Jaws of Satan (1982) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in a small town in Alabama, featuring forests, a river, and caves that serve as the Cobra's hunting ground. The tight-knit community centers around the church, police, and local institutions as fear and superstition spread.

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While an exact year is not specified, the 1982 release date and the film's aesthetic suggest a contemporary setting for that era. The small Alabama town portrayal reflects a traditional Southern community with modern institutions like a local hospital and police force.

• time period era 1980s contemporary setting

The primary theme explores faith versus evil, presenting Satan as a tangible supernatural force taking the form of a giant cobra. The story frames the conflict as spiritual warfare where faith, ritual, and sacrifice must confront ancient evil, rather than relying on science or conventional methods.

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The curse plagues the Farrow family every third generation, creating an inescapable pattern of violence and sacrifice. Pater Tom Farrow inherits this prophesied curse as the town priest, and the Monsignore serves as the elderly guardian who warns of the malevolent threat tied to this bloodline.

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Dr. Maggie Sheridan is the local physician who teams with herpetologist Paul Hendricks to investigate the cobra menace. She is portrayed as resourceful and brave, helping mobilize the town's response to the threat while facing danger directly.

• maggie sheridan doctor physician female lead herpetologist paul hendricks

The giant cobra is Satan himself, taking physical form as a huge snake. This connects to the film's theme that evil is a tangible, supernatural force. The Druid ancestry of the preacher family ties into this demonic presence.

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Mayor Grady Thorpe represents civic denial and complacent leadership. He initially dismisses the growing threat, pushing instead to continue with a local dog race. His skepticism delays critical action and endangers townspeople until the community is forced to confront the threat directly.

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The Monsignore is an elderly religious figure and guardian of the cursed Farrow lineage. Played by Norman Lloyd, he warns Pater Tom Farrow of the malevolent threat and ultimately dies in the confrontation with the Cobra, serving as a catalyst for the final sacrifice.

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Evelyn Downs is the town librarian who senses the arrival of an ancient evil and warns Father Farrow. She is killed as the threat escalates, becoming one of the early victims of the Cobra's reign of terror in the community.

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Dr. Paul Hendricks is a herpetologist who traces the Cobra's lair and assists Dr. Maggie Sheridan in investigating the supernatural threat. While he is knocked out during the confrontation, he survives with the group's help and contributes to uncovering the true nature of the creature.

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The ending is bittersweet, the main characters survive and the demon cobra is defeated, but several lives are lost including the Monsignore. The town must reckon with the cost of the victory, making the triumph feel hard-won rather than purely triumphant.

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