Synopsis

After surviving a massacre during the Mexican-American War, Captain John Boyd is transferred to a remote Sierra Nevada outpost. When a starving stranger arrives with a terrifying tale of cannibalism, Boyd and the garrison mount a rescue mission into the mountains. They soon discover that the stranger's hunger is not merely a matter of survival, but part of a sinister and seemingly unstoppable curse.

Factoids & Trivia

• The screenplay drew loose inspiration from the Donner Party disaster and the story of Alfred Packer, a 19th-century prospector who claimed self-defense after eating fellow travelers.

• The production was troubled by budget and scheduling problems. The original director was removed only weeks after filming began, and the project was taken over by a replacement director during the shoot.

• Filming took place in the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia, at Barrandov Studios in Prague, and in Durango, Mexico.

• The unusual score was created by Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn. It combines minimalist orchestration, distorted patriotic melodies, bluegrass elements, Native American influences, and period instruments.

• The film performed poorly at the box office in 1999, but its unusual blend of horror, black comedy, and Western imagery later helped it develop a cult following.

• The story's cannibalism has been interpreted as an allegory for the aggressive appetite associated with conquest, wealth, addiction, and consumption.

• The film was John Spencer's final theatrical release.