DVD Collectors Online

The Serpent and the Rainbow, a review by KinkyCyborg

Title:The Serpent and the Rainbow
Year: 1987
Director: Wes Craven
Rating: R
Length: 98 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Bill Pullman
Cathy Tyson
Zakes Mokae
Paul Winfield
Brent Jennings

Plot:
Wes Craven (The People Under the Stairs, Shocker) directs this terrifying story of one man's nightmarish journey into the eerie and deadly world of voodoo.

A Harvard anthropologist (Bill Pullman) 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.

Extras:
Scene Access
Feature Trailers


Inspired by the true story of a doctor who traveled to Haiti to investigate alleged 'Zombie Powder' and it's potential medical applications.

Wes Craven vividly embellishes that story and turns it into a great Voodoo movie.  An early movie for Bill Pullman who I thought did great but the real star of this is Zakes Mokae whom I've always admired as an actor. His portrayal of a 'collector of souls' is brilliant. I saw this movie a couple of times over the years and it still fascinates me.

It's surprising that the active ingredient in the powder, textrodotoxin, which was discovered many years ago hasn't been explored and exploited more since then. It's apparent capability to cause a type of paralysis that can emulate death borders on the fantastical and is likely the closest thing there is to real 'black magic'.

KC


Rating:

(From KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2010 on September 28th, 2010)

Kindergarten Cop, a review by addicted2dvd

Kindergarten Cop
A tough undercover cop (Arnold Schwarzenegger) learns more than he bargained for when he poses as a teacher to a class of unruly kids.

My Thoughts:
It has been many years since I watched this movie. So long in fact I went into it without remembering much at all about it. This is a good comedy... but not one of those laugh out loud type comedies. More of a cute movie type thing. I cracked a few smiles... but not actually laughed. Even so... I enjoyed it quite a bit. And was good to see again after all these years.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: 1/9 - 1/11 on January 10th, 2009)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Early Edition: Season One (1996/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia (United States) Length: 1031 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Subtitles:

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Plot:
What would you do if you knew tomorrow's news today? If you knew the winning lottery numbers? Could you rescue people from accidents and certain death? That's what Gary Hobson (Kyle Chandler) asks himself every day. A Chicago stockbroker whose marriage is on the rocks, Hobson becomes a reluctant hero when he is delivered the news a day in advance. Chuck (Fisher Stevens) is Gary's best friend and not above using Gary's knowledge for personal gain, and Marissa (Shanesia Davis) feels Gary should use his information to better people's lives. Now Gary has the chance and difficult responsibility of using this mysterious gift to help others avert tragedy and misfortune.

Early Edition
1.01 Pilot
Writer: Patrick Q. Page (Created By), Vik Rubenfeld (Created By), Ian Abrams (Created By), Bob Brush (Screenwriter), Ian Abrams (Screenwriter), Patrick Q. Page (Story By), Vik Rubenfeld (Story By), Ian Abrams (Story By)
Director: Michael Dinner
Cast: Kyle Chandler (Gary Hobson), Shanesia Davis (Marissa Clark), Fisher Stevens (Chuck Fishman), Milo O'Shea (Sherman), Ron Dean (Det. Marion Zeke Crumb), Felicity Huffman (Det. Tagliatti), Marc Vann (Phil Pritchard), Tom Noonan (Frank Price), Michael Bacarella (Fan), Maury Cooper (Homeless Guy), James "Ike" Eichling (Shaunnessey), Neil Flynn (Cop At Newsstand), Don Forston (Exterminator), Marianne Hagan (Marcia), Tracy Letts (Marksman), Malcolm Rothman (Guard at Bank), Jeff Still (Cop at Bank), Bill Visteen (Charlie), Alan Wilder (Friendly Guy), Linda Mac Lennan (Newscaster)

I enjoyed this series. Though I think it's a wonder that it survived four seasons. The pilot was a fitting introduction.

Rating:

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on April 10th, 2011)