MovieChat Forums > The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) Discussion > political subtext? (minor spoilers re: s...

political subtext? (minor spoilers re: symbolism of film's climax)

posted 19 years ago by michaelallroy
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i recently rewatched this film, and enjoyed it quite a bit more than i did when i was 13/14 and really getting into wes craven's work. back then i thought it was a piece of garbage; now it seems somewhat interesting. but i don't see anything on this board about what the movie was perhaps speaking to politically in haiti. i have not read wade davis's book, so i'm not privy to any themes he may have been exploring along these lines. i don't know enough about haiti in the 70s/80s to view this from an informed place - is the tonton macoute guy with the gold tooth supposed to represent jean-claude duvalier's administration? the souls of the haitian people being stolen and all that...not being able to truly blossom in their own right due to the oppressive regime? i really didn't start thinking this until the climax of the film, which intercuts the souls being set free with the duvaliers leaving the country.

if anyone has the background to provide more insight into this, i'd love to hear it. i really doubt i have the time/patience to do all the reading necessary to gain a sufficient understanding of the 70s/80s haitian situation and how this film might relate to it. it's entirely possible i'm trying to read to much into it, and that it's just a traditional/voodoo ("anti-romero"?) zombie film and not much else.

[–] KitsunegariBlu 14 years ago

This is 5 yrs too late, but you really 'do' need to do your own research-there's too much to gloss over, but in a nutshell.

1. Wade Davis is an EthnoBotonist, his book actually covers more his research on the Tetrodotoxin, and how hard it was to try to find a viable (compared to a B.S. sample because it was incredibly hard for him as an American White Guy not born into the Voudun Religion to just gain access to their real practices and what they were doing and how it was going to occur.) So for him to see what they were using, how much, and where it was coming from was a real pain because everyone purported to be 'The real deal' when it came to being a Voudun High Priest/ess. And trying to smuggle out a sample, is hard (and often times illegal, or nearly impossible to keep the sample pure.)

I can't remember the other stuff in the book off the top of my head. Other than he got lost too.

As for the Tonton Macoute, it was a real Regime, they used the Voudun Religion as a form to Oppress and Intimidate the people who opposed them and sent out Death Squads even. It was pretty scary, difficult stuff. And yes we could assume that the one man was an officer in Papa Docs' T.T.M. since the Film was set in that time period. He definately acted that way.

Dunno if you're still around or if that was in any way shape or form helpful.
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