Rattlers (1976) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story unfolds in a remote California desert town near a military base. The harsh, arid desert environment creates an isolated setting where the snakes can roam freely, and the nearby base serves as the source of the secret nerve gas experiments.

• california desert
• remote town
• military base setting

The primary setting is a desert town characterized by extreme heat and isolation. This remote desert location amplifies the danger, as the mutated rattlesnakes can strike anywhere, and the sparse population means help is far away.

• desert environment
• arid climate
• isolated setting

Rattlers explores three interconnected themes: Biohazard (the dangers of uncontrolled scientific experimentation), Investigation (the struggle to uncover hidden truths), and Conspiracy (the moral cost of corrupt power and military cover-ups).

• biohazard
• investigation
• conspiracy themes
• military cover-up

The Biohazard theme examines how scientific experimentation can outpace ethics and public accountability. Nerve gas exposure mutates local wildlife into aggressive killers, representing the unintended consequences of military experimentation gone wrong.

• nerve gas
• scientific experimentation
• environmental danger

The Conspiracy theme centers on Colonel Stroud's illegal disposal of nerve gas and the subsequent cover-up. It highlights how institutional power can prioritize control over civilian safety, exposing the fragility of accountability when those in charge act corruptly.

• military corruption
• cover-up
• institutional accountability

The Investigation theme follows Dr. Parkinson and Ann Bradley as they piece together the cause of the snake attacks. They face resistance from the military base and dangerous confrontations, highlighting the tension between truth-seeking and institutional secrecy.

• uncovering truth
• resistance
• dangerous investigation

Dr. Tom Parkinson is a Los Angeles college professor and herpetologist called to explain the deadly rattlesnake attacks. He brings scientific rigor and methodical reasoning to the case, willing to confront hazardous truths despite the danger.

• herpetologist
• professor
• scientist
• lead investigator

Ann Bradley is a war photographer who partners with Dr. Parkinson to document the terror and uncover the cause of the snake attacks. She is portrayed as resourceful and fearless, pushing for evidence even as danger escalates.

• war photographer
• investigator
• resourceful character

Colonel Stroud is the military base commander who ordered the illegal disposal of nerve gas. He is calculating and manipulative, willing to sacrifice others to protect his agenda. He ultimately meets his end in a gunfight with law enforcement.

• base commander
• villain
• military antagonist
• corrupt officer

The military is central to the conflict, they are responsible for the nerve gas contamination that mutated the rattlesnakes. The base commands engages in a cover-up to hide their illegal activities, creating tension between military secrecy and civilian safety.

• military base
• nerve gas
• cover-up
• government responsibility

Dr. Parkinson and Ann Bradley work together as investigators, with support from Captain Delaney, the base's chief medical officer who attempts to expose the misconduct. They face opposition from Colonel Stroud and conflict with Sheriff Gates, who is caught between the base's secrets and his duty to the town.

• character dynamics
• investigation team
• military civilians conflict

The rattlesnakes have been contaminated by a mysterious nerve gas dumped in the desert by the military. This contamination has turned them into unusually aggressive threats, creating a widespread lethal danger that endangers both civilians and military personnel.

• mutated snakes
• nerve gas contamination
• aggressive wildlife
• dangerous animals