SNAKE WOMAN (1960; dir. Sidney J Furie, w. Orville H Hampton)

1st shot shepherd w/ flute (role-model for phallic proficiency); later cop Chas Prentiss uses similar woodwind (1st Christian, latter pagan; gift of elder Colonel [cf ’43 Cobra Woman’s similar pipe-gift]) to "charm" satanic Woman (sexualization "taming" women), then turns similarly phallic pistol (gift of Inspector) on her: damning wmn for own sexual interest.

SW Atheris born of over-the-hill herpetologist Adderson ("son-of-snake": nerdish science-first patriarchal standard-bearer) + near-senior wife, his venom vaccinations to cure her insanity (neglected sexual needs) bizarre sex ritual, she moaning in backroom while he "drains snake" in lab: artificial insemination à la ’52 Unnatural, producing similarly Powerful Woman (most 50s movie-scientists nuclear, suggesting these two as crypto-nukes, U’s mandrake root + Snake’s serpents similarly phallic Bombs, latter’s venom à la atomic energy: 40s man’s horror at own "creation" [devastation] cowing him + producing newly-empowered fem); everyone het up over breeches of science + morality tho unconcerned w/ actual deaths (of Adderson, his childbirth missus, villager + yokel boy), Inspector sending Chas in more out of deference to old-pal Colonel than to solve murders (mixed-up society actually creating SW, rough draft of a movie – in Cinemacabre’s choppy, renovated version – seeming blueprint for dir’s next-yr Dr Blood’s Coffin, w/ passionless dr-scientist’s perverted sexuality + unnatural reproduction in Brit countryside, characters mostly similarly emotionless, seeming product of expansive, barren landscape).

Chas’s attraction to Atheris barely erotic (she never "seduces" victims, as expected), flippant "I still love you, Polly" to inn-waitress (after which he goes looking for woman who appreciates his pipe-playing, nudge nudge, A’s company predicated on same) hardly romantic: barely has energy for usual Madonna/whore Good/Terrible Mother issues, tho enlightened enuf to tell A she’s not responsible for what she is – "creation" of dysfunctional Father (à la ’66 Reptile) + victim of all men’s shortcomings (sloughed off at birth on shepherd by craggy Dr Merton + relegated to living in father’s burned-out home/subconscious) – before shooting her (!); according to "witch"/midwife (childless "medium", or spirit guide ushering rational Chas into unreal world) Aggie Harker (who, like Atheris, has been "waiting" for Chas: the shriveled old + alluring erotic mothers, "always already" in his subconscious), must first shoot voodoo-doll image (deviant sex à la Adderson’s vaccination "shot": symbolically, ritualistically satisfying oedipal desire [w/ gun given him by Inspector – to cf shepherd’s flute – AH showing him how to "use" it] before becoming man) previous to killing real thing (psychoanalysis, identifying archetype/trauma-source – woman-headed snake in dress the Phallic/sexual Mother – before triumphing over it.

British Bs (cf Devil Girl from Mars, Cat Girl + Hidden Homicide) like no other: flat, repressed, w/ emotionally paralyzed characters + more routine acting + direction than most Yanks; Snake, tho rich in atmosphere, rough, ridic + slow-going.