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The Serpent and the Rainbow

  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
28K
YOUR RATING
Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
Trailer for this thriller directed by Wes Craven
Play trailer1:22
4 Videos
47 Photos
FantasyHorror

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

  • Director
    • Wes Craven
  • Writers
    • Wade Davis
    • Richard Maxwell
    • Adam Rodman
  • Stars
    • Bill Pullman
    • Cathy Tyson
    • Zakes Mokae
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    28K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Wes Craven
    • Writers
      • Wade Davis
      • Richard Maxwell
      • Adam Rodman
    • Stars
      • Bill Pullman
      • Cathy Tyson
      • Zakes Mokae
    • 123User reviews
    • 121Critic reviews
    • 64Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos4

    The Serpent and the Rainbow
    Trailer 1:22
    Watch The Serpent and the Rainbow
    The Serpent And The Rainbow: Buried In Blood
    Clip 2:18
    Watch The Serpent And The Rainbow: Buried In Blood
    The Serpent And The Rainbow: Interview With Sfx Artist Dave Anderson
    Clip 1:06
    Watch The Serpent And The Rainbow: Interview With Sfx Artist Dave Anderson
    Bill Pullman Tells Us the Scariest Co-Star He's Ever Worked With
    Video 2:26
    Watch Bill Pullman Tells Us the Scariest Co-Star He's Ever Worked With

    Photos47

    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman and Cathy Tyson in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman and Cathy Tyson in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
    Bill Pullman and Cathy Tyson in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bill Pullman
    Bill Pullman
    • Dennis Alan
    Cathy Tyson
    Cathy Tyson
    • Marielle Duchamp
    Zakes Mokae
    Zakes Mokae
    • Dargent Peytraud
    Paul Winfield
    Paul Winfield
    • Lucien Celine
    Brent Jennings
    Brent Jennings
    • Louis Mozart
    Conrad Roberts
    Conrad Roberts
    • Christophe
    Badja Djola
    Badja Djola
    • Gaston
    Theresa Merritt
    Theresa Merritt
    • Simone
    Michael Gough
    Michael Gough
    • Schoonbacher
    Paul Guilfoyle
    Paul Guilfoyle
    • Andrew Cassedy
    Dey Young
    Dey Young
    • Mrs. Cassedy
    Aleta Mitchell
    • Celestine
    William Newman
    William Newman
    • French Missionary Doctor
    Jaime Pina Gautier
    • Julio
    • (as Jaime Piña Gautier)
    Evencio Mosquera Slaco
    • Old Shaman
    Kimberleigh Aarn
    • Margrite
    • (as Kimberleigh Burroughs)
    Philogen Thomas
    • Priest
    Ana Rosa Smith Avila
    • Mulatto Nurse
    • Director
      • Wes Craven
    • Writers
      • Wade Davis
      • Richard Maxwell
      • Adam Rodman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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
      At about the 1:05 mark a computer screen shows the word "specimen" misspelled as "speciman".
    • Quotes

      Dennis Alan: Don't let them bury me! I'm not dead!

    • Crazy credits
      [Opening card] In the legends of voodoo the Serpent is a symbol of Earth. The Rainbow is a symbol of Heaven. Between the two, all creatures must live and die. But because he has a soul Man can be trapped in a terrible place Where death is only the beginning. The following is inspired by a true story.
    • Alternate versions
      UK video and DVD versions are cut by 5 seconds by the BBFC to remove shots of cock-fighting (illegal animal cruelty).
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Shoot to Kill/The Serpent and the Rainbow/She's Having a Baby/The Unbearable Lightness of Being/School Daze (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Madame Marcel
      Performed by Le Roi Coupe Cloue

      Courtesy of Chancy Records

    User reviews123

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Very Different and Intriguing
    Bill Pullman is an anthropologist who on a previous visit to Haiti experienced the power of black voodoo,filling his mind with evil dreams and eventuating in the murder of his pilot. His Jaguar spirit leads him to safety. Upon returning to America he is asked by a drug company to return to Haiti and investigate the process of "Zombification" as proof of a man being brought back from the dead has been discovered and the Americans of course would love to know how it is done.

    In Haiti Dr Allen meets a beautiful female psychiatrist and together they become embroiled in a world of good vs evil voodoo style in search of this miracle which is in the form of a powder.

    However, their is evil at work in the form of a very nasty voodoo witchdoctor, who unfortunately also happens to be Chief of Police in the very much oppressed Haiti.

    This was a great film. I only just purchased and watched it for the first time on DVD for $6.95 AU, at that price I wasn't expecting much - Reviews I have read regarding this film dubbed it dissapointing, but I found it to be highly entertaining.

    The film is eerie, the acting is excellent. I have found in most reviews that people have complained that the film is far-fetched and doesn't make sense. Well, in my opinion - that is the nature of voodoo -it is un-explainable and to a skeptical mind is silly, but there have been many accounts in real life of voodoo magic and it's power and this film was based on some such accounts.

    The film starts of a little slow and can be described as a bit messy. However, as the plot unfolds, not only are we watching an eerie film about the supernatural, we are also watching an action packed political thriller. This is a very unusual film. There is just enough blood and gore to entertain the slasher fans, but not too much discourage the general film appreciating public.

    As opposed to common belief, I found the story-line of this film to be tight, different and utterly engaging.
    helpful•22
    5
    • lilac_point_burmese
    • Sep 21, 2003

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    FAQ20

    • How long is The Serpent and the Rainbow?Powered by Alexa
    • What are the differences between the old British BBFC 18 Version and the Uncensored Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 1, 2023 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • L'emprise des ténèbres
    • Filming locations
      • Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    • Production company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $19,595,031
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,848,700
      • Feb 7, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $19,595,031
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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