Well, 'The Serpent and the Rainbow' has its roots in a true story. It's about a man's exploration into the Haitian voodoo culture. In Haiti, there were real - life practices that seemed to bring people back from the dead, or at least create the illusion of it. Davis' research into the use of powders and potions was real. But when it came to the movie, it took some liberties to make it more of a horror - adventure. It combined the real elements of voodoo beliefs and practices with fictional elements for entertainment purposes.