Jaws of Satan

Jaws of Satan, also called by its working title King Cobra, is a 1982 American horror film directed by Bob Claver, and starring Fritz Weaver, Gretchen Corbett, Jon Korkes, and Christina Applegate, in her feature film debut. Its plot follows a preacher from a cursed family who is forced to battle Satan, who has taken the form of a huge King cobra and is also influencing other regular snakes in the area.

Plot
A large king cobra escapes from its cage while being transported by train to a carnival. It kills two railroad workers and flees into the night, eventually reaching a small Alabama town. That night, the town's Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Tom Farrow, is enjoying dinner by the fire when he feels an uneasy presence. Later, he attends a party where he is met by the town's librarian and seer, Evelyn Downs, who reveals that she foresaw Farrow facing an ancient enemy who has come to claim his soul.

The next day, two tree loggers are attacked by a rattlesnake while being watched by the Cobra. A reporter questions the town sheriff while Dr. Maggie Sheridan visits the morgue. The coroner shows her the logger's body and the puncture wounds on his face. Realizing there could be a dangerous snake out in the woods, Maggie calls in herpetologist Dr. Paul Hendricks. Asking about the snake bite upon arrival, Paul is taken to the morgue, only to find that the body is gone. While Paul is about to leave, Maggie catches up to his cab and shows him the next victim. Paul decides to stay and find out what species of snake is causing these attacks.

Dr. Hendricks drops Maggie off at her home, and while she is freshening up, a rattlesnake enters her home and the Cobra watches from outside. Maggie later finds the rattlesnake on her bed and calls Paul for help. He arrives, kills the rattlesnake, and the Cobra leaves. Paul comforts a scared Maggie and stays the night.

The next morning, Father Farrow learns of Evelyn Downs' death and goes to Maggie's house to find out what happened. She and Paul tell him that Evelyn was coming to see him when she was killed by a snake. Father Farrow believes her and goes to see his uncle, the Monsignore, whom tell him that he believes Satan himself has come in the form of a snake. Meanwhile, Maggie visits the Mayor to try to convince him to postpone the annual dog race, but he ignores her warnings and she leaves in a fury.

According to the Monsignore, Farrow's father didn't die in the war, but committed suicide as a result of being hunted by something unspeakable. Revealing Farrow's bloodline is cursed with violent deaths and strange disappearances occurring every third generation, the Monsignore says that after St. Patrick burned down Druid shrines, the high priest cursed him and his descendants in response, including Farrow and his father. The Monsignore warns Farrow that if Satan has come, there will be unnatural occurrences that indicate his arrival. The Monsignore reminds Farrow that his faith in God will be his strongest weapon against Satan.

In a cottage in a nearby field, two teenagers making out are attacked by another snake and taken to the hospital. When the sheriff asks his deputy Jack to go out to the woods to look for the snake, Jack is attacked by the Cobra. The Sheriff finds him dead. After Evelyn's funeral, the Monsignore comes to Farrow with a book speaking of someone in Farrow's family who faced the Serpent before and was able to defeat it. However, the meeting is interrupted by the Cobra itself. The Cobra chases Farrow and causes him to fall into an empty grave. However, Farrow manages to drive the Cobra off with a cross. While Farrow survives, the Monsignore dies.

When Farrow, Paul, and Maggie arrive at a town meeting to explain the situation to the townsfolk, the mayor tries to calm everyone down and dismisses the snake attacks. They follow the mayor to the back room, where he tells them that they have limited time to find the Cobra and that the dog track will open regardless of the circumstances. If they don't keep things quiet, they will be arrested.

While searching for the snakes, Maggie is confronted by a mugger. Before he can harm her, they are both attacked by the Cobra. They manage to escape, and Paul finds shed snake skin in a cave, where the Cobra is living. Paul draws a picture of what Maggie saw, and Farrow reveals that Evelyn Downs warned him that Satan himself had come in the form of a King Cobra.

Paul goes back to the cave and finds a pit of snakes, including the Cobra itself. He tumbles down an embankment and is knocked out. With the Perry's daughter in the hospital, the Mayor cancels the dog track opening. After calling Father Farrow, Maggie goes to the same cave and finds Paul, but is captured and put before the Cobra. Farrow blesses himself and goes to confront the Cobra.

Arriving at the caves, Farrow calls out to the Cobra by shouting its name. Using prayer, Father Farrow confronts the Cobra and offers himself in Maggie's place. Praying to God, Farrow's golden cross glows. He shines it on the Cobra's body and the Cobra itself is engulfed in flames and killed. Having survived, Farrow, Paul, and Maggie leave the cave.

Production
Filming took place in the fall of 1980 in Alabama, in the cities of Tuscaloosa, Demopolis, Eutaw, and Childersburg. The film was shot under the working title King Cobra.

Release
Jaws of Satan premiered in Birmingham, Alabama, on January 15, 1982.

Home media
Scream Factory released the film on Blu-ray as a double-feature with Empire of the Ants (1977) in 2015.

Critical response
Jeffrey Kauffman, writing for Blu-ray.com, opined that "Jaws of Satan is at times a risibly awful motion picture, but it deserves a few bonus points for being one of the oddest mash-ups in horror cinema history, with elements drawn from entries as disparate as Jaws ... and The Exorcist (and, no, that isn't a typo)."