After he is bitten by a giant poisonous killer snake, Jason Kincaid finds that he has a psychic bond with the reptile from hell.

The premise of this film is like a foreshadowing of the future masterpiece Jaws The Revenge. There are other links with everyone’s favourite shark in that Mr Snake likes to fling people around as he’s killing them.

Spasms has a great cast that includes Oliver Reed (as Kincaid) and Peter Fonda as the scientist on the case. Al Waxman (yes, the chief of police from Cagney and Lacey) is also a cast member. How could anyone resist?! The theme song is written and performed by Tangerine Dream.

I love it when mainstream Hollywood films go full exploitation. This movie has such great, gross special effects that they feel like they’re straight from a video nasty. I also love the scenes in which Ollie is having visions from the point of view of the snake. One such vision makes him go cross-eyed, which really is something to behold. As is the scene in which he starts communicating as the snake.

The finale involves Reed having a knife fight with his venomous adversary.

Spasms is absolutely bonkers but great fun because of this. Wait until you see the scene in which Waxman reacts to being bitten. It really is worth the price of admission on its own.

3 and a half out of 5 stars