The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1988, The Serpent and the Rainbow is a thriller and horror film directed by Wes Craven, running about 98 minutes. “Don't Bury Me...I'm Not Dead!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A Harvard anthropologist is sent to Haiti to retrieve a strange powder that is said to have the power to bring human beings back from the dead. In his quest to find the miracle drug, the cynical scientist enters the rarely seen netherworld of walking zombies, blood rites and ancient curses. Based on the true life experiences of Wade Davis and filmed on location in Haiti, it's a frightening excursion into black magic and the supernatural.

Who’s in it. The Serpent and the Rainbow stars Bill Pullman as Dennis Alan, Cathy Tyson as Marielle Duchamp, Zakes Mokae as Dargent Peytraud and Paul Winfield as Lucien Celine, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.4/10, The Serpent and the Rainbow has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $19.6M at the box office.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Serpent and the Rainbow page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Serpent and the Rainbow tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.