- BryanJuly 10, 2026An interesting take a minor Stoker novel. Trust Russell to embrace the strange. I think this movie would be accepted more readily than it was on its release. It's always been a favorite of mine, but sensibilities have come to embrace more of the strange. It's lean to the surreal bridges the acceptance of the effects. Hard horror fans may not take to it, but ignoring the pigeon holes, it works as a movie.
- jackmeatAugust 11, 2025My quick rating - 5.8/10. This popped up and I will admit I don't remember it at all. WCV days. Completely forgot Hugh Grant was in this. Definitely has a few scenes I remembered as it played on. If you haven't seen this one, it is a bit of a bizarre one. Although Ken Russell was at the helm, so that shouldn't be much of a surprise. I can't compare it to the book, although at least this time I knew of its existence beforehand. The story is of a skull-like fossil being found in a small town by a local archaeologist. Shortly after, strange things begin to occur as he and a couple of friends, one of whom is Grant, try to unravel the mystery of what the skull belonged to. This is when we are introduced to Amanda Donohoe, who does a terrific job playing the vampire-like creature who seems to be just as curious about this artifact as they are. How this movie was made, even in 1988, is kind of a mystery as well. The atmosphere and the locale are very fitting. Great cinematography to keep the eyes entertained while the brain is wondering why a movie with such a flimsy plot and absurdly poor special effects has been made. Russell interjects some of his typical hypnotic and trippy dream sequences loaded with a bit of sexuality. All of which I have become accustomed to when Russell is involved (Whore ?) But in a time when slashers are all the rage, this artsy horror-comedy somehow slipped in. Certainly not a movie for everyone, but it definitely has a cult-type feel to it. Just don't expect much out of the end of this one. Seemed very rushed and could very much have used a bit of a budget boost for the snake when we finally get to see it. Still an enjoyable yet strange look at this far lesser-known book by Bram Stoker.
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Free on 20+ platforms. Pick yours.The Lair of the White Worm Trivia
The Lair of the White Worm was released on October 21, 1988.
The Lair of the White Worm was directed by Ken Russell.
The Lair of the White Worm has a runtime of 1h 33m.
The Lair of the White Worm was produced by Ken Russell.
When an archaeologist uncovers a strange skull in a foreign land, the residents of a nearby town begin to disappear, leading to further inexplicable occurrences.
The key characters in The Lair of the White Worm are Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe), Lord James D'Ampton (Hugh Grant), Eve Trent (Catherine Oxenberg).
The Lair of the White Worm is rated R.
The Lair of the White Worm is a Horror, Comedy film.
The Lair of the White Worm has an audience rating of 4.7 out of 10.
The Lair of the White Worm had a budget of $2.5M.
The Lair of the White Worm has made $1.2M at the box office.