“Christophe, I need you to remember what happened before you died.” Wait. He already died and you’re talking to him? This must be a Wes Craven movie! Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they fly on down to get buried in the world of Haitian voodoo as depicted in The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) directed by Wes Craven.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 154 – The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
An anthropologist goes to Haiti after hearing rumors about a drug used by black magic practitioners to turn people into zombies.
IMDb
- Director: Wes Craven
- Writers: Wade Davis (inspired by the book); (screenplay by) Richard Maxwell, Adam Rodman (as A.R. Simoun)
- Cast
- Bill Pullman as Dennis Alan
- Cathy Tyson as Marielle Duchamp
- Zakes Mokae as Dargent Peytraud
- Paul Winfield as Lucien Celine
- Brent Jennings as Louis Mozart
- Michael Gough as Schoonbacher
- Conrad Roberts as Christophe Durand
- Paul Guilfoyle as Andrew Cassedy
- Dey Young as Deborah Cassedy
- Francis Guinan as American Doctor
- Aleta Mitchell as Celestine
- Badja Djola as Gaston
- Philogen Thomas as Priest
- Evencio Mosquera Slaco as Old Shaman
For the second time in three episodes, the Decades of Horror 1980s Grue-Crew covers a film with major voodoo connections (See Episode 152 – Angel Heart, 1987). Chad somehow compares his reaction while watching The Serpent and the Rainbow to a “drawn-up Crown Royal bag.” Seeing the film at a younger age had an impact on Crystal and Bil points out how being buried alive is a fear shared by most people. And in case you were wondering, you’ll also hear whether each member of the 80s Grue-Crew would rather be trapped with a jaguar, a python, or a tarantula.
The Serpent and the Rainbow is a worthy entry to Wes Craven’s horror canon and even reminds the crew of a walk near Elm Street during the last act.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s is part of the Decades of Horror 3-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1970s. In episode 155, the 80s Grue-Crew will interview Ralph Miller III, a special effects artist whose work appears in 1980s horror films such as Gremlins (1984), From Beyond (1986), Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988), and The Blob (1988).
Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave them a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com
Jeff has written for Horrornews.net and SQ Horror Magazine. He currently writes for Gruesome Magazine and is a co-host of the Decades of Horror podcasts - The Classic Era, 1970s, and 1980s - and the Gruesome Magazine Podcast.
