veneno

Filming Locations:

EMI Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Morison Film Group, Venom Productions Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Watch the credits. The snake leaves a little present for all who do so.

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Goofs

When Dr stowe is told to get up by Kinski, she anticipates the terrorist's action by grabbing the scarf before Kinsi wraps her hand in it.

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Crazy Credits

The Producers wish to extend their thanks to David Ball, overseer of reptiles at London Zoo, without whose skill and courage in the handling of the deadly Black Mamba, this film could not have been made.

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Connections

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! Part 2 (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Time Out"
(uncredited)
Music by Stanley Myers
De Wolfe Music Ltd

User Reviews

A predator even more deadly than Klaus Kinski

Engaging tale of a band of thieves whose plan to take a child and his grandfather hostage in their plush London townhouse, to extort money from the child's wealthy mother, is short-circuited by a rampaging Black Mamba that's been mistakenly brought into the mix. Intriguing to see how the plan unravels as the inimitable Klaus Kinski and his accomplices fall prey one by one to the elusive predator, its venom more deadly than any other species of snake. Cornered by the law on the outside, and the aggressive asp from within, they must adapt and improvise to affect a miraculous escape, no longer concerned with money, but basic survival.

Taut little suspense-thriller enabled by a strong cast, decent dialogue and well-paced direction. Kinski as the main protagonist is chilling, and he's well supported in Oliver Reed as the boozy henchman and Susan George as an unlikely (and unlucky) accomplice. Also noteworthy is Nicol Williamson as the dedicated police inspector who finds himself at the helm of a tense stand-off between the bandits, their captures and the unpredictable rogue reptile. While Sterling Hayden's characterisation of an aging ex game hunter is somewhat vague and incidental to the plot, it does add another dimension to the proceedings that stirs the curiosity and colours the complexity of an otherwise straightforward yarn.

Effective use of sets, lighting, music and tight editing nicely complement the occasional sadistic and surprisingly graphic violence. The snake itself, sometimes portrayed by a replica, is also well staged and looks convincingly hostile. Understated and somewhat obscure considering its impressive credits (Tobe Hooper was also linked with the film early on, but parted ways with the project), "Venom" is a compelling hostage thriller, cleverly bolstered by an unorthodox twist, and is well worth the time.