Leofwine_draca I've heard of Larry Cohen's Q, THE WINGED SERPENT, but I never realised that there was a 1940s B-movie horror film also detailing the Mexican creation of Quetzalcoatl, the bird god. Sadly, THE FLYING SERPENT isn't up to much as a movie, being far too cheap and rubbishy to be successful, although B-movie lovers might get a chuckle or two from the execution.THE FLYING SERPENT was put out by a poverty row studio and it shows: grainy film stock, just a couple of locations and sets, and generally wooden acting from the unfamiliar cast members. The plot is a rehash of one of those Bela Lugosi movies where he played a mad scientist sending out a bat or an ape to commit murder, with Quetzalcoatl itself replacing the monster. The special effects are laughably cheesy, looking like a miniature version of THE GIANT CLAW (remember him?).The stand-in for Lugosi is British bad guy George Zucco, who'd appeared in some of the Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies as well as lots of other B-movie fare. He's not bad value, but this film is far too poor to succeed even in a minor way. Unless you're a fan of rubbery monsters and a complete lack of excitement, suspense, and danger, that is.

kapelusznik18 ***SPOILERS*** Taking the storyline from the far better and camper movie "The Devil Bat" the movie "the Flying Serpent" doesn't anywhere measure up to it with a tired looking George Zucco playing the part of crazed archaeologist Prof. Andrew Forbes who's sitting on a pot of gold, Montazuma's Treasure, and will kill anyone who threatens to uncover it. Unlike in "The Devil Bat" where mad chemist Bela Lugosi used a bat to do his dirty work Forbes uses this turkey looking Aztec serpent named Quetzalcoatt or "Q' for short to do anyone in that he doesn't like.Using one of the bird's feathers to plant on his victims Forbes get the bird to attack and both kill and drain them, by sucking them bone dry, of their blood supply. It's mystery writer and radio host Richard Thorpe, Ralph Lewis, who's sent to solve a number of the blood sucking murders in San Juan New Mexico who falls in love with Forbes step daughter Mary, Hope Kramer, who's mother was also a victim in fact the very first of the killer bird. It soon becomes apparent to Thrope that Forbes, who hates his guts, is behind this string of murders in and around San Juan. That's by Forbes always being on the murder scenes right after they happen as well as finding one of the bird's feathers or calling cards, that Forbes planted on them, near it's victims bodies.***SPOILERS*** Finding the place where Forbes keeps the killer bird caged Thorpe plans to do a broadcast from it and expose Forbes as the man behind the mysterious killings in the area. Forbes who has developed a strong dislike of his step-daughter Mary in her sticking her nose in his business with the bird and also in danger of exposing his hidden treasure to the world. Forbes now also plans to have the bird murder her as well as the pesky Thrope in order to shut them up.The by now quickly losing it Forbes in order to keep his secret, Montezuma Treasure, and his responsibly for the bird murders plans to murder both Thrope and Lewis to keep his secret hidden by using the bird to do it. Predictable ending that's a carbon copy of the movie "The Devil Bat" where the crazed and murderous Prof. Forbes ends up getting the bird and Thorpe the girl as well as the big scoop behind the bird murders.

csteidler Archaeologist George Zucco has discovered an ancient Aztec treasure along with the mythical bird that guards it. He's mad, quite mad….He keeps the treasure hidden in a cave and visits it secretly.Back in town, his step-daughter has noticed that he's been acting strangely—disappearing for days on end, talking about some great imminent discovery. She shares her concern with an ornithologist friend….who soon thereafter is found savagely murdered, his throat cut and all of the blood drained from his body. What is up? Did the ornithologist's death have anything to do with the mysterious feather that Zucco had dropped at his house? Cut to New York: a radio station is sending (handsome young) mystery writer Dick Thorpe to New Mexico to investigate the strange crime and to broadcast daily reports from the field. As the plot thickens and bodies begin to pile up, Dick's daily remote broadcasts get better and better: "Ladies and gentlemen, there's been a murder at the studio. Professor Louis Havener was struck down by the feathered serpent as he stood at the window examining the feather we had just found....We'll be back on the air again tomorrow morning at the same time." The radio writer and the step-daughter (Ralph Lewis and Hope Kramer – not household names for me, I'm afraid) eventually team up on the investigation; however, while the young couple are ostensibly the protagonists in the story, it is unquestionably Zucco who has the meaty role in the picture.For example, why does he keep the treasure hidden? "Because it's mine. Mine, do you hear? All mine. I'm the richest man in the world!" Oh, the bird is good, too. Special flying effects combined with a dramatic music score actually combine well enough to make the attack scenes just a bit spooky.It's very silly, really not very good…but great fun nevertheless.

jim riecken (youroldpaljim) Of all the horror films cranked by the poverty row studio's in the 1940's, those made by PRC were the most outrageous. THE FLYING SERPENT is a case in point. George Zucco, who was always entertaining as the villain in these films, plays a mad archaeologist who discovers a hidden Aztec treasure and living Archaeopterx. Zucco is convinced the prehistoric bird he has found is the actual feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs. Zucco discovers the bird is very jealous of its feathers and will kill anyone who possess one and uses the bird to knock off his enemies. A lot of people have mercilessly trashed this minor little thriller. I must confess, I have a lot of affection for it. Its actually very entertaining if viewed in the right frame of mind. Scenes of the big bird flying stiffly through the air and landing on the people, border on the surreal. George Zucco was always entertaining in these pictures and he is very entertaining here. I don't think one could say Zucco ever walked through a part.