The Believers (1987)

A New York psychiatrist finds that a brujería-inspired cult, which believes in child sacrifice, has a keen interest in his own son.

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Mark Frost (screenplay), Nicholas Conde (novel)

Stars:

Martin Sheen, Helen Shaver, Harley Cross

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Sheen	...	Cal Jamison
Helen Shaver	...	Jessica Halliday
Harley Cross	...	Chris Jamison
Robert Loggia	...	Lt. Sean McTaggert
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Kate Maslow
Harris Yulin	...	Robert Calder
Lee Richardson	...	Dennis Maslow
Richard Masur	...	Marty Wertheimer
Carla Pinza	...	Carmen Ruiz
Jimmy Smits	...	Tom Lopez
Raúl Dávila	...	Oscar Sezine
Malick Bowens	...	Palo
Janet-Laine Green	...	Lisa Jamison
Larry Ramos	...	Diner Counterman
Philip Corey	...	Calder's Assistant

Storyline

After the death of his wife, police psychiatrist Cal Jamison moves to New York. There he has to help in the investigation of the murder of two youths, who seem to have been immolated during a cult ritual. Jamison believes it's been Voodoo and, ignoring the warnings of his housekeeper, enters the scenery and soon gets under their influence. They try to get him to sacrifice his own son.

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Plot Keywords:

child sacrifice | ritual | female rear nudity | female nudity | animal sacrifice | 

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Taglines:

Nothing Can Stop Them. No One Can Help You. They Know Who You Are.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los creyentes

Filming Locations:

Magder Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Gross USA:

$18,753,438

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The address shown on Lt. McTaggert's (Robert Loggia) business card is 220 E. 113th St New York, NY 10001. The phone number is 212-557-7081

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Goofs

(at around 42 mins) When the second body is discovered, you can see him clearly breathing while the investigators are photographing.

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Quotes

[last lines of film]
Jessica Halliday: [smiling at Cal] I did it. We'll be safe now.

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Connections

Featured in Trailer Trauma 3: 80s Horrorthon (2017)

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Soundtracks

Flute Concerto In G
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Aurèle Nicolet (as Aurele Nicolet) and Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, Amsterdam
Courtesy of Philips Records, a division of Polygram Classics

User Reviews

Frightening

Widowed police psychiatrist (Martin Sheen) and his young son (Harley Cross) move to NYC and get involved with a cult that believes in human sacrifices--small children especially.

Exceptionally well-made, deadly serious horror film is not for everybody. It's way too long, has some very disturbing scenes (quick closeups of a dead child's mutilated body; animal sacrifice) and it's serious tone can wear one down. Still, it's a complex, one of a kind horror film. Name all the major studio films that deal with cults, voodoo and children sacrifices--there aren't any! It's surprising this even got made.

Sheen is very good as the father, Cross is exceptional as his son. Also Robert Loggia turns in strong support as a police chief. The only bad acting is by Helen Shaver as a landlady who Sheen falls for (for some reason). Also there's a pretty needless ending.

All in all though, a good horror film, but remember--it's STRONG stuff!