Python (film)
Encyclopedia
Python is a made-for-TV horror movie directed by Richard Clabaugh. The film features several cult
favorite actors, including William Zabka
of The Karate Kid fame, Wil Wheaton
, Casper Van Dien
, Jenny McCarthy
, Keith Coogan
, Robert Englund
(best known for his role as Freddy Krueger
in the A Nightmare on Elm Street
series of films), and Sean Whalen
.
The film concerns a genetically engineered snake
, a python, that escapes and unleashes itself on a small town. It includes the classic final girl
scenario evident in films like Friday the 13th. It was filmed in Los Angeles, California
and Malibu, California.
Python was followed by two sequels: Python II
(2002) and Boa vs. Python
(2004), both also made-for-TV films.
couple camping in the woods.
At a swimming hole the next day, John Cooper (Rosanoff), his girlfriend Kristin (Barron), his best friend Tommy (Wheaton) and Tommy's girlfriend Theresa (Mornell) find a pet Ball python
belonging to one of the dead women, Lisa. Deputy Greg shows up, mentioning that Lisa is missing and takes the snake. Lisa's body is found, appearing to have been corroded by acids. Greg suspects John since he works at a plant that contains acids and Greg is also Kristin's ex-fiancée; she left him when her first love came back to town.
Scientist Anton Rudolph (Englund) is talking with NSA Special Agent Parker (Van Dien), explaining that the cargo is an abnormally large reticulated python
that has been genetically engineered in Southeast Asia, blending several species. In the words of Dr. Rudolph, it is, "a perfect killing machine, a 129 foot long terrain vehicle capable of speeds exceeding fifty miles an hour, with skin that can deflect an anti-tank round, enhanced night vision, and voracious appetite for human flesh". The NSA team plans an assault against the snake, hoping to kill it discreetly before it eats more people.
The snake kills a real estate agent and beheads the agent's client. It leaves behind the client and the body of the other lesbian, Roberta Keeler. John enters as the snake leaves, furthering suspicion against him. The Sheriff shuts down his brother's plant, furthering the tensions between them. As John leaves the plant he runs into Greg's car and his bike is damaged. They end up in a fist fight, mostly over Kristin, though they ultimately reconcile. When the body of the real estate agent is found with the same acid damage, the Sheriff orders John arrested. Kristin yells at Greg when they come to arrest John, but he says that he does not think John is the killer.
The NSA team and Rudolph arrive, telling the Sheriff a story about a rogue, psychotic escaped operative imprisoned in a military psychiatric unit who escaped and is committing the murders. He does not believe them, but goes back to the office and frees John, who heads off to be with his girlfriend. Along with Tommy and Theresa they plan to go on a trip the next morning.
The NSA set up base at a water treatment center. They use radar to find where the snake is likely to be, then have the police set up a perimeter to keep people out of the zone. Believing the snake is sleeping, the team wastes most of its ammo on the snake's shed skin. Agent Parker realizes the snake set them up using the skin as a decoy. The snake arrives to kill the team; only Rudolph escapes.
Theresa's morning shower is interrupted by the snake. Though she is able to escape, the snake kills Tommy. Theresa drives away but the snake follows. It gets in front of her and rips the rear axle off, disabling the truck. She gets away again and hides in a crevice.
When Tommy and Theresa do not arrive to pick them up, John and Kristin go looking for them, finding the wrecked truck. Theresa tries to warn them as the snake comes to attack, but they cannot hear her. John and Kristin escape using Tommy and Theresa's bikes from the truck. They make it to the water treatment center, with Theresa later joining them, and find Rudolph in shock. John's group realize that they must do something about the snake or it will get to the town. They call Greg on the radio and fill him in on a plan they have devised.
They lure the snake into the water treatment plant by having it chase John through a shaft while they set a bomb near the entrance. Kristin drops a line down another shaft for John to escape. The other two escape through the regular door, where Greg is waiting to drive them to the other shaft. They pull John out and the python is unable to climb up the shaft. Trapped in the tunnel, the python returns to the doorway entrance. The group returns to the entrance to trigger the bomb, but it does not detonate. Rudolph says the snake must have torn out the antenna when it crashed into the bunker, so he leaves his pet snake with Kristin and runs in to reset it. The python eats him as soon as he completes his task. The charges go off and the other four are celebrating their success when the Python emerges unscathed.
They flee in Greg's police car, and come up with a new plan: penetrate the snake's hide by luring the snake into a vat of acid
at John and his brother's plating plant. Once there, John again acts as the bait while Kristin uses a winch to push the snake's body into one of the vats. The acid kills the python.
Six months later Greg has been accepted into Quantico
to be an FBI agent, the plant has been reopened as a bar/bike shop where the snake is used as a sales tool, and John finds out that he and Kristin are soon to be parents.
, and has a dedicated fan base.Many people called it a rip-off of Anaconda
.
and VHS
. Both have since been discontinued and have been out of print
for some time. It is currently unknown weather it will be released again on Blu Ray and DVD.
about two carnivorous mutant pythons terrorizing a Russia
n research complex and military base. The Russians and the Americans must work together to destroy the creatures and save themselves. Python II was a critical failure. Boa vs. Python
was released in 2004, and is thought to be a cross over between Boa
and Python. Boa vs Python was also a critical failure, and neither have the ensemble cast like Python did.
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
favorite actors, including William Zabka
William Zabka
William Michael "Billy" Zabka is an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is an Academy Award Nominee for Co-Writing and Producing the film, "MOST." Zabka is best known for his villain roles in several iconic 80s films, such as his role of Johnny Lawrence in 1984's The Karate...
of The Karate Kid fame, Wil Wheaton
Wil Wheaton
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III is an American actor and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers...
, Casper Van Dien
Casper Van Dien
-Early life:Van Dien was born and grew up in Milton, Florida, the son of Diane , a retired nursery school teacher, and Casper Robert Van Dien, Sr., a retired U.S. Navy Commander and fighter pilot. There is a long military tradition in Van Dien's family. Aside from his father, his grandfather was a...
, Jenny McCarthy
Jenny McCarthy
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress, author, activist, and game show host. She began her career in 1993 as a nude model for Playboy magazine and was later named their Playmate of the Year. McCarthy then parlayed her Playboy fame into a successful television and...
, Keith Coogan
Keith Coogan
Keith Coogan is an American actor. He is a grandson of actor Jackie Coogan.-Biography:Coogan was born Keith Eric Mitchell in Palm Springs, California, the son of Leslie Diane Coogan Mitchell, an actress...
, Robert Englund
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
(best known for his role as Freddy Krueger
Freddy Krueger
Frederick Charles "Freddy" Krueger is a fictional, horrifying character from the Nightmare on Elm Street series of horror films. He first appears in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street as a disfigured dream stalker who uses a glove armed with razors to kill his victims in their dreams,...
in the A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American slasher film directed and written by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film features Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Robert Englund, and Johnny Depp in his feature film...
series of films), and Sean Whalen
Sean Whalen
Sean M. Whalen is an American film, television, and stage actor.Whalen was born in Washington D.C. in 1964, the youngest of four children, he was raised in Silver Spring/Olney, Maryland. He attended Sherwood High School and graduated from UCLA. He worked as a waiter while studying and performing...
.
The film concerns a genetically engineered snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
, a python, that escapes and unleashes itself on a small town. It includes the classic final girl
Final girl
The final girl is a trope in thriller and horror films that specifically refers to the last woman or girl alive to confront the killer, ostensibly the one left to tell the story...
scenario evident in films like Friday the 13th. It was filmed in Los Angeles, California
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Malibu, California.
Python was followed by two sequels: Python II
Python II
Python II is a 2002 sequel to the 2000 film Python. The film stars Billy Zabka reprising his role as Greg Larson from the first film, along with Dana Ashbrook and Simmone Mackinnon....
(2002) and Boa vs. Python
Boa vs. Python
Boa vs. Python is a 2004 Sci Fi Pictures original film. It was directed by David Flores, from a script by Chase Parker and Sam Wells, and was filmed in Sofia, Bulgaria, like many Sci Fi original movies. The film was a crossover between 2002's Boa, and 2000's Python.-Plot:The film opens with a...
(2004), both also made-for-TV films.
Plot
The crew of a plane flying gets nervous when the cargo it is carrying starts making noises and shifting. When one of the crew opens the crate, the pilot hears screams from the back. Something attacks him, causing the plane to crash near a town called Ruby. The cargo survives the crash and begins attacking Ruby citizens, starting with a lesbianLesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
couple camping in the woods.
At a swimming hole the next day, John Cooper (Rosanoff), his girlfriend Kristin (Barron), his best friend Tommy (Wheaton) and Tommy's girlfriend Theresa (Mornell) find a pet Ball python
Ball python
Python regius is a nonvenomous python species found in Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade. No subspecies are currently recognized. They are also known as royal pythons or ball pythons. The name ball python refers to the animal's tendency to curl into...
belonging to one of the dead women, Lisa. Deputy Greg shows up, mentioning that Lisa is missing and takes the snake. Lisa's body is found, appearing to have been corroded by acids. Greg suspects John since he works at a plant that contains acids and Greg is also Kristin's ex-fiancée; she left him when her first love came back to town.
Scientist Anton Rudolph (Englund) is talking with NSA Special Agent Parker (Van Dien), explaining that the cargo is an abnormally large reticulated python
Reticulated Python
Python reticulatus, also known as the reticulated python is a species of python found in Southeast Asia. Adults can grow to over 8.7 m in length but normally grow to an average of 3-6 m . They are the world's longest snakes and longest reptile, but are not the most heavily built...
that has been genetically engineered in Southeast Asia, blending several species. In the words of Dr. Rudolph, it is, "a perfect killing machine, a 129 foot long terrain vehicle capable of speeds exceeding fifty miles an hour, with skin that can deflect an anti-tank round, enhanced night vision, and voracious appetite for human flesh". The NSA team plans an assault against the snake, hoping to kill it discreetly before it eats more people.
The snake kills a real estate agent and beheads the agent's client. It leaves behind the client and the body of the other lesbian, Roberta Keeler. John enters as the snake leaves, furthering suspicion against him. The Sheriff shuts down his brother's plant, furthering the tensions between them. As John leaves the plant he runs into Greg's car and his bike is damaged. They end up in a fist fight, mostly over Kristin, though they ultimately reconcile. When the body of the real estate agent is found with the same acid damage, the Sheriff orders John arrested. Kristin yells at Greg when they come to arrest John, but he says that he does not think John is the killer.
The NSA team and Rudolph arrive, telling the Sheriff a story about a rogue, psychotic escaped operative imprisoned in a military psychiatric unit who escaped and is committing the murders. He does not believe them, but goes back to the office and frees John, who heads off to be with his girlfriend. Along with Tommy and Theresa they plan to go on a trip the next morning.
The NSA set up base at a water treatment center. They use radar to find where the snake is likely to be, then have the police set up a perimeter to keep people out of the zone. Believing the snake is sleeping, the team wastes most of its ammo on the snake's shed skin. Agent Parker realizes the snake set them up using the skin as a decoy. The snake arrives to kill the team; only Rudolph escapes.
Theresa's morning shower is interrupted by the snake. Though she is able to escape, the snake kills Tommy. Theresa drives away but the snake follows. It gets in front of her and rips the rear axle off, disabling the truck. She gets away again and hides in a crevice.
When Tommy and Theresa do not arrive to pick them up, John and Kristin go looking for them, finding the wrecked truck. Theresa tries to warn them as the snake comes to attack, but they cannot hear her. John and Kristin escape using Tommy and Theresa's bikes from the truck. They make it to the water treatment center, with Theresa later joining them, and find Rudolph in shock. John's group realize that they must do something about the snake or it will get to the town. They call Greg on the radio and fill him in on a plan they have devised.
They lure the snake into the water treatment plant by having it chase John through a shaft while they set a bomb near the entrance. Kristin drops a line down another shaft for John to escape. The other two escape through the regular door, where Greg is waiting to drive them to the other shaft. They pull John out and the python is unable to climb up the shaft. Trapped in the tunnel, the python returns to the doorway entrance. The group returns to the entrance to trigger the bomb, but it does not detonate. Rudolph says the snake must have torn out the antenna when it crashed into the bunker, so he leaves his pet snake with Kristin and runs in to reset it. The python eats him as soon as he completes his task. The charges go off and the other four are celebrating their success when the Python emerges unscathed.
They flee in Greg's police car, and come up with a new plan: penetrate the snake's hide by luring the snake into a vat of acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
at John and his brother's plating plant. Once there, John again acts as the bait while Kristin uses a winch to push the snake's body into one of the vats. The acid kills the python.
Six months later Greg has been accepted into Quantico
FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
to be an FBI agent, the plant has been reopened as a bar/bike shop where the snake is used as a sales tool, and John finds out that he and Kristin are soon to be parents.
Cast
- Frayne Rosanoff as John Cooper
- Robert EnglundRobert EnglundRobert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
as Dr. Anton Rudolph - Casper Van DienCasper Van Dien-Early life:Van Dien was born and grew up in Milton, Florida, the son of Diane , a retired nursery school teacher, and Casper Robert Van Dien, Sr., a retired U.S. Navy Commander and fighter pilot. There is a long military tradition in Van Dien's family. Aside from his father, his grandfather was a...
as Bart Parker - William ZabkaWilliam ZabkaWilliam Michael "Billy" Zabka is an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is an Academy Award Nominee for Co-Writing and Producing the film, "MOST." Zabka is best known for his villain roles in several iconic 80s films, such as his role of Johnny Lawrence in 1984's The Karate...
as Deputy Greg Larson - Dana BarronDana BarronDana Barron is an American actress who has starred in film and on television. Barron is best known for her role as the original Audrey Griswold in the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation which she reprised in 2003's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure for NBC television.-Early...
as Kristin - Sara Mornell as Theresa
- Wil WheatonWil WheatonRichard William "Wil" Wheaton III is an American actor and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers...
as Tommy - Jenny McCarthyJenny McCarthyJennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress, author, activist, and game show host. She began her career in 1993 as a nude model for Playboy magazine and was later named their Playmate of the Year. McCarthy then parlayed her Playboy fame into a successful television and...
as Francesca Garibaldi - Chris OwensChris Owens (actor)Christopher Bradley "Chris" Owens is a Canadian actor.Owens was born in Toronto, the son of Jeannette, a jazz singer, and Garry Owens, a jazz drummer....
as Brian Cooper - Sean WhalenSean WhalenSean M. Whalen is an American film, television, and stage actor.Whalen was born in Washington D.C. in 1964, the youngest of four children, he was raised in Silver Spring/Olney, Maryland. He attended Sherwood High School and graduated from UCLA. He worked as a waiter while studying and performing...
as Deputy Lewis Ross - Gary GrubbsGary GrubbsGary Grubbs is an American actor.Grubbs has several film and television credits to his name, including his portrayal of attorney Al Oser in Oliver Stone's JFK....
as Sheriff Griffin Wade - Theo Pagones as Dootsen
- Scott WilliamsonScott WilliamsonScott Ryan Williamson is a right-handed relief pitcher in the Florida Marlins organization. He has played for the Cincinnati Reds , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , San Diego Padres , and the Baltimore Orioles...
as Kenny "The Closer" Summers - David BoweDavid BoweDavid Bowe is an often seen but rarely recognized character actor in American movies and television. His best known role is that of "Weird Al" Yankovic's sidekick, Bob, in 1989's UHF...
as Boone - Keith CooganKeith CooganKeith Coogan is an American actor. He is a grandson of actor Jackie Coogan.-Biography:Coogan was born Keith Eric Mitchell in Palm Springs, California, the son of Leslie Diane Coogan Mitchell, an actress...
as Lenny - John FranklinJohn Franklin (actor)John Franklin is an American actor.-Personal life:John Franklin was born in Blue Island, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago on June 16, 1959. He has three older brothers, an older sister and a younger brother and grew up in a close knit, loving family. In 1977, John graduated from Dwight D...
as Floyd Fuller - Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
as the Python (voice)
Reception
Python received mixed reviews.Critics praised the ensemble cast, but criticized the special effects and plot.Others thought that it was an above-average television film with good special effects. Reviews were mostly negative. However, despite the initial reception, it is now regarded as a cult classicCult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
, and has a dedicated fan base.Many people called it a rip-off of Anaconda
Anaconda (film)
Anaconda is a 1997, adventure-horror film, directed by Luis Llosa, starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Owen Wilson, and Eric Stoltz. It centers around a film crew for National Geographic who are kidnapped by a hunter who is going after the world's largest giant anaconda, which is...
.
Release
Python was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
. Both have since been discontinued and have been out of print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
for some time. It is currently unknown weather it will be released again on Blu Ray and DVD.
Sequel
It had two sequels, the first being 2002's Python IIPython II
Python II is a 2002 sequel to the 2000 film Python. The film stars Billy Zabka reprising his role as Greg Larson from the first film, along with Dana Ashbrook and Simmone Mackinnon....
about two carnivorous mutant pythons terrorizing a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n research complex and military base. The Russians and the Americans must work together to destroy the creatures and save themselves. Python II was a critical failure. Boa vs. Python
Boa vs. Python
Boa vs. Python is a 2004 Sci Fi Pictures original film. It was directed by David Flores, from a script by Chase Parker and Sam Wells, and was filmed in Sofia, Bulgaria, like many Sci Fi original movies. The film was a crossover between 2002's Boa, and 2000's Python.-Plot:The film opens with a...
was released in 2004, and is thought to be a cross over between Boa
New Alcatraz (film)
New Alcatraz , is a 2001 Sci-fi channel original B-Horror Movie. It was directed by natural horror king, Phillip J...
and Python. Boa vs Python was also a critical failure, and neither have the ensemble cast like Python did.