← Back to results
Q: The Winged Serpent
1982 93 min United States of America R 16+
★6.3
Crime, Horror, Mystery
Director: Larry Cohen
Trailers
Description
A fleeing gangland flunky discovers the New York nest of Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl, the man-eating flying serpent.
Budget:
$1.2M
Starring
David Carradine
Actor
Michael Moriarty
Actor
Candy Clark
Actor
Key opinion
Larry Cohen's Q: The Winged Serpent is a divisive B-movie that blends urban crime drama with creature-feature tropes. While many appreciate its gritty 1980s New York atmosphere and subversion of monster film formulas, others are discouraged by the low-budget practical effects and the film's tendency to prioritize character-driven dialogue over creature screen time.
| Acting | Michael Moriarty delivers a standout, eccentric performance as the central schemer that anchors the film's narrative. | |
| Production | Larry Cohen effectively utilizes NYC skyscraper locations to ground the fantastical premise in a gritty, authentic urban setting. | |
| Originality | The film blends police procedural elements with monster horror in a way that provides a fresh, genre-defying narrative structure. | |
| Production | The practical creature effects are heavily debated: some praise their charm and clever use of budget constraints, while others dismiss them as crude and dated. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided: fans appreciate the avoidance of standard tropes, whereas critics find the focus on the human criminal element repetitive and lacking in monster-driven excitement. |