Les forces du mal

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.

Tom (prolific actor Jeff Fahey) and wife Alex (Heather Medway) move into an apartment, its previous occupant was a guy called Steve who was into demonology and committed ritual suicide there. They adopt a female black cat which shows affection towards Tom but it quite nasty to Alex. Whilst she is in hospital (the cat caused her to have an accident) Steve's sexy sister Lilith (there's a clue in the name!) turns up at the apartment to pick up his stuff but soon casts a spell over Tom (cue "Omen" style music). From now on Lilith (model/singer/actress Lisa B) and cheating Tom engage in a lot of noisy passionate sex, there's a bit of topless nudity and bare bums but nothing to get too excited about. This erotic supernatural horror/thriller is set in an unnamed American city though it was filmed in Romania, much of the architecture is obviously European as are the motor vehicles (mainly East European makes at that). I thought that the various tenants gave the movie, coupled with the occult angle, a touch of "Rosemary's Baby." The film's title may be derived from an impressive serpent water feature in the courtyard. This was my second viewing and despite a few flaws I found it engaging , well paced and enjoyable. Certainly worth a watch.

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.

Tom and Alex move into a new apartment, which was vacated suddenly by the suicide of the previous owner. Tom is visited by a friendly, black cat, but finds himself seduced by the beautiful, but deadly Lilith.

I don't think anyone will change my mind when I say that the early 90's was a pretty lame period for horror, and this is a gleaming example of my reasoning.

Lifeless, wooden, drab and boring, I can't really think of any positives, this film is laboured and long drawn out, the scares are thin on the ground, and it takes so long to open up, when it does you'll already be dosing.

There's not much I can think of to say, other than save yourself the time and effort.

Very poor.

3/10.

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!...