Amusing Big City monster flick featuring Quetzalcoatl
As two Manhattan detectives (David Carradine and Richard Roundtree) investigate deaths linked to Aztecan ritual a huge winged serpent begins preying on citizens. A piano-playing street thug (Michael Moriarty) claims to know where its nest is located and makes a deal with the authorities. Could the beast be Quetzalcoatl?
Larry Cohen’s "Q" (1982), aka “Q: The Winged Serpent,” is a Grade B creature feature with a wink of humor. Imagine “Wolfen” (1981) if it wasn’t so artsy and didn’t take itself so seriously, albeit with a different monster, and you’d have a good picture of “Q.”
Moriarty cops a serious Bill Burr vibe as the two-bit hood while Carradine & Roundtree seem to be enjoying themselves as tough Big City investigators. Speaking of the city, this is a great way to view New York City in the early 80s. Unfortunately, Cohen drops the ball in the female department as he doesn’t know how to take advantage of the feminine resources and opportunities (and I’m not tawkin’ bout nudity or sleaze, just effective photography of women).
Nevertheless, the flick’s entertaining and shouldn’t be as obscure as it is.
It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Manhattan with focus on the Chrysler Building.
GRADE: B/B-