Aug 25 2018

SYSK Selects: What's the deal with Voodoo?

Selects 34 min 6 movies discussed
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Voodoo is a religion found in parts of Africa and Haiti that's often misunderstood. In this episode, Josh and Chuck separate the faction from the fiction as they explore how Voodoo really works.

AI Summary

In this episode, Josh and Chuck dive deep into voodoo, debunking Hollywood myths and exploring the real spiritual practice that originated in West Africa and evolved in Haiti and beyond. They trace voodoo's roots back thousands of years, explain how it blends ancestral worship with Catholic traditions, and reveal why Western misconceptions about the religion—from zombie tales to evil curses—have stuck around for so long. Whether discussing the role of spirit possession in daily life, animal sacrifice rituals, or how voodoo became confused with the darker practice of hoodoo in New Orleans, this episode offers a fascinating look at a deeply misunderstood faith that's actually practiced by millions of people worldwide today.


Movies Discussed

Angel Heart
Angel Heart
1987 1h 53m
★ 7.1
"I mentioned Angel Heart. We should mention the movies real quick. Angel Heart. Great movie. — Mentioned as a movie that perpetuates misconceptions about voodoo." — Chuck
Blazing Saddles
Blazing Saddles
1974 1h 33m
★ 7.2
"You know the line in Blazing Sails? Now go do that Voodoo that you do so well. — Chuck misremembers the title as 'Blazing Sails' but references a famous quote about voodoo from the film." — Chuck
Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die
1973 2h 1m
★ 6.5
"And then, of course, Live and Let Die, we like to talk about Bond. I love that one. — Mentioned as a James Bond movie featuring voodoo themes." — Chuck
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead
1968 1h 36m
★ 7.6
"There was a paper in 1984 that apparently this physician who wrote it, or researcher who wrote it, still takes flak for. But it was titled, Night of the Living Dead 2 — Referenced in the title of a 1984 research paper about voodoo and zombies, showing how voodoo has been conflated with zombie mythology." — Josh
The Serpent and the Rainbow
The Serpent and the Rainbow
1988 1h 38m
★ 6.4
"Voodoo, Serpent in the Rainbow. Great movie. But again, that was Wade Davis, the anthropologist. — Referenced as a movie about voodoo based on anthropologist Wade Davis's work, though it may have clouded understanding of voodoo." — Chuck
White Zombie
White Zombie
1932 1h 7m
★ 6.0
"one of them was called White Zombie in 1932 — Referenced as an example of popular movies about Haitian voodoo written during the US Marine Corps occupation of Haiti (1915-1935)." — Josh

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