The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writers:

Wade Davis (inspired by the book)
Richard Maxwell (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 February 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Don't bury me...I'm not dead!

Plot:

An anthropologist goes to Haiti after hearing rumors about a drug used by black magic practitioners to turn people into zombies.

Plot Keywords:

Haiti | Anthropologist | Magic | Zombie | Spider

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Bill Pullman	...	Dennis Alan
Cathy Tyson	...	Marielle Duchamp
Zakes Mokae	...	Dargent Peytraud
Paul Winfield	...	Lucien Celine
Brent Jennings	...	Louis Mozart
Conrad Roberts	...	Christophe
Badja Djola	...	Gaston
Theresa Merritt	...	Simone
Michael Gough	...	Schoonbacher
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Andrew Cassedy
Dey Young	...	Mrs. Cassedy
Aleta Mitchell	...	Celestine
William Newman	...	French Missionary Doctor
Jaime Pina Gautier	...	Julio
Evencio Mosquera Slaco	...	Old Shaman
Kimberleigh Aarn	...	Margrite (as Kimberleigh Burroughs)
Philogen Thomas	...	Priest
Ana Rosa Smith Avila	...	Mulatto Nurse
Francis Guinan	...	American Doctor
Sally-Anne Munn	...	Nurse / Intern
Jean-Baptiste Rosvelt	...	Black Waiter
Robert De James	...	Old Lame Peasant
Jackson Delgado	...	Possessed Dancer
Barbara Guillaume	...	Mozart's Whore
Betty García Rodríguez	...	Pretty Whore
Luis Tavare Pesquera	...	Kyle Cassedy
Claudia Pimentel	...	Old Crone
Michael Jackson	...	Newscaster
Diamanda Galas	...	Voices of the Dead (voice)
Ti-Blanc	...	Lucien's Dancers Master of Ceremonies
Marie Carmel Noel	...	Glass Eater
Frantz Thomas	...	Coal Eater
Johnny Pephanon	...	Man With Needles (as Johnny Pephanor)
Lucienne Charles	...	Houngan Dancer
Suzette Cajusle	...	Houngan Dancer (as Suzette Cajuste)
Rosemary Sylvain	...	Houngan Dancer
Iversose Beuville	...	Houngan Dancer (as Iverose Beuville)
Maxo Fercilien	...	Houngan Dancer
Jacques Achilles	...	Houngan Dancer
Francesco Chavez	...	Houngan Dancer (as Francisco Chavez)
Saveur D'Orlean	...	Houngan Drummer (as Sauveur D'Orlean)
Maurice Altenor	...	Houngan Drummer
Miguel Valdez	...	Houngan Drummer
Elías Gastavo	...	Houngan Drummer (as Elías Gustavo)
Harold Désiré	...	Houngan Drummer
Buche	...	Bizango Dancers Master of Ceremonies
Providenia Alcántara	...	Bizango Dancers Lead Singer (as Providencia Alcántara)
Dikatel Charles	...	Bizango Dancer
Ana Ramirez	...	Bizango Dancer
Rosa Bautista	...	Bizango Dancer
Juliana José	...	Bizango Dancer
Josiana Sant Louis	...	Bizango Dancer
Jean Pierre	...	Bizango Dancer
Otilio Nerius	...	Bizango Dancer
Venat Ruis	...	Bizango Dancer
Ramon Cherry	...	Bizango Dancer
Rosa Charles	...	Bizango Dancer
Luis Telemako	...	Bizango Drummer
Federico Núñez	...	Bizango Drummer
Americo José	...	Bizango Drummer
Gérard Matonbe	...	Bizango Drummer
Robert Regaldo	...	Bizango Drummer

Directed by
Wes Craven

Writing credits
Wade Davis		(inspired by the book)
Richard Maxwell		(screenplay) and
Adam Rodman		(screenplay) (as A.R. Simoun)

Produced by
Keith Barish	....	executive producer
Doug Claybourne	....	producer
Rob Cohen	....	executive producer
Robert Engelman	....	co-producer
David Ladd	....	producer

Original Music by
Brad Fiedel

Cinematography by
John Lindley

Film Editing by
Glenn Farr

Casting by
Dianne Crittenden

Production Design by
David Nichols

Art Direction by
David Brisbin

Costume Design by
Peter Mitchell

Makeup Department
David LeRoy Anderson	....	special makeup effects artist (as Dave Anderson)
Lance Anderson	....	special makeup effects artist
Jeffrey S. Farley	....	makeup technician
Robert Hallowell II	....	key hair stylist
James Kagel	....	makeup technician
Leonard MacDonald	....	makeup technician
Jim McPherson	....	makeup technician

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rob Cohen	....	second unit director
Robert Engelman	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ken Counts	....	construction cordinator
Chris Snyder	....	construction foreman: reshoots
Charles Stewart	....	property master

Sound Department
Andy Aaron	....	sound effects recordist
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Jay Boekelheide	....	sound designer
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Fortune	....	sound editor
Brian Hackett	....	sound assistant: second unit
Dorian Harris	....	adr editor
Cliff Latimer	....	dialogue editor
Mary Helen Leasman	....	foley editor
John Morris	....	sound editor
Dean Okrand	....	sound re-recording mixer
Troy Porter	....	foley mixer
Don Summer	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Peter Chesney	....	special effects coordinator
Robin L. D'Arcy	....	special effects coordinator: Image Engineering
Emmet Kane	....	special effects technician
Sandra Stewart	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Japhet Asher	....	visual effects producer
Gary Gutierrez	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Anthony Cecere	....	stunt coordinator
Anthony Cecere	....	stunts: fire gag
Eric Chambers	....	stunts (as Erik Chambers)
Dane Farwell	....	stunts
Al Lee	....	stunts
Irving E. Lewis	....	stunts (as Irwin Lewis)
Eric Mansker	....	stunts (as Erik Mansker)
Perry Nichols	....	stunts
Mark Orrison	....	stunts
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts
Marvin Walters	....	stunts
Ray Woodfork	....	stunts
Dane Farwell	....	stunt double: Bill Pullman (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
George A. Hock	....	electrician
Lawrence Karman	....	first assistant camera
Dwight Joseph Lavers	....	dolly grip
Larry McCarron	....	grip
Michael A. McFadden	....	electrician
Rick Fee	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shawn Barry	....	costume supervisor
Lynda Foote	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Peter Amundson	....	first assistant editor
James A. Brewer	....	apprentice editor
Mike Murphy	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer
Mary Patrao	....	assistant music editor
Robert Randles	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Hugh Kelly	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Nora Dunfee	....	dialect coach
Patrick Kohouten	....	utility stand-in (as Patrick Kohoutek)
Marianne Maddalena	....	assistant: Mr. Craven
Trish McCall	....	utility stand-in
Ren Navez	....	location manager
Musset Payant	....	utility stand-in
Jill Simpson	....	assistant to producers
Carmen Soriano	....	script supervisor
Gerry Therrien	....	animal coordinator
Robbie Tucker	....	production associate

Production Companies

• Serpent and the Rainbow
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures Canada (1988) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Colossal Pictures (special visual effects)
• Image Engineering (special mechanical effects)
• USFX (special visual effects)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | Brazil:14 | Sweden:15 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Chile:18 (Original rating) | Chile:TE (TV rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Philippines:R-18 | Italy:T | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Norway:18 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-18 | Finland:K-16 (cut)

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Serpent and the Rainbow

Trivia:

Due to political strife and civil turmoil in Haiti during the production, the local government informed the film crew that they could not guarantee their safety for the remainder of the shoot. The crew subsequently relocated to nearby Dominican Republic to complete filming.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: At Captain Peytraud's first meeting with Dr. Alan, Peytraud wears his full Haitan Tonton Macoute uniform including a row of several award ribbons. All of these ribbons are in fact United States armed forces decorations - clearly visible are the Vietnam Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Ribbon, and the Army Good Conduct Medal.

Quotes:

Dargent Peytraud:I want to hear you scream!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Madame Marcell

"In Haiti, there are secrets we keep even from ourselves..."

First I have to mention that while the book (The Serpent and the Rainbow by Wade Davis) is infinitely better and deeper than the movie that shares its name, comparing the two is unfair. The audience is informed that the movie was "inspired" by the content of the book, for whatever interpretation you give inspired. What makes the book more interesting, aside from it being a true documentary, is how it balances light and shadow in much the way the Vodoun religion balances both. This film may leave you thinking that Haiti is a horrible place filled with monsters and boogeymen, and I don't think that's a fair estimation.

The film confuses many things and ideas which I feel should have been explained. Not everyone is an ethnoreligionist, after all. Totems, houngans, hounfours, mambos, bokors, le Bon Dieu, and the Amazon shaman are just mentioned in passing as if this is everyday vocabulary to the audience. The character of Marielle is presented as a dedicant of the goddess (loa) Erzulie. Well, this is a nice touch, but what of Damballah and his consort Aida-Wedo--the original serpent and the rainbow? And what about the man dressed as a skeleton in an obvious tribute to Baron Samedi--yet the Baron is never mentioned. What really made me chuckle is how Alan's totem saves the end, a totem we had only seen in glimpses without the concept of a power animal ever being explained.

Through in the confusion of the collapse of the Duvalier government and we have the perfect recipe for movie mayhem. Oh, come on...you just knew the overthrow of Duvalier had to work itself in here somewhere, right? We must have the obligatory "I am an American citizen--you cannot touch me" scene when dealing with the so-called Third World.

Bill Pullman was entirely wrong as the protagonist. I just found it unbelievable that this man could find his way out of a Happy Meal box let alone 200 miles of Amazon rainforest. He is abrasive and unpolite, two things which are professional suicide for anybody dealing in international cultures. All right, one can allow for a certain degree of cynicism on his part, but I find it difficult to believe that a man of his caliber and academic background would be fool enough to shoot his mouth off as he does.

Watch this film with an acrostic eye. It isn't a bad film, in spite of the faults I personally found with it. Just watch it cautiously. If it whets your interest, definitely go check out the Davis book.