Comprehensive information and links about Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (1997), is a thriller film which was largedly panned by critics and theatre-goers.

The film's tagline is: "

A team of researchers sets off into the jungle in Borneo to search for the fictional "blood orchid", which they believe could be important in life extension. Bill Johnson, their guide has misgivings, but Dr. Jack Bryon bribes him to stay on the river. The team is soon parted from their boat and find themselves wading through the river. Ben attempts to scare the others and is soon pulled underwater. The group thinks that he is joking until a giant anaconda emerges from the water and devours him whole. The rest of the team makes it out of the river.

To the dimsay of Dr. Bryon, almost every member of the team wants to call of the expedition, in spite of Bill's reassurances that the snake was the largest he had ever seen and that it will take it weeks to digest their friend before it gets hungry again. The group decides to head back for the boat. Their plans are upset by more anacondas and they find themselves in a small aboriginal village consisting of thatched huts with a dead and disembowelled anaconda prominently displayed. The team realizes that the snakes are unusually large in size because their lives have been extended by eating the orchids (Anacondas keep growing until they die). Dr. Bryon decides that they are close to the Orchids and should press on with almost maniacal determination. The others content that there is no evidence that the orchids will have the same effect on humans and start building an escape raft.

Meanwhile, Gordon discovered Dr. Bryon's radio and gun. Dr. Bryon attempts to convince him not to use the radio, an act he claims will end the expedition, and kills him with a poisonous spider when he cannot be disuaded. As Dr. Bryon joins the others by the raft, Sam disovers a dying Gordon and notices the spider bite on his arm. Simultaneously, an anaconda drops down from the rafters and devours Gordon. The others appear and Bill sets the building on fire, presumably killing the snake. However, in the commotion, Dr. Bryon steals the raft to pursue the Orchid on his own.

As the others realize that their raft has been stolen, and the last of the raft building materials have burned down, they realize that the only way to get their raft back is to beat Dr. Bryon to the orchid (a feat they can accomplish through the jungle because of the numerous twists and turns in the river). On the way, Tran is eaten.

The group discovers the raft, just as Dr. Bryon finds the motherload of Blood Orchids, which happens to coincide with the anaconda mating pit. Dr. Bryon senses their presence, shoots Bill in the arms, and forces the party to accompany him to the orchids. Dr. Bryon commands Sam to fill a backpack with orchids, a task which requires a perilous crossing of the mating pit via a thin log. As the log starts to crack on her way back, Dr. Bryon orders her to throw him the backback, and Sam counters by threatening to drop the flowers into the pit unless he drops the gun. As the log breaks, Sam and the backpack end up in pit. Sam begins to climb out with the assistance of the others and Dr. Bryon attempts to reach in for the backpack. Dr. Bryon falls into the pit and is devoured as Sam escapes.

Just as the group think they are home free, one of the anacondas notices their presence. Sam tricks it into biting their fuel container, and Bill tries to shoot it, realizing the gun is empty. Then, Cole shoots it with a flare, causing a chain reaction which kills all the anacondas and presumably destroying all the orchids.

The four surviving members of the team—Cole, Gail, Bill, and Sam—make it back to the raft.

Production

The movie is actually shot in Fiji, not in Borneo; it was also the first Hollywood movie to have its premiere in Fiji. Anacondas are found in South America, not Borneo.

The film grossed $31,526,393 at the box office.[1]