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Illustration of Zombies of The Serpent and the Rainbow
Original AI-made illustration based on the descriptions in the sources. Not an official design.
File No. 129 of 446

Zombies of The Serpent and the Rainbow

FilmOther1968 to 1999

Wes Craven's film dramatises Wade Davis's account of his investigation into zombies in Haiti. Here a zombie is a person poisoned, buried and revived, with a sorcerer's control layered on top. It was shot partly in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.12

Battle it
First appeared
1988
Released 1988
Source work
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
Wes Craven
Age rating
R
Made in
USA
What causes it
Other
A poison powder, linked by the source to tetrodotoxin, leaves the victim seemingly dead.
How you become one
The victim is dosed with the powder, pronounced dead, buried alive and then dug up by a bokor.

When did it first appear?

Ancient worldMiddle Ages1500 to 18991900 to 19671968 to 19992000 to 20092010 to today1988

Released 1988

field notes

What the sources say

1

Based on Wade Davis's non-fiction book about the case of Clairvius Narcisse in Haiti12

2

The film's bokor also claims his victims' souls12

3

Shooting moved from Haiti to the Dominican Republic when the crew's safety could not be guaranteed12

4

Craven cut a first assembly of about three hours down to 98 minutes12

Sources

  1. The Serpent and the Rainbow (film) - Wikipedia
  2. The Serpent and the Rainbow - Rotten Tomatoes

Every fact on this page comes from these sources, written in our own words. Spotted a mistake? Tell us at [email protected].

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Same era: 1968 to 1999

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