King Cobra (1999) (V)

Directors:

David Hillenbrand
Scott Hillenbrand

Writers:

David Hillenbrand (writer)
Scott Hillenbrand (writer)

Release Date:

29 April 1999 (Singapore)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Don't mess with mother nature!

Plot:

A mutated snake escapes from a laboratory and terrorizes the residents of a small California brewery town.

Plot Keywords:

Snake | Laboratory | Mutation | Science Runs Amok | Independent Film

Cast

Pat Morita	...	Nick Hashimoto
Scott Hillenbrand	...	Dr. Brad Kagen (as Scott Brandon)
Casey Fallo	...	Jo Biddle (as Kasey Fallo)
Hoyt Axton	...	Mayor Ed Biddle
Joseph Ruskin	...	Dr. Irwin Burns
Courtney Gains	...	Dr. Joseph McConnell
Eric Lawson	...	Sheriff Ben Lowry
Arell Blanton	...	Jesse
Jerry Kernion	...	Conrad
Michael Leopard	...	Buck
Erik Estrada	...	Bernie Alvarez
Nick Jameson	...	Jurgen Werner
Cedric Duplechain	...	Deputy Bud Fuller
Paul Morgan Fredrix	...	Dr. Pat Kagen
Gary Bristow	...	Billy
Lang Yun	...	Dr. Toshi Ling
Catalina Martone	...	Kathryn Burns (as Catalina Larrañaga)
Megan Blake	...	Grace Stills
Michael Elton	...	Michael Stills
Hailey Russo	...	Susie Stills
Scot Boland	...	Simpson (as Scott Boland)
Efren Ramirez	...	Teen Boy
Iyari Limon	...	Teen Girl
Judith Montgomery	...	Woman #1
Connie Danese	...	Woman #2
Chadwick Palmatier	...	City Guy
Eric Anderson	...	Reporter
Ben Madden	...	Brewmaster
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gerald Henderson	...	First victim (scenes deleted)

Directed by
David Hillenbrand
Scott Hillenbrand

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David Hillenbrand		writer
Scott Hillenbrand		writer

Produced by
Mark Amin	....	executive producer
David Hillenbrand	....	producer
Scott Hillenbrand	....	producer
Albert Miniaci	....	executive producer
Lance Matthew Olsen	....	executive producer
Guy Stodel	....	co-producer

Original Music by
David Hillenbrand		(as David Berrel)

Cinematography by
Philip D. Schwartz

Film Editing by
Guy W. Cearley

Casting by
Aaron Griffith

Production Design by
Jack Cloud

Set Decoration by
Laura Evans

Costume Design by
Hana Rausalova

Makeup Department
Lori Rozman	....	key hair stylist
Leslie Ann Sebert	....	key makeup artist (as Leslie Sebert)

Production Management
Jim Emerick	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Almond	....	first assistant director
Mark Demarais	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Terin Baragan	....	carpenter
Thomas Bodmer	....	property master
Travis Flora	....	carpenter
Angel Granada	....	construction coordinator
Jeffrey Mark	....	storyboard artist
Kevin Marks	....	painter
Rick Staves	....	lead man
Michael Stone	....	lead man
Laura Evans	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Guy W. Cearley	....	dialogue editor
Matthew Dettmann	....	foley artist (as Matt Dettmann)
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Kathy Ferrara	....	boom operator
William Freesh	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Kitchens	....	sound supervisor
Anne Britt Makebakken	....	adr recordist
Scott Page-Pagter	....	adr supervisor
Eric Reuveni	....	sound assistant
Ron Salaises	....	sound effects editor
Ron Scelza	....	sound mixer
Ken Skoglund	....	sound effects editor
Ken Skoglund	....	sound re-recording mixer
R. Russell Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian S. Tracy	....	utility sound
Stacey A. Washer	....	boom operator
James Wright	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Ben Zarai	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Thomas D. Bacho Jr.	....	fabricator (as Tom Bacho)
Charles Chiodo	....	creature effects
Edward Chiodo	....	creature effects
Stephen Chiodo	....	creature effects
Todd Farrand	....	animatronics technician
Paul Kemp	....	general manager: creature fabrication
Sandro Moro	....	special effects
David Patykewich	....	special effects technician
Dwight Roberts	....	animatronics supervisor
Jor Van Kline	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Reid Burns	....	visual effects supervisor
Jeff Matakovich	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
A.J. Nay	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Adelson	....	Steadicam operator
Hans Baumgartner	....	second assistant camera
Dan Brady	....	grip
Bruce Comtois	....	grip
Jeff Davidson	....	camera loader
Jeff Davidson	....	video assist
Allan Goodnoff	....	key grip (as Alan 'Snake' Goodnoff)
Robert Heine	....	camera operator (as Bob Heine)
Robert Heine	....	first assistant camera (as Bob Heine)
Jarrod Hettler	....	lamp operator
Matt Horochowski	....	dolly grip
Ian Jordan	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Ted LeHane	....	best boy
Doug Rhymes	....	lamp operator
John Schiviello	....	first assistant camera
Philip D. Schwartz	....	camera operator
Walter Stewart	....	chief lighting technician
Sandor Temlock	....	second assistant camera
Joshua D. Thatcher	....	lamp operator
Eric West	....	lamp operator
Damon Wierbilis	....	grip
Mario Zavala	....	second assistant camera
Mario Zavala	....	video assist

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Georgia Alemanni	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Rick Downey	....	negative cutter
Mike Mertens	....	color timer

Music Department
Ross DeRoche	....	music preparation
Brian Hill	....	music editor
David Hillenbrand	....	conductor (as David Berrel)
David Hillenbrand	....	orchestrator (as David Berrel)
James McIlvery	....	music recordist
Richard McIlvery	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Bruce Comtois	....	transportation coordinator
J. Gregory Primm	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Larry Arpin	....	opticals
Larry Arpin	....	titles
Henry Cortez	....	location manager
Norman Feazell Jr.	....	production assistant
Leon Magellan	....	location manager
Jodi Paige	....	production controller
Penny Patrick	....	script supervisor
John Portela	....	production assistant
Michael Stebbins	....	production assistant
Christopher Van Dyne	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Trimark Pictures

Distributors

• BMG Video
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• SBP (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Trimark Pictures

Other Companies

• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• CFI Imaging Group  titles and opticals
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Cinelease  lighting equipment
• E=mc²  video playback
• Juniper Post  sound post-production
• Optical Illusions  compositing
• RD Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Sony Studios  sound re-recording facility

Also Known As:

Anaconda 2 (video box title)
Seth (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for monster violence and terror, and for some sensuality.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | Finland:S | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Fillmore, California, USA

Company:

Trimark Pictures

Goofs:

Factual errors: The snake in this movie has a spectacle shape on the back of its hood which is the trademark for the Indian cobra (naja naja) not the king cobra (ophiophagus hannah) (although it could be argued that the Indian cobra is acting, and playing the part of a king cobra for the movie).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Game Box 1.0 (2004)

Soundtrack:

Love Just You

Rattler in the Hood?

Snake movies are the worst. And this one is the equal of any. A King Cobra/Rattlesnake hybrid has escaped from a lab wrecked by two of the most insane scientists in film history. The scene was brief, but possibly the most entertaining in the film. The monstrous mutation has claimed a small, rural town as its territory. Of course they are about to have a festival a beer fest no less! And will the Mayor cancel the festival because a couple of people are killed? What do you think?

The acting in King Cobra is remedial at best. Even Pat Morita cannot make is role entertaining. The stoic Casey Fallo was a pretty good reason to keep viewing. She was nice to watch in what little she was given to do. Everyone else was just not in attendance.

Perhaps the major problem for me in the film is that a snake was able to outsmart one-and-all homo sapiens throughout most of the film. And the two ton beast seemingly appeared and disappeared with all the velocity of a mako shark. He wafted through the delicate branches of trees with the grace of a ninety pound ballerina. A trained deputy is cornered against a tree by the rampaging reptile, and she panics, seemingly forgets she has a pistol in her hand, and screams for the hero; who drop-kicks the lightnening-fast saurian without even getting bitten.

One must always suspend belief to some extent in order to enjoy a monster film. However, the director created such a "super snake", and such inept humans, that King Cobra far surpassed my ability to stretch reality.This mess eventually became boring and predictable. That is the only real sin a monster film can commit. And it is terminal in King Cobra.

But it just might be that the worst faux pas of this film was the beer recipe recited by the supposed artisan brewer. If you are able to muster the gumption to watch this snake calamity, listen carefully for it. This "master brewer" is concocting a classic American mass-produced, tasteless near beer; not a sapid, artisan brew. After all, snakes are a dime a dozen, but a really good beer is sacred.

I cannot recommend this film, unless one is in traction and cannot reach the remote. However, perhaps enough good beer could make it tolerable?