DVD Q - The Winged Serpent

Q harkens back to the glory years when both Hollywood and Tokyo regularly released films that featured the squashing flat of cities populated by panic-stricken residents who seem unable to dodge mountains of building rubble falling on their heads. What Director Cohen has done is to create a believable monster that JAWS-like, permits the audience to see the victims from the creature's own perspective. Further, the creepy over the top acting of Moriarity is perfect as the hood who has suffered from a life-long lack of respect, and in his opportunity to get the credit for bagging Q, now is sure that his ship has come in. He grins, rolls in eyes, bewails his fate, but beneath his antics, one can clearly see the hurt that has accumulated over the years. When a detective asks him if he feels any pity for a victim who might have been saved had Quinn acted sooner to reveal Q's whereabouts, he replies, 'I have pity for the next victim and the one after that.' Such honesty is refreshing in both movies and life itself. This honesty, coupled with the fun and zest of the cast and crew, is what makes Q a special treat to savor when a later generation of Jasons and Freddies bore, rather than scare, audiences to death.

Michael Moriarity stars as Jimmy Quinn, an out of work piano man/small time criminal. It's so weird seeing him in a role like this, as I am used to seeing him on the TV show Law & Order as an ADA. In this movie, his character stumbles on the secret location of the beast's nest, and he tries to use that information to get money and the respect he thinks he deserves. While a criminal, I did feel a certain amount of sympathy for this character in the beginning, which evaporated rather slowly as the intoxication of power sets in, along with its' illusions. In the beginning, he was just some poor schlub who couldn't catch a break, but later on his true nature appeared. I read a quote once, I am not sure by who, that said something like 'to really see what's in a man's heart, give him some power'.

David Carradine plays a detective who's trying to solve a series of gruesome murders, and his investigation leads him into uncharted territories of the unknown. The deeper he gets, the more he butts heads with his supervisors, who would rather see things cleared up neatly and without any superstitious mumbo jumbo. Also look for Richard Roundtree, as Sergeant Powell, a cop wound a little too tight whose beliefs are based on what he can see and touch.

The actual creature does not get much screen time, but its' presence is noticeable throughout the movie. I really enjoyed the storyline with Quinn, his tenuous relationship with his girlfriend (Candy Clark), and the manner in which he tries to use the vital information. Here's a small time schnook, never had a break in his life, literally trips over something, sees nothing but the value to himself, and tries to get everything but ends up with nothing.

Here is another fine example of a filmmaker making a lot out of very little. The horror aspects of the movie are present, and the special effects are used sparingly, but the characters drive the story. Another example of this is the original Jaws movie. I suppose the special effects were kept to a minimum due to budgetary limitations, but it helped, rather than hindered, the movie. This movie also has a raw, gritty feel to it, in the sets, use of locations, dialogue, giving us an almost documentarian feel.

The movie is presented in a wide screen format, with good audio. A number of special features include commentary by the filmmaker, biographies, trailers, and promotional materials. All in all, not a bad way to spend 93 minutes.