Horror 2023 Countdown: The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), dir. Wes Craven, Universal Pictures 

So Wes Craven has more or less climbed his way back to the top after some hits. What would his take on zombies be?

1978

In Hati, Christophe Durand (Conrad Roberts) dies. As his coffin is lowered, his eyes snap open...

1985

In the Brazilian jungle, Dr. Alan (Bill Pullman) is researching jungle herbs. Drinking a potion, he seems a man in a pit filled with the dead. The same man who was at Durand's funeral.

Back in Boston, a pharmaceutical company approaches Alan with an offer. The drugs used to create zombies, if they are real, could be a new kind of anesthetic. They want Alan to find out if these drugs are real and if so, bring them back. One plane ride later he's in Hati. 

The problem Hati is having some political issues, namely open rebellion. The Tonton Macoute (secret police) is taking over, and its commander, Captain Peytraund (Zakes Mokae) makes it clear he doesn't want any tourists getting into trouble, and if he has to ram a nail into said tourist's groin to make his point, he'll do it. 

The captain is also the same man from Alan's vision. 

Pressing on, Alan and Dr. Duchamp (Cathy Tyson) start their work. They run into Mozart (Brent Jennings), who claims to have the powder they are looking for. The first meeting ends with Alan dismissing Mozart as a con artist. He then gets arrest by the Tonton Macoute. Remember that bit about the nail? Yeah, Alan is far more determined than I am, I'll tell you. 

Will Alan find what he is looking for?

Not one of Craven's better known films and that is a shame. This yarn weaves horror and politics together in a wave that is rarely touched on before or since.