Cursed Films II Episode 3-4
Series Created By: Jay Cheel
Plot: Season 2 of Cursed Films covers a new batch of five films including The Wizard of Oz, Rosemary’s Baby, The Serpent and the Rainbow and more!
I was pretty excited when I heard that the third film being covered in Cursed Films II was Andrei Tarkovsky’s surreal 1979 Soviet era film Stalker. For the more casual film goer, this will be a film that you’ve likely never seen or indeed ever heard of. Personally, the film is one I have often heard about but only recently watched. The plot in its simplest form is about a guide (which are called a stalkers) that takes two men to an area known as “the Zone.” Within the Zone, there is a room which will grant one’s deepest desires. Though, as paper thin as that plot seems, the movie is a complex, somber and darkly humorous meditation on humanity, longing, love, not to mention a snapshot of Cold War anxiety. This latter part is, in my opinion, what makes both the movie Stalker and this episode so deeply fascinating.
There is a bleakness that looms large over Tarkovsky’s magnum opus, especially when you learn that numerous casualties are thought to be connected to the film. For example, many deaths are rumored to be linked to the cast and crew spending hours working in what was later learned to be highly toxic water. If this wasn’t enough to induce a meltdown, there are even some moments in the film that seem to eerily foreshadow to the disaster at Chernobyl. The array of historians and crew from the film help paint a detailed and at times unsettling picture of a deeply troubled production. As always, the more depressing and morbid content is nicely balanced tone wise with more upbeat appreciation and love for Stalker and its cultural impact. Cursed Films thankfully never shies away, nor wallows in the darker elements, striking an overall nice chord.
The fourth episode takes a look at Wes Craven’s 1988 film The Serpent and the Rainbow. Based on the book by author Wade Davis, the movie centers around anthropologist named Dennis Alan (Bill Pullman) investigating a supposed zombie in Haiti. Despite working under strange and even dangerous conditions, the movie made over double its budget and has gone onto establish a cult following throughout the decades. There is a big piece missing out of this episode, in fact, its beating heart some might say. Obviously, the main creative force, Wes Craven, sadly passed away in August of 2015. Therefore, this episode acts as both a deep dive into the weird happenings behind the scenes of Rainbow as well as a loving tribute to Craven. It’s this latter element that works extremely well, and hearing personal stories from Craven’s collaborators as well as candid stories from Craven’s son Jonathan Craven makes for a moving episode.
The making of, which involves the political and cultural unrest in Haiti, is endlessly engaging and laid out in an easy-to-understand way. Though if I’m being frank the “cursed” aspects of the production aren’t as outrageous or chilling as previous episodes. This is not to suggest there isn’t any deeply unnerving aspects of the shooting. Indeed, real skeletons and a possible possession are just some of the events that plagued the set. As always, I am so impressed by the interview subjects that help flesh out the film’s production and the larger context behind it. Actor Bill Pullman’s accounts are truly a highlight of the episode. Once again, the tonal balance of the episode is just right, and the thing ends on a delightfully optimistic note. A wonderful examination of the stigma surrounding Voodoo, the people of Haiti and a fitting tribute to the beloved filmmaker Wes Craven make this a stellar episode.
Cursed Films II is currently streaming on Shudder with new episodes debuting every Thursday.
Before we let you go, we have officially launched our merch store! Check out all of our amazing apparel when you click here and type in GVN15 at checkout for a 15% discount!
Make sure to check out our podcasts each week including Geek Vibes Live, Top 10 with Tia, Wrestling Geeks Alliance and more! For major deals and money off on Amazon, make sure to use our affiliate link!
Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.