#7 - The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

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

Dr. Alan (Bill Pullman), an American anthropologist, travels to Haiti in search of a "zombie drug" that could possibly be turned into a new form of anesthetic.  Local legend says that the drug kills its victims, steals their souls, then brings them back to life the next day.  Whoever turned them into a zombie can then control them, and send them into other people's dreams.  Despite being a skeptic, Dr. Alan begins to believe that these superstitions may be not be so crazy after all.  Even though he is the protagonist, Alan is sort of unlikeable for much of the film - he's a typical American loud-mouthed jerk to most of the Haitians he meets.

This isn't one of Wes Craven's best films, but it's a pretty good one deserves more attention than it gets, in my opinion.  It starts a little weak and the first half drags a bit, but once things get going the film gets pretty intense.  There are a couple of dream sequences that rival anything in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, and the effects in general are pretty good.  It also helps a lot that there aren't a ton of horror films out there about voodoo or this kind of zombie, so this one has a bit of a unique feel to it.

While definitely flawed, I think this is a pretty good film and a must-watch for fans of Wes Craven.  Later on I'll be watching some of his more essential films, but this is one of his lesser-known gems.  Recommended.