Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

Dir. Larry Cohen

I really dislike cities, so New York isn't a place I'd ever want to visit. In Larry Cohen's New York there's a giant flying creature from myth and legend literally picking up amateur actors and dropping body parts in its wake. It's a place I definitely wouldn't want to visit!

There's also an open-minded cop; a weaselly, opportunist crook; and an Aztec death cult member getting happy with his favourite ritual killing-knife, all of whom somehow have relevance to the randomness.

It's idiotic but it's easy to get swept up in the nonsense, meaning it's the good kind of idiotic. And even when there's not much happening onscreen the ominous music manages to keep the tension ticking over.

In short, Q is a pleasing B-Movie that thankfully didn't end up lost and forgotten, which is a fate that many cheap monster movies suffer. Extra credit must go to actor Michael Moriarty who surely knew what kind of a film he was starring in but still gave it his all.