Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti

This is a fascinating look at the beliefs of Haitian Voodoo (or Voudoun) adherents, and explains the cosmology of this poorly understood religion. The "Divine Horsemen" are the gods (Loas) of voodoo. The nature of each Loa is explained, together with footage of rituals and signs dedicated to it.

Experimental filmmaker Maya Deren went to Haiti in the late 1940's and shot some 20,000 feet of film of Voodoo (or Voudoun) ceremonies, together with the attendant sound recordings. She published a monograph on her studies in 1953 under the name "Divine Horsemen," but this film was not actually edited for distribution until after her death in 1961.

Definitely worth seeing!

There are few religions or systems of belief that are more misrepresented in culture, and generally misunderstood, than vodou. It's deeply gratifying when an earnest exploration of the practices do enter some degree of public consciousness, as was true for Wade Davis' book 'The serpent and the rainbow' - though nothing exemplifies the problem of how vodou is perceived more than Wes Craven's horror film of the same name. While Maya Deren's documentary languished in limbo for years after the footage was obtained, and still more years after her death, 'Divine horsemen' also represents another fine example of individuals taking a scholarly approach toward honest depiction. The point could be argued that in light of Deren's own especial enchantment with the beliefs the movie lacks total objectivity, but by the same token this may have allowed more in-depth investigation, and regardless, her intent remained pure. By no means is this a perfect or essential feature for all comers, but particularly for anyone with even a passing interest in vodou, it's well worth checking out.

The brevity of this documentary is unfortunate insofar as even one who is wholly unstudied of Haitian history and culture can gather the sense that we're getting only glimpses of a full, rich tapestry. More open to reasoned discourse is the tack that Deren took during the several years of filming; depending on one's point of view, 'Divine horsemen' is feasibly be seen as either succinct and precise, or bereft and insufficient. The footage acquired consists almost entirely of rituals and dances being performed, and otherwise celebrations; the narration provided by either John Genke or Joan Pape is very matter-of-fact, describing from the practitioner's perspective what the viewer is witnessing. To this end the movie is flush with vibrant life, and is engrossing and stimulating as a somewhat naturalist look at what vodou truly is; it's roughly equivalent to dispassionate video of a Christian mass or other religious rites. On the other hand, audiences don't necessarily get as complete an understanding of the imagery before us as we would were practitioners or outsider experts consulted and interviewed for the feature. In some measure, the lack of context for the rituals being performed means that the heart of vodou remains clouded in mystery - preserving sacredness, perhaps, by way of reverence, but also not entirely helping to dispel the misinformation that dominates public perception of the beliefs after countless years of TV, movies, videogames, and deliberate distortion from hostile outsiders.

That the value of 'Divine horsemen' can be debated thusly - itself an intriguing point of interest - is regrettable, as the conflict slightly distracts from what the documentary does genuinely offer. Whatever one's exact feelings about how Deren and her collaborators went about the project (I'm not quite decided myself), the content is nevertheless fascinating, and engrossing. In every regard the culture we're treated to is a cool breath of fresh air - music, dance, costumes, the piecemeal explanations the narration does provide, the compelling conglomeration of it all. One is left thirsting for still more - possibly a sign that Deren did her job, or just as possible a sign that her film falls short. Still, if the worst one can really say of a documentary is that it prompts intellectual discussion of how it treats the subject matter, then I'd say it's not half bad. Recommended specifically for utmost cinephiles and the sincerely curious, 'Divine horsemen: The living gods of Haiti' hasn't had a high profile at any point, and it's questionable whether or not it deserves one, but it's a quietly (if incompletely) satisfying watch if you come across it.

(1985) or (1993) depending on your copy.

I came to this film through an introduction by another film called "In the Mirror of Maya Deren" (2004). Although this previous film was well-balanced, it still contained quite a bit of information on the film you are about to purchase.

This film, "Divine Horsemen - The Living Gods of Haiti," is a snippet collage from 20,000 feet of film of Voodoo (or Voudoun) ceremonies, taken over a long period of time in Haiti. The title comes from the book of the same name. The narrative of this film is adapted from that 1953 book.

Depending on how you look at this film, it could be either too long or too short. However, there is enough information in it to make it an almost how-to documentary.

In any event, you do not want to miss this documentary, as it gives you a feel of what Maya Deren may have experienced.

A sublime and extraordinary documentary on Haitian Voudoun shot during the 50's by Maya Deren. While apparently only planning to bring back rare footage of ritual dance, the artist ended up writing a revealing book on Haitian Voodoun (by the same title) and becoming an actual initiate of the practice. This movie is a must see for anyone even the least bit curious about Voudoun religion or Haitian culture. During the movie you will learn about the various major Gods of the religion, their symbols, and their aspects. Most gripping is the drumming, the dancing, and the authentic footage of human possession taking place. Don't expect much of a plot, however expect footage and drumming that pretty much carries the entire film like a sublime adventure.

If it's Maya Deren you're interested in, and not voudoun itself, then you might want to shuffle this one to the bottom of your list. It's not terrible but it is distinctly reminiscent of those old "film strips" you had to watch in junior high (if you're my age that is).

As an educational film 'Divine Horsemen' gives you some good general knowledge about Haitian voudoun beliefs and practices. It's very sincere and respectful, showing an admirable refusal to sensationalize the material. This isn't voodoo from the movies, some of it may have been being "performed" for tourists but it's definitely the real stuff, including actual sacrifices of chickens, a goat, and a bull.

Somewhat surprisingly for a Maya Deren film 'Divine Horsemen' suffers from being a little too straight forward. It amounts to fifty minutes of a rather dry narrator talking over grainy black and white footage of various dances and sacrifices to the different loa. The biggest problem with the film is that it's almost all shot in slow motion, in stark contrast to the audio. I'm sure Deren wanted to show the grace of the dancers, which is definitely more apparent when they're at half speed, but forty-five minutes of fast drums and slow dancers wore on my nerves a little. It's so one dimensional that your mind can't help but wander a little, which is aided and abetted by the spectacular, and nearly constant, drumming. Not a good tactic if you're hoping to engage both eye and ear.

In the final analysis this film probably will give you a better basic understanding of voudoun than the typical A&E documentary, but it's just a little flat considering it deals with such a vivid subject. Not Maya Deren's most fascinating work by a long shot.