Main Cast: Martin Sheen, Helen Shaver, Robert Loggia, Jimmy Smits, Harley Cross
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 150 minutes
Plot
A police psychologist and his school-age son become embroiled in the machinations of a mysterious cult religion in this thriller from director John Schlesinger. After his wife is electrocuted in a freak accident, Dr. Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) and his son, Chris (Harley Cross), move back to Manhattan, where Cal went to school. When not spending time with his son and surrogate extended family -- husband-and-wife anthropologists Kate (Elizabeth Wilson) and Dennis Maslow (Lee Richardson) -- Cal settles into his new job and romances his landlady, Jessica Halliday (Helen Shaver). Soon, though, a series of brutal murders of young children begins to take over Cal's life. Through the ravings of policeman Tom Lopez (Jimmy Smits), who believes the killers have supernatural power over him after stealing his badge, Cal learns of Santeria, a voodoo-like Latin American sect that mixes elements of Christianity and pagan mysticism. Although the religion turns out to have ties to some of the richest men in the city and even Cal's well-meaning maid seems to be a practitioner, he can't get any straight answers as to whether the cult is responsible for the murders. But after a sinister African shaman (Malick Bowens) places a curse on Jessica, Cal finally begins to understand the danger that faces him -- and his son. The Believers was very loosely adapted from Nicholas Conde's 1982 novel The Religion. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Harris Yulin - Donald Calder; Elizabeth Wilson - Kate Maslow; Lee Richardson - Dennis Maslow; Richard Masur - Marty Wertheimer; Carla Pinza - Mrs. Ruiz; Juan Manuel Aguero - News Vendor; Malick Bowens - Palo; Philip Carey - Calder's Assistant; Harvey Chao - Chinese Couple; Bob Clout - Cigar Couple; Raul Davila - Sezine; Tony de Santis - Precinct Detective; Gary Farmer - Mover; Janet-Laine Green - Lisa; Eddie Jones - Police Patient; Dick Martinsen - Diner Cop; Christine Pak - Chinese Couple; Joe Pentangelo - Theater Cop; Larry Ramos - Diner Counterman; Jennifer Lee - Calder's Assistant; Robert Clohessy - Diner Detective; Shirley Anthony - Marty's Secretary; John Bendel - Theater Detective; Christopher Brown - Carpenter; Dick Callahan - Bartender; Robert Connelly - Precinct Detective; Ramsey Fadiman - Mover; Raymond Graham - Lead Drummer; Nonnie Griffin - Cigar Couple; Elizabeth Hanna - Doctor At Hospital; Joan Kaye - Woman In Park; Khali Keyi - African Shaman; Maria Lebb - Believer; Maria Magdaleno - Woman At Newstand; Micki Moore - Believer; Ray Paisley - Customs Agent; Fernando Queija - Believer; Ana Maria Quintana - A.C.H.E. Secretary; Leroy Radcliffe - Chief Dancer; Frank Rivers - Park Cop; Richard Spiegelman - Believer; Joseph Wilkens - Theater Cop
Credit
John Kasarda - Art Director, Carol Spier - Art Director, Mark Frost - Associate Producer, Michael LaCroix - Boom Operator, Kim Maitland - Boom Operator, John Lyons - Casting, Donna Isaacson - Casting, Ross Clydesdale - Casting, Wilhelmina Taylor - Choreography, Carla Pinza - Consultant/advisor, David A. Brody - Consultant/advisor, Bob Connelly - Consultant/advisor, Shay Cunliffe - Costume Designer, Abigail Murray - Costume Designer, Vebe Borge - First Assistant Director, John Schlesinger - Director, Michael Childers - Second Unit Director, Patrick Crowley - Second Unit Director, Peter Honess - Editor, Edward Teets - Executive Producer, Ivan Lynch - Hair Styles, Werner Sherer - Hair Styles, Christopher Stoia - Location Manager, Keith Large - Location Manager, Jacob F. Conrad - Location Manager, J. Peter Robinson - Composer (Music Score), Kevin Hayney - Makeup, Shonagh Jabour - Makeup, Mickey Scott - Makeup, Sandi Sissel - Camera Operator, Simon Holland - Production Designer, Roy Forge Smith - Production Designer, Robby Müller - Cinematographer, Monty Diamond - Production Manager, Edward Teets - Production Manager, David Coatsworth - Production Manager, Beverly J. Camhe - Producer, Michael Childers - Producer, John Schlesinger - Producer, Susan Bode-Tyson - Set Designer, Elinor Rose Galbraith - Set Designer, Connie Brink - Special Effects, Ted Ross - Special Effects, Tod A. Maitland - Sound Mixer, Bryan Day - Sound Mixer, Nicholas Stevenson - Sound Editor, Dean Jeffries - Stunts, Vic Magnotta - Stunts, Dwayne McLean - Stunts, Edgard Mourino - Stunts, Ray Woodfork - Stunts, Rick Forsayeth - Stunts, Mark Frost - Screenwriter, Peter Norman - Second Unit Director Of Photography, Ramsey Fadiman - Production Assistant, Gordon Antell - Production Assistant, Christopher J. Brown - Production Assistant, Gary K. Shaw - Production Assistant, Orest Haba - Production Assistant, Jadi McCurdy - Production Assistant, Rick Parker - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Marvin Midwicki - First Assistant Camera, Eddie Ramirez - First Assistant Camera, John W. DeBlau - Gaffer, Feider Hochheim - Gaffer, Brian Fitzsimmons - Grip, Dennis Gamiello - Key Grip, Christopher Dean - Key Grip, David Middlemas - Post Production Supervisor, Debbie Cooke - Production Coordinator, Patt McCurdy - Production Coordinator, John McDonnell - Properties Master, Vic Rigler - Properties Master, Peter Fletcher - Properties Master, Ana Maria Quintana - Script Supervisor, James W. Skotchdopole - Second Assistant Director, Kim Winther - Second Assistant Director, Kerry Hayes - Still Photographer, Takashi Seida - Still Photographer, Mary Ellen Mark - Still Photographer, Patrick DeMarchelier - Still Photographer, Ernst Haas - Still Photographer, Maureen Gurney - Costume/Wardrobe, Carol Wood - Assistant Costumer Designer, Greg Van Riel - Assistant Location Manager, Christopher Porter - Best Boy Electric, Daniel Narduzzi - Best Boy Grip, Danielle Fleury - Buyer, Jay Duboisson - Costumes Assistant, Kim Kozolanka - Costumes Assistant, Bob Risk - Dialogue Editor, John Brian Lowry - Dolly Grip, Ian Bibby - Electrician, Michael McMurray - Electrician, Michael Ruggles - Electrician, Sylvia Fay - Extra Casting, Rose Lewis - Extra Casting, Dennis Jacobsen - First Assistant Accountant, Cindy Kaplan Rooney - First Assistant Editor, Robin Russell - First Assistant Editor, Andrew Glen - First Assistant Editor, Jeremy Gibbs - First Assistant Editor, Lee Michael Searles - First Assistant Editor, Richard Fettes - First Assistant Editor, Jonathan Lucas - First Assistant Editor, Mick Monks - First Assistant Editor, Mark Auguste - Foley Editor, Gary Jones - Post Production Accountant, Vince Heileson - Production Accountant, Peter Lombardi - Production Accountant, Nick Kosonic - Scenic Artist, Stephen Campanelli - Second Assistant Camera, John Cambria - Second Assistant Camera, Gina Hamilton - Set Dresser, Clive Thomasson - Set Dresser, Alexa Anthony - Set Dresser, Danielle Fleury - Set Dresser, Ian Wheatley - Set Dresser, Anne Marie Ferney - Set Production Assistant, Jane Clark - Storyboard Artist, Nicholas Conde - Book Author, Brian Cole - Craft Service/Catering, Martha Bean - Third Assistant Director, Ron Lightfoot - Carpenter, Ian Fraer - Head Carpenter, Myles Roth - Head Carpenter
After the shocking, accidental death of his wife by electrocution, Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) moves to New York City, where a rash of brutal, ritualistic child murders, supposedly committed by members of a Hispanic cult practicing a malevolent version of Brujeria have been confounding the NYPD. Things take a turn for the worse when the cult targets Jamison's son Chris (Harley Cross).
