This is a real tongue and cheek pagan themed film. It is a Ken Russell film, so of course it's going to be weird; but this Russell film is also extremely funny. The basic story is that a local mom and pop have been missing for around year, then a visiting archaeologist unearths a vaguely reptilian looking skull from the foundation of an old convent (so old, that it supposed to date from the Roman period and would be the oldest Christian structure in the British Isles if it were remotely a real life find--pretty sure anything found like that England universities would be fighting over the excavation rights!). Next comes the story of the D'Amptom worm, told in very colorful style by a folk-punk band at a party thrown by the local Lord D'Amtom (Hugh Grant).
This is based on a Bram Stoker novel, and doesn't reflect, even a little bit, any real Roman-British pre-Christian pagan cult or religion, nevermind any clashes between spread of Roman Catholicism and the dying religions in Europe at the time. It also has various supernatural elements, like immortal snake like vampire creature(s)....guess Stoker just couldn't ditch the elongated canines!. But it's all in good fun, and again, it's Ken Russell! And if anyone were to attempt to make a serious film of the story, it just wouldn't work. Along with Grant, the film stars Amanda Donohoe, Peter Capaldi, Catherine Oxenberg, Samni Davis, and the director in an cameo appearance.
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