Reviews: Serpent and the Rainbow - Movie Review Example

The movie Serpent and the Rainbow is a horror movie released in 1988 and the director is Wes Craven. Dr. Allan, a Harvard based anthropologist, is hired by a pharmaceutical company in Haiti to investigate the existence of a drug that turns people into zombies. Once he arrives to Haiti, he meets a psychiatrist who introduces Allan into the world of Voodoo rituals and both of them start the mission of acquiring the powder used in the rituals. In their quest, they get entangled in the political intrigues and voodoo culture, which is the main source of the drug. The political regime in Haiti at the time was changing and the new leaders did not want the powder to be discovered by Allan. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is where Allan seeks the services of a local priest, Mozart, to make him the powder, which would enable him to understand the ritual. This is in an attempt to solve the vagueness behind the drug. This scene serves to bring out various key anthropology aspects, as it is discovered that the deaths and mortality rates in Haiti are partly dependent on the cultural practices and beliefs of the area. During this mission, he experiences a rather strange dream, in which his room turns into a coffin full of blood and he is buried alive (“The Serpent and the Rainbow”). Indiana soon learns that the dream he had was caused by a certain head priest Petraud, who was the leader and a Voodoo priest. Immediately after this scene viewers get to see when he returns to Haiti. This time, however, he is buried alive by the secret police agents and the psychiatrist who he worked with is captured. The rituals of turning people into zombies involved injecting the powder leaving the person unconscious. During the ritual, it is observed that the person being turned is without all signs of life, such that he has no heart beat, no pulse and the eyelids do not move (“The Serpent and the Rainbow”). The movie is based on the fear of unknown, death, religion and beliefs during an era of social oppression. The culture and practices leading to death and its cultural aspect is an anthropology link which occurs from the 40th minute in the film. Dr. Allan is able to explain this with scientific evidence. He is able to explain that the drug induces catatonia and can be used as a local anesthetic. This goes on to demystify the cultural belief that the character depicted in the film has died because of disobedience. Gorillas in the Mist Gorillas in the Mist, is a classic movie released in the year 1988. The film revolves around Diana Fossey and her dedication to save the guerilla species that were endangered in Africa. She is inspired by her lecturer, Louise Leakey to study the mountain gorillas found in the Ugandan Mountains. She is fascinated by the features of the mountain gorillas to the extent that she forms a communication link with the animals. She also realizes that the animals are being poached for their skins by the residents and she channels her efforts to stop the vice. She initiates patrols to watch the monkeys and even threatens to execute one of the poachers (“Gorillas in the Mist”). An excellent example is one where she burns the poachers’ villages all in a bid to protect the species. There is one key scene in the movie, which is associated with the class discussion on primatology. In this scene, it is observed that a mother guerilla has had a miscarriage while being followed by humans (“Gorillas in the Mist”). This scene shows the detrimental effects that the human processes pose to the gorillas. This forms evidence of the stress levels that the human population has on the animals. The scientific aspect in the study of primates, which is primatology, is well illustrated in this scene, which runs in the 72nd minute of the film. It is also a scene that is dedicated to show the commitment of the scientist in the conservation of the mountain gorilla species. In this scene, viewers can see that she dismisses her personal life by alienating herself from the outside world and establishing a relationship with the animals. She foregoes having a relationship with a photographer as a relationship to her seems to be a source of distraction. Indiana Jones’ film: Temple of Doom Indiana Jones movies are a series of movies that portray the character as an adventurous person. The film director of “Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom” is Steven Spielberg. The “Temple of doom” film shows the events that surround the rescue of Sankara stones from being misused by an ancient cult. The film is set in India in the year 1984 and illustrates the use of tools in anthropology. When Indiana lands in India, he encounters a community that claims their mystical powers have been stolen from them. In an attempt to help them, he asks the Prime minister about the issue, but the Prime Minister denies saying there is no truth in the matter. The prime minister requests Jones to stay in his house and it is during the stay that he discovers a tunnel that leads to a temple. In the temple he discovers the existence of the Thugee cult, which was perceived as an extinct cult. The cult members steal Sankara stones that are said to have special powers from the community to reclaim their lost power. The cult members believed that they would regain power once the five Sankara stones were joined together (“Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom”). The cult uses children as slaves in searching the rest of the stones and Indiana has to rescue the children and ensure that they are safe. One of the scenes, which is, no doubt, quite memorable to spectators and critics, is where the cult removes the heart of a human being that will be used to revive the heart of their god, Kalima. It is a scene that shows the practices and beliefs of the natives. The tool used in this ceremony is one of the anthropological aspects discussed in class. In the scene a boy is pinned on a round metal which is suspended on a hollow tunnel with fire. Indiana rushes to rescue the boy but he ends up being forced to drink the blood of Kalima to punish him (“Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom”). Anthropology is a subject that deals with culture in different aspects, this scene in particular shows the different ways in which anthropology is represented. It is shows different ways in which anthropology has been reflected in the world of film creation. The visual anthropology as presented in the film goes a long way in enabling one to understand the crucial aspects of anthropology in the subject. Works Cited Gorillas in the Mist. Dir. Apted, Michael. Prod. Rick Baker, and Arne Glimcher. Universal Studios, 1988. Film. Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom. Dir. Spielberg, Steven. Prod. Robert Watts. Paramount Pictures, 1984. Film. The Serpent and the Rainbow. Dir. Craven, Wes. Prod. Doug Claybourne, and David Ladd. Universal Pictures, 1988. Film. Read More