Serpent's Lair (1995) User Reviews

Doesn't quite cut it.

[Hermit C-2 · 5/10 · 7 August 1999]

Here we have one of those nice young couples who have found the apartment they've been searching for, only it has a sinister past. But heck, they say, so what if a guy killed himself and wrote some strange words on the wall. We'll just throw a mirror over that. But there are also a few amenities they didn't count on, like a multitude of vaguely menacing cats. Plus the apartment comes equipped with its own sexy succubus--not what every wife would want for her husband.

There is more sex than scares in this movie, though neither will have you on the edge of your seat. But things do pick up a little toward the end. Jeff Fahey, B-movie vet, stars as the husband and Lisa B (didn't she used to play for Prince?) is the bedeviling demon lady. Taylor Nichols ('Metropolitan' and 'Barcelona') also has a small role.

Hasn't aged well.

[okpilak · 5/10 · 16 September 2023]

Released in 1995, considering the subject matter, is actually quite tame, and boring in parts. A man, Steven, kills himself in an apartment, and sets a fire. Later, Alex and Tom move into the apartment. There are still burn marks and red writings on the wall. And there is a black cat that seems to want to make their place his home. The cat manages to trip Alex down the stairs and sends her to the hospital. By this point, the music used really detracts from the film, not an asset to the film. Anyway, along comes Lilith, says Steven was her brother, and she is there to collect his things. The number of cats around increases, and so does the ardor of Lilith for Tom, and the make up used is quite good showing that his strength is being drained away, along with other things from him. She is a succubus, but will Tom be able to resist her long enough to survive? The copy I streamed was not particularly sharp.

"What Kind Of Exercise Have You Been Doing?!...

[azathothpwiggins · 28 May 2021]

In SERPENT'S LAIR, Tom Bennett (Jeff Fahey) and his wife, Alex (Heather Medway) move right in to their dream apartment This, in spite of having seen the burn marks and a message on the wall -written in red!- left by the former occupant.

Weirdness starts right away, accompanied by weird music that lets us know that it's only going to get weirder! There's even a neighbor who's, you guessed it, a weirdo! Hell, even their new cat seems to act... weirdly.

Meanwhile, Tom's dreams turn into soft core cheeeze, and a cat-caused "accident" puts poor Alex in the hospital.

Enter Lilith (Lisa Barbuscia), a sizzling hot woman who claims to be the former tenant's sister. Lilith winds up alone with Tom for the evening, and it's not long before he forgets that he's married to what's-her-name. For some reason, more cats materialize, and further "accidents" occur.

For her part, Lilith isn't one for small talk. She's also very persistent. Tom doesn't know what he's up against, since Lilith isn't what she appears to be. Will Tom ever snap out of his Lilith-induced coma?

More cats appear.

A movie like this is all about building sexual tension, with the consummation thereof leading to total destruction. Lilith being insatiable and unstoppable certainly brings things to a lusty boil! For the most part, Tom is just a goggle-eyed rube with weak knees.

QUESTIONS: #1- Will Alex get out of the hospital before Lilith reduces Tom to a smiling sack of dust? #2- Will the cats ever stop multiplying? #3- How will Tom and Alex afford the food and litterboxes for their growing feline multitude?

BEST SCENE: When Lilith "surprises" Tom at work, and an office chair becomes a recreational instrument! This scene proves to be as ludicrous as it is sensual!

Let nothing stop you from witnessing the final, fiery, demon-cleansing showdown!...

Not scary

[dbdumonteil · 2/10 · 23 May 2006]

Horror movies buffs will be very disappointed with this flick.It is never never frightening,and the derivative screenplay borrows from "the exorcist" "Rosemary's baby" "the tenant" "the omen" and more.The first scenes ,notably the moment when the young couple enters their brand new flat (complete with a fountain in the yard) where a man committed suicide directly comes from Ira Levin/Roman Polanski 's story.All in all it is rather a -very soft -erotic movie where Lisa B. tries her best to be at once sexually attractive and threatening.The lines are very vulgar and use the word "f...." a lot more than they should.Do not bother.

Erotic horror

[kyleallencole9 · 6/10 · 12 December 2018]

Definitely a fun little erotic creepy movie!! One of those mid 90s erotic thrillers.

Not a horror flick but still good

[guitbth · 10/10 · 24 March 2015]

I do not understand why this movie has such bad critiques and ratings, in my opinion its one of the best succubus /which movies out there. I've seen it on TV years ago and loved it. The plot is simple, a man being sexually tempted away from his wife by a demon. The overhaul acting is good. Lisa Barbuscia is outstanding. The cinematography is also well done. The supernatural part is kept for the end, and the movie feels more like a thriller than horror. Sure the plot seams somewhat stupid, but 99% of todays movies are doing it a lot worse.

If you lock out for a horror flick with scares and blood, you're wrong here. If you are looking for a trashy thriller with erotic appeal than you won't do wrong with it.

more noises than dialog

[buonesargen3 · 6/10 · 30 June 2006]

Lisa B's most famous or infamous movie depending on your view of it. Jeff Farley is a successful executive who meets the tantalizing Lisa B who rather fascinated by him. His ego being flattered he sees another conquest like his career available. Except she appears to be rather dominant and leaving him more tired than he would wish in the morning. This film is an attempt to follow classics like Rosemary's Baby and The Omen. I saw this after some word of mouth and recommendations on the net. The most intriguing was some weird parallels that occurred outside this film but were related. Lisa B plays the demoness Lilith at the time she had a successful music carer and as a campaigning journalist. One of the people recommending this was the journalist, actor, occultism and composer Stephen Armourae who knew Lisa and has done a portrait of her since. His interest in Lilith and occult groups like 'Temple of the Winged One' meant I had to see this movie. Its funny how a little background information elevates an otherwise average film to something more chilling. And this film needs it. The best parts of it are the unintended comedy of Lisa having multiple orgasms as she is a Succubus taking his energy. Also that she would be so interested in someone who is not a big Hollywood star, he has no glamor or enough good looks for a role of someone who arouses a beautiful demon.

Little Erotic

[Mask-of-Santo · 5 February 2000]

This is a movie that attempts to combine horror with erotica. The horror aspect is the succubus and the erotic aspect is the succubus seducing a married man. There are a number of love scenes which are mildly erotic. Nothing to get too excited about. Good for teenagers.

More like psychological torture than horror.

[spoken · 6/10 · 28 September 2017]

Just watched this on Amazon Prime, which has this as a 2014 movie.

It is more like psychological torture than horror. Yes, there's a succubus (sp?), but most of the movie is about the mild erotica and the victim who can't escape the villains and their enchantments, so to speak.

If you have "stalker scars" then you will want to avoid this movie. It has no scares, but the cats are beautiful.

As always, Jeff Fahey makes having eyes a wonderful thing.

A simple horror movie with an erotic touch.

[MonikaKo · 10/10 · 20 March 1999]

It is a simple horror movie with a stupid plot.

Lisa Barbuscia gives her debut in this movie and she amazing.

This movie reminds me of the remake of Catpeople. But the plot is terrible.