Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

Others have written excellent plot summaries of The Reptile, so I will go right to what I like so much about it:
1. The cast is outstanding. Michael Ripper, who is in almost all Hammer films and hardly ever plays someone of any intellect, is featured more in The Reptile. This role is actually a change of pace for him and it's good to see him getting to do more.
2. The Reptile is a companion piece to Plague of the Zombies--same director, screenwriter, sets, and some of the same cast. It had to have been made around the same time as Plague.
3. Anyone who likes Plague of the Zombies (which I consider to be a masterpiece) should like The Reptile. I think The Reptile is just as well made as Plague--certainly just as atmospheric and suspenseful.

I sometimes get annoyed with the limitations of Hammer films--repeated use of same sets, formula plotting, never actually filming at night, and whatnot. But when I try to name examples of similarly themed and plotted stories which have been filmed more expertly, I realize there aren't any!
The strengths of Hammer outweigh the weaknesses.

The Reptile is evidently still in print on a double feature version with The Lost Continent. Since I have chosen not to review The Lost Continent (which is hokey but enjoyable and somewhat imaginative) I'm reviewing the out of print single edition of Reptile.

I highly recommend The Reptile to Hammer devotees and also think it is well enough done to convert others.

An original premise, great atmosphere, good cast - this has all the elements we've come to expect from a Hammer gothic horror. There are no stars, but the cast is excellent anyway, especially Noel Willman, Jacqueline Pearce and Hammer veteran Michael Ripper, in one of his finest roles.

The makeup and effects are memorable, even if the Reptile's occasionally shoddy appearance has caused a bit of mirth over the years.