Cult of the Cobra


1h 22m 1955
Cult of the Cobra

Brief Synopsis

While stationed in Asia, six American G.I.'s witness the secret ritual of Lamians (worshipers of women who can change into serpents). When discovered by the cult, the High Lamian Priest vows that "the Cobra Goddess will avenge herself". Once back in the United States, a mysterious woman enters into their lives and accidents begin to happen. The shadow of a cobra is seen just before each death.

Film Details

Also Known As
Cult of the Serpent
Genre
Horror
Thriller
Release Date
May 1955
Premiere Information
Los Angeles opening: 30 Mar 1955
Production Company
Universal-International Pictures Co., Inc.
Distribution Company
Universal Pictures Co., Inc.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 22m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.85 : 1

Synopsis

In 1945, six discharged American G.I.s, Tom Markel, Paul Able, Carl Turner, Pete Norton, Nick Hommel and Rico Nardi, stop to watch Daru, a snake charmer, in an Asian marketplace. Paul recalls reading about a secret society of Lamians, whose members can transform into snakes. Paul, a research scientist, is fascinated by metamorphosis, while the other men scoff at the notion. Daru, who is desperate for money, reveals that he is a Lamian, and charges the men one hundred dollars in return for entrance to a cult meeting that night. There, he disguises them in robes and warns them that if their presence is detected, they will be killed. Soon after the ceremony begins in the temple, Nick takes a photograph and is attacked, and the others must help him fight his way outside. Nick bolts off ahead of the others, who hear the Lamian high priest declare that a curse will follow and kill them one by one. A few miles away, they come across Nick, who has fallen unconscious from a snake bite, and Pete notes a beautiful woman in a nearby alley. They bring Nick to a hospital, where he quickly recovers, but that night, a snake enters Nick's room and re-infects him. By the time the plane leaves to transport the soldiers back to America the next morning, Nick is dead. In New York City, the men gather at Rico's new bowling alley. Tom and Paul, who are roommates, have both been dating Julia, but she now informs Tom that she has accepted Paul's marriage proposal. Tom, though hurt, congratulates them, and spends the night alone in the apartment. He is woken by a scream in the apartment next door, and when he breaks in, the woman from the Asian alley is there, and introduces herself as Lisa Moya. Not recognizing her, Tom helps her look for intruders and, after finding none, asks her out on a date. The next day, they explore New York together, and Tom finds himself fascinated by her beauty and mysterious charm. When they return to the apartment, he eagerly introduces her to Paul, ignoring the frantic barking of their dog, Corky. Although Tom aggressively tries to kiss Lisa, she holds him at bay. Later that night, she sneaks out to the bowling alley, transforms into a snake, and kills Rico when he enters his car. The funeral is held that weekend, and on the way home, Paul notices that the horses on the street rear whenever Lisa walks by. On Sunday night, Tom invites her to a party, and when womanizer Carl flirts with her, Tom uncharacteristically becomes jealous and punches his friend. Meanwhile, Julia visits Paul, who reveals the events that occurred in Asia, wondering aloud if the curse is coming true. Later, Tom invites Lisa back to his apartment and there confesses his love, causing her to flee into her apartment. Although he visits only moments later, she is gone, and he falls asleep on the couch. Lisa has returned to Carl's, where she at first seduces him, but soon assumes her cobra shape. Carl hits her with a statue, but she continues to approach until he falls out of the window. In the street, a crowd gathers around his body, and Pete notes that Lisa is there with a wounded arm, but is then pulled away to be questioned by the police. Lisa then finds Tom in her apartment, and although she admits that she loves him, she is torn by her responsibilities and, crying, urges him to leave. In the morning, Tom and Paul are called into the police inspector's office to be questioned about Carl's death. Tom, who was seen hitting Carl, falls under suspicion, prompting Paul to explain to the inspector the events leading up to the curse. After Paul accuses Lisa of suspicious behavior, Tom storms out in a fury, and the inspector remains unimpressed but agrees to check the medical records of Nick, Rico and Carl. At the same time, Lisa visits Tom's apartment and there sees Julia reading a book on snake cults. Lisa walks toward Julia threateningly, but a delivery boy appears at the door and Julia runs out. Soon after, Paul comes to Lisa's apartment to reveal that he remembers her from Asia and knows that she killed Carl, which causes Lisa to become a snake and bite him. She then visits Tom, but unable to harm him, instead kisses him. That night, Tom and Lisa arrive backstage to the opening night of a play in which Julia is acting. At the same time, the inspector informs Paul that all three of his friends died of venom poisoning, and they head to Lisa's, where they discover Pete's dead body. Paul calls Tom at the theater, and while Tom listens incredulously to the mounting evidence, Lisa hides in Julia's dressing room and metamorphosizes into a cobra. From downstairs, Tom hears Julia scream and rushes to her room, where he covers the snake with a scarf and pushes it out the window. He shoves it over the ledge, and it falls to the ground inches away from the police car which has just pulled up. Before everyone's eyes, the snake transforms into Lisa, and a distraught Tom averts his eyes from her dead body.

Film Details

Also Known As
Cult of the Serpent
Genre
Horror
Thriller
Release Date
May 1955
Premiere Information
Los Angeles opening: 30 Mar 1955
Production Company
Universal-International Pictures Co., Inc.
Distribution Company
Universal Pictures Co., Inc.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 22m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.85 : 1

Articles

Cult of the Cobra (1955)


Capitalizing on the science fiction craze that blazed through 1950s America, Universal International went back to their monster roots for a spell, and amongst classic titles like Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), a female ‘monster’ flick stands out: Cult of the Cobra (1955). Boasting recognizable shades of many 1930s and 1940s horror entries, especially Cat People (1942), Cult of the Cobra leans more into the supernatural as opposed to sci-fi, following a group of American Air Force members on their last day in Asia who sneak into a snake-worshipping society meeting, blow their cover and are marked for death by a curse the Cobra Goddess, Lisa (Faith Domergue), must carry out. The beguiling Lisa follows the soldiers to New York and kills them one by one, falling in love with one of her intended victims, Tom (Marshall Thompson), along the way.

Jerry Davis, future producer of TV classics like Bewitched and The Odd Couple, was the first writer to board the project in early 1954, followed by Cecil Maiden and Richard Collins, the latter of whom went on to produce Bonanza. Though trade publications announced Ursula Thiess as Lisa in the summer of 1954, Universal was still sorting the cast out mere weeks and days before cameras rolled. By October 25th, one day before shooting began, Daily Variety confirmed that Domergue took over the lead. (Perhaps erroneously; Domergue remembered in later years that she replaced Mari Blanchard, who also tested for the role, after production started.)

Domergue undoubtedly wielded the most audience appeal of the cast, despite appearing in only a handful of films since becoming one of Howard Hughes’ lovers and starlets in the early 1940s. (Ironically, 1955 proved her most prolific year with five features released, including This Island Earth.) Domergue’s fame helped her command a salary higher than most, if not all, of her male co-stars and even director Francis D. Lyon, pulling in $4,000 more than the Oscar-winning editor of 1947’s Body and Soul, who transitioned to directing in 1952. Onscreen, Domergue received adequate support from the picture’s stable of G.I.s, which included a bevy of future TV stars: Richard Long (The Big Valley), Long’s real-life brother-in-law Marshall Thompson (Dakari), William Reynolds (The F.B.I.), Jack Kelly (Maverick) and David Janssen (The Fugitive). By the time Cult of the Cobra premiered on television in 1964, it became obvious how the picture was buoyed by its recognizable male TV luminaries and emerged as a small screen staple. 

Cult of the Cobra officially started its 17-day shoot on October 26th, 1954, at Burbank’s Airway Bowling Lanes. The remainder of the movie was filmed on the Universal lot, where the Egyptian-set Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) was also underway, which led to shared sets, props and extras. While Lyon recalled a smooth production, Kathleen Hughes, who appeared as Long’s fiancée, didn’t agree. She felt unsuited for her ingenue role and recalled being mistreated on set, in addition to being ill for several days. Consequently, many of her takes were flubbed or unused. 

Cult of the Cobra shied away from special effects and excessive makeup for scares and instead employed a more suggestive Val Lewton-style approach, relying on Domergue’s subtle ominous vibe and Russell Metty’s moody cinematography to stimulate terror and stir the audience’s imagination. (Metty would lens 1958’s Touch of Evil and win an Oscar for 1960’s Spartacus.) To channel an air of trepidation, Metty captured the death scenes from two angles: one from the cobra’s viewpoint and the other with a prop snake in the frame, lending unique perspectives to the murders. 

Originally set for a May release, Cult of the Cobra debuted March 29th, 1955 on a double bill supporting Revenge of the Creature (1955). The film also played second fiddle to titles like The Far Country (1954) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), as well as on its own in smaller venues. For a B-movie Universal didn’t have high hopes for, Cult of the Cobra’s reviews leaned positive, with many critics believing it capable of netting solid returns in the exploitation market and lauding the picture for its chilling atmosphere, suspenseful story and innovative shots. The Hollywood Reporter columnist Jack Moffitt commented that Lyon “has taken the sort of yarn that frequently is seen on Saturday afternoon in a small-town grind house and produced an intelligent horror-suspense story that should advance the careers of everyone in it.” While Cult of the Cobra didn’t catapult any of its cast or crew to superstardom, many subsequently found success on TV, which helped the picture endure and reach near cult-like status over the years. 

Sources:
Lyon, Francis D. Twists of Fate: An Oscar Winner's International Career. Evanston Publishing, 1993.
Mitchell, Charles P., and Paul Parla. Screen Sirens Scream! McFarland, 2009.
Neibaur, James L. The Monster Movies of Universal Studios. Rowman & Littlefield, 2017.
Weaver, Tom, et al. Universal Terrors, 1951-1955. McFarland, 2017.

Cult Of The Cobra (1955)

Cult of the Cobra (1955)

Capitalizing on the science fiction craze that blazed through 1950s America, Universal International went back to their monster roots for a spell, and amongst classic titles like Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), a female ‘monster’ flick stands out: Cult of the Cobra (1955). Boasting recognizable shades of many 1930s and 1940s horror entries, especially Cat People (1942), Cult of the Cobra leans more into the supernatural as opposed to sci-fi, following a group of American Air Force members on their last day in Asia who sneak into a snake-worshipping society meeting, blow their cover and are marked for death by a curse the Cobra Goddess, Lisa (Faith Domergue), must carry out. The beguiling Lisa follows the soldiers to New York and kills them one by one, falling in love with one of her intended victims, Tom (Marshall Thompson), along the way.Jerry Davis, future producer of TV classics like Bewitched and The Odd Couple, was the first writer to board the project in early 1954, followed by Cecil Maiden and Richard Collins, the latter of whom went on to produce Bonanza. Though trade publications announced Ursula Thiess as Lisa in the summer of 1954, Universal was still sorting the cast out mere weeks and days before cameras rolled. By October 25th, one day before shooting began, Daily Variety confirmed that Domergue took over the lead. (Perhaps erroneously; Domergue remembered in later years that she replaced Mari Blanchard, who also tested for the role, after production started.)Domergue undoubtedly wielded the most audience appeal of the cast, despite appearing in only a handful of films since becoming one of Howard Hughes’ lovers and starlets in the early 1940s. (Ironically, 1955 proved her most prolific year with five features released, including This Island Earth.) Domergue’s fame helped her command a salary higher than most, if not all, of her male co-stars and even director Francis D. Lyon, pulling in $4,000 more than the Oscar-winning editor of 1947’s Body and Soul, who transitioned to directing in 1952. Onscreen, Domergue received adequate support from the picture’s stable of G.I.s, which included a bevy of future TV stars: Richard Long (The Big Valley), Long’s real-life brother-in-law Marshall Thompson (Dakari), William Reynolds (The F.B.I.), Jack Kelly (Maverick) and David Janssen (The Fugitive). By the time Cult of the Cobra premiered on television in 1964, it became obvious how the picture was buoyed by its recognizable male TV luminaries and emerged as a small screen staple. Cult of the Cobra officially started its 17-day shoot on October 26th, 1954, at Burbank’s Airway Bowling Lanes. The remainder of the movie was filmed on the Universal lot, where the Egyptian-set Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) was also underway, which led to shared sets, props and extras. While Lyon recalled a smooth production, Kathleen Hughes, who appeared as Long’s fiancée, didn’t agree. She felt unsuited for her ingenue role and recalled being mistreated on set, in addition to being ill for several days. Consequently, many of her takes were flubbed or unused. Cult of the Cobra shied away from special effects and excessive makeup for scares and instead employed a more suggestive Val Lewton-style approach, relying on Domergue’s subtle ominous vibe and Russell Metty’s moody cinematography to stimulate terror and stir the audience’s imagination. (Metty would lens 1958’s Touch of Evil and win an Oscar for 1960’s Spartacus.) To channel an air of trepidation, Metty captured the death scenes from two angles: one from the cobra’s viewpoint and the other with a prop snake in the frame, lending unique perspectives to the murders. Originally set for a May release, Cult of the Cobra debuted March 29th, 1955 on a double bill supporting Revenge of the Creature (1955). The film also played second fiddle to titles like The Far Country (1954) and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), as well as on its own in smaller venues. For a B-movie Universal didn’t have high hopes for, Cult of the Cobra’s reviews leaned positive, with many critics believing it capable of netting solid returns in the exploitation market and lauding the picture for its chilling atmosphere, suspenseful story and innovative shots. The Hollywood Reporter columnist Jack Moffitt commented that Lyon “has taken the sort of yarn that frequently is seen on Saturday afternoon in a small-town grind house and produced an intelligent horror-suspense story that should advance the careers of everyone in it.” While Cult of the Cobra didn’t catapult any of its cast or crew to superstardom, many subsequently found success on TV, which helped the picture endure and reach near cult-like status over the years. Sources:Lyon, Francis D. Twists of Fate: An Oscar Winner's International Career. Evanston Publishing, 1993.Mitchell, Charles P., and Paul Parla. Screen Sirens Scream! McFarland, 2009.Neibaur, James L. The Monster Movies of Universal Studios. Rowman & Littlefield, 2017.Weaver, Tom, et al. Universal Terrors, 1951-1955. McFarland, 2017.

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

The working title of this film was Cult of the Serpent. The film begins with the following written foreword: "Slender hangs illusion, fragile the thread to reality. Always the question: Is it true? Truth is in the mind and the mind of man varies with time and place. The time is 1945. The place is Asia." According to an April 1954 Daily Variety news item, William Alland was originally hired to produce the film. Although an October 1954 Hollywood Reporter news item identifies the film's first locale as Burma (now Myanmar), in the picture the setting is referred to only as "Asia." As noted in the Daily Variety review, whenever "Lisa" transforms into a cobra, the camera assumes the snake's point of view.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States on Video April 13, 1994

Released in United States Spring May 1955

Released in United States on Video April 13, 1994

Released in United States Spring May 1955