The Val Lewton Horror Collection (Cat People / The Curse of the Cat People / I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher / Isle of the Dead / Bedlam / The Leopard Man / The Ghost Ship / The Seventh Victim / Shadows in the Dark)

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Val Lewton's name is synonymous with the subtlest, most mysterious brand of horror filmmaking in Hollywood's golden age, and the nine horror classics he produced at RKO between 1942 and 1946 constitute the most remarkable cycle of creativity in B-movie history. (For the record, the Lewton/RKO legacy also includes two non-horror entries, Youth Runs Wild and Mademoiselle Fifi.)

Before becoming a film producer, the Russian-born Lewton was a prolific writer of pulp fiction, nonfiction, and a couple of pornographic novels. He also worked for years as assistant to David O. Selznick, a legendary producer with a distinctive personal signature--and a flair for grandiosity Lewton himself never emulated. It's ever so revealing that, on Selznick's Gone With the Wind, it was Lewton who came up with the idea for the famous rising shot of the Atlanta railyard filled with Southern wounded, with the Confederate flag streaming above--only he idly proposed it as a joke, never imagining that anyone would actually film such a spectacularly ambitious scene.

In 1942 Lewton left Selznick to undertake a series of horror films for RKO Radio Pictures. The studio would give him a budget around $200,000 per picture and a title RKO deemed to be grabby; Lewton would have a free hand as long as he stayed on budget, used the title, and gave the studio a salable movie of second-feature length (around 70 minutes). Over time, Lewton would increasingly have trouble with studio supervisors, but RKO was the right place for him. Although low in the pecking order among Hollywood majors, the studio made up for its lack of MGM-style glamour and Warner Bros. grit-and-gusto by working in a finely filigreed, almost miniaturist style. The art department under Van Nest Polglase and Albert S. D'Agostino was capable of exquisite artisanry, and in Nicholas Musuraca, a master of low-key cinematography and supple camerawork, Lewton found an invaluable collaborator in creating moody shadow-worlds where what you couldn't see was more disquieting than what you could.

He was also fortunate in having Jacques Tourneur to direct his first three efforts (they had teamed years earlier on the Bastille-storming sequence for Selznick's A Tale of Two Cities). They scored first time out of the gate with both a popular hit and a masterpiece: Cat People (1942). The story involves a pretty young Serbian woman in Manhattan (Simone Simon) convinced that her ancestors had practiced animal worship during the Middle Ages--and that she herself might shape-change into a lithe, ravening panther if her passions were aroused. The film is uncannily successful in keeping the viewer guessing whether this is a phobia borne of morbid obsession and sexual repression, or a genuine, horrific possibility. There are two sequences of matchless artistry and almost unbearable suspense--a lonely, echoing walk through pools of lamplight alongside Central Park, and a late-night swim in a deserted indoor pool--that build to throat-grabbing climaxes and remain milestones in the history of screen horror.

Many critics feel that the second Lewton-Tourneur endeavor, I Walked With a Zombie (1943), is both men's finest work. The title is so lurid that the heroine-narrator (Frances Dee) must shrug it off with her very first words, yet the movie is an amazingly delicate and poetic piece of spellbinding--nothing less than a reworking of Jane Eyre on a voodoo island in the Caribbean. Other horror aficionados prefer the more mainline ferocity of The Leopard Man (1943), an adaptation of a Cornell Woolrich story about a serial killer strewing corpses along the U.S.-Mexican border. Although on one level this is the Lewton film that veers closest to conventional mystery-suspense, there's no end of unsettling ambiguity (another black panther on the loose!) and hints of occultism and religious mania.

RKO promoted Tourneur to A-movies after this; Lewton would never again have so masterly a directorial partner. Yet in a weird sense (which is only appropriate), this underscores how much Lewton--with his wealth of arcane historical lore and storytelling archetypes, his quiet, patient attention to detail, and his taste for oblique narrative--was the essential auteur of all his films. Promoting first Mark Robson and then Robert Wise from the editing table, Lewton went on to make the deeply mysterious The Seventh Victim (1943) and The Ghost Ship (1943), two films in which such grotesque elements as Satan worship and murderous psychopathology are folded away inside eerily drifty, almost becalmed sleepwalks into eternal night. The Seventh Victim--a movie populated with more walking dead than Lewton's out-and-out zombie picture--is one of the cinema's supreme meditations on the ways lives brush against one another in the spaces of a great, impersonal city. And The Ghost Ship (the rarest of Lewton's films, owing to a ruinous copyright suit) is like a fever dream from which the viewer never awakens.

That's enough for a legacy, surely. Yet there remain The Curse of the Cat People (1944), a sequel that is not quite a sequel, a pretend-horror movie that's really a contemplation of the fragility of childhood; Isle of the Dead (1945), a doomed reverie about travelers who escape the Goya-esque chaos of a 19th-century war only to be beset with plague on a miasma-shrouded island; The Body Snatcher (1945), an atmospheric Robert Louis Stevenson adaptation that invokes the grisly history of graverobbers Burke and Hare, and supplies a together-again-for-the-last-time occasion for Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi; and Bedlam (1946), the Hogarth painting come to life to portray the real-life horrors of an 18th-century insane asylum. Bedlam's critical and box-office failure ended Lewton's quasi-independent status at RKO; he would live to make only three other, unsuccessful films.

James Agee, the premier American film critic of the 1940s, reckoned that Val Lewton was one of the three foremost creative figures in Hollywood--an assessment yet more impressive when we consider that the other two were Charles Chaplin and Walt Disney. His greatest films--Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, The Seventh Victim--are towering achievements, and even his half-realized projects are haunting experiences, the products of an utterly distinctive sensibility. This is an extraordinary collection. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Val Lewton, a famous RKO Radio Pictures producer, redefined the horror genre with low-budget, high-box office films. Now available are nine of these horror classics on DVD in the all new Val Lewton Horror Collection. Exclusive to the collection are a new documentary on the producer and 3 of the 9 films.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Greg Mank with Simone Simon on Cat People and Curse of the Cat People, Kim Newman and Steve Jones on I Walked With a Zombie, Steve Haberman with Robert Wise on The Body Snatcher, Tom Weaver on Bedlam, and Steve Haberman on The Seventh Victim.
Documentaries:Shadows In The Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Val Lewton gives us a new genre: Endearing horror films.......2007-07-19

Val Lewton was that Hollywood anomaly: A creative producer, but whose talents never exceeded the B-movie environment in which he operated. The result was a series of horror films made fast and on the cheap but which, 60 years later, still have enough interest to qualify for their own genre: The endearing horror movie. Through the happenstance of Lewton's ability to attract and work with some talented (and inexpensive) directors and writers, we now have the opportunity to watch these nine movies. Some, notably Bedlam and The Body Snatchers, are very good. Some, like The Leopard Man, are eerily satisfying. Sit back and enjoy.

CAT PEOPLE:
Says psychiatrist Dr. Louis Judd to Irena Reed, his reluctant patient. He is describing the things they have just talked about. "...and the cat women of your village...women who in jealousy or anger or out of their own corrupt passions can change into great cats, like panthers. And if one of these women were to fall in love, and her lover was to kiss her and to take her into his embrace, she would be driven by her own evil to kill him." As we can tell, Irena may have a problem. Her husband may have an even worse one.

THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE:
Great potential within limited means, and then the slow leak of air from the balloon. The Curse of the Cat People pulls together Simone Simon, Kent Smith and Jane Randolph from Cat People. This time, however, despite great photography and some eerie situations, the pieces simply fall apart. There is some tension and suspense, but to no great purpose. We just wind up knowing more than we want to about the needs of lonely children.

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE:
"Everything seems beautiful because you don't understand," says Paul Holland (Tom Conway) to nurse Betsy Connell (Frances Dee), on their voyage to Haiti where she will take care of his seriously ill wife. "Those flying fish, they're jumping in terror because bigger fish want to eat them. That luminous water...it takes its gleam from millions of tiny dead bodies, the glitter of putrescence..." If that attitude isn't enough to be off-putting, Betsy discovers that Holland's "ill" wife may well be a zombie. The movie veers into melodramatic silliness; still, there's plenty of eerie atmosphere.

THE BODY SNATCHER:
For a low-budget, B movie horror quickie, The Body Snatcher holds up remarkably well. The horror is in the situation, not the actors' make-up or the staggering around of corpses. Corpses there are, but they're freshly dug up, and their purpose is not to grasp and choke, but to be dissected by a complex and morally ambiguous surgeon. We're watching a duel, as director Robert Wise says, between the two lead characters. Henry Daniell, the surgeon, and Boris Karloff, who provides bodies, pull off the trick of combining distaste, arrogance and mutual need.

ISLE OF THE DEAD:
This programmer is a good example of why B movies are B movies. The story could be interesting: A small group of people in an isolated setting are forced to deal with a threat to their lives. In the course of the movie some will live and some will die, some will prove brave and some will go mad. "The vorvolaka still lives," whispers the crone of a housekeeper, "rose-cheeked and full of blood!" Even with ripe dialogue like this, the movie becomes predictable.

BEDLAM:
Bedlam was not successful at the box office yet was probably the best constructed of Lewton's films. Along with The Body Snatchers, it stands up as a compelling story with solid dialogue and better acting than we've come to expect from Lewton's films. Boris Karloff, in a performance of skill and complexity, plays Master George Sims, the ruler of St. Mary's of Bethlehem Asylum in London...a forbidding hulk of a stone building. Bedlam, for short. The time is 1761. Bedlam is the place where the insane are sent, as well as inconvenient or embarrassing relatives. Nell Bowen (Anna Lee), is the smart, privileged and arrogant protege of a fat English lord. When she meets Sims, her dislike is instant. Before long, Mistress Bowen finds herself committed to Bedlam and must find a way to expose Sims. Bedlam is a clever and well-made film.

THE LEOPARD MAN:
Sure, The Leopard Man is a cheap B movie, but I like it a lot. It only runs 66 minutes and it packs a lot of craftsmanship into that time. What seems unusual to me is that the film, made to be filled with dread, is also filled with regret. "What sort of man would kill like a leopard and leave traces of a leopard..." says one character. When we find out, we're a little saddened. This was no raving monster with steel claws taped to his hands, just a quiet guy who was the victim of his nature and his obsessions.

THE GHOST SHIP:
This quickie is the story of a mad sea captain who has become fixated on doing away with his young third officer. Most of the action takes place on ship as the young man tries to convince the crew that the captain is mad. There is no style to the movie and the acting is just passable.

THE SEVENTH VICTIM:
This programer is noteworthy for just three things. First, an atmosphere of creepy mystery. Second, some effective characterizations by actors who never escaped from B-movie purgatory. Third, and by far the most important, an excellent performance by Kim Hunter in her first movie role. The movie has to do with a coven whose members seem to believe in death...for others.
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All the movies look just fine on their two-to-a-disc DVDs.

The Val Lewton Horror Collection.......2007-06-25

-------------------------------------------------------------
"Cat People"
What you can't see "will" hurt you

A man marries a strange woman with a European accent. She seems shy, but she actually carries a secret. Seems she knows she came from a line of "Cat People" and passion can bring out her claws. This is reinforced in a scene at a restaurant where another one of her kind recognizes her. She also suspects her new hubby's female friend has designs on him. So we get a spooky scene at a swimming pool at night alone in the gym.

There was not enough money or sufficient technology to show scary cat people. They tried people in cat suits, but they just looked cutesy. So they decided to just show shadows and sounds. The rest was up to your imagination. It is a psychological movie with a touch of film noir. ---------------------------------------------
"The Curse of the Cat People"
In many ways superior to the original

The Curse of the Cat People (1944) is not really sequel to Cat People (1942) as much as a stand alone physiological thriller that just happens to be an extension of the original characters. We have seen the formula before but you may not have seen such a presentation; a lonely child Amy Reed (Ann Carter) seeks a playmate that understands her. Who best but the spirit of Oliver's dead wife, Irena (Simone Simon) one of the cat people. Naturally this upsets the parents. Toss in Amy's new relation to reclusive neighbor Julia Farren (Julia Dean). Julia has problems of her own relating to her daughter. The story just gets complex from there.

The question is, is it dangerous to fantasize that much and what will become of the characters in the end.
-------------------------------------------
"I Walked with a Zombie"
A classic Val Lewton production

We are treated to exotic titles and expectations with titles such as "I walked With a Zombie." My only encounters with Zombies are those that process in an UNIX operating system that can not be killed. I also watched "Weekend at Bernie's II."

As with other Lewton productions he got a way with a psychological thriller in the guise of a monster movie. In the days of sailing ships a nurse (Frances Dee) is employed to go to San Sebastian to look after a plantation owner's wife (Christine Gordon.) She fined that her charge is more than just a victim of a disease that heft her without will. Turns out if you cut the wife she does not bleed. We all know what that means.

The true story is the relationship to man and wife, man and nurse, nurse and wife, brother and brother, brother and wife, need I say more? Could it mean that there is nothing supernatural or is love moving in mysterious natural.

Can this all be straightened out or is Jessica Holland the wife destined to be zomiated for ever and the nurse must learn to love from afar?

Yeah Lord pity them who are dead and give peace and happiness to the living.
--------------------------------------
"The Body Snatcher"
Based on a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson

"It is through error that a man tries and rises. It is through tragedy he learns. All the roads of learning begin in darkness and go out into the light." Hippocrates of Gos

This film has the psychological complexity of a Val Lewton production but is a lot more graphic than most of his productions where he just implies violence. He even takes it out on innocent dogs. I feel that some one was pushing Lewton from behind to be more vicious with this film.

A young student (Russell Wade) wants to become a doctor like the great Dr. Wolfe 'Toddy' MacFarlane (Henry Daniell.) Little does he know what it will entail?

The DVD has a voiceover commentary from the late Director Robert Wise who directed "West Side Story" and "The Sound of Music." Surprisingly he said that the original basic script was written by Philip MacDonald.
--------------------------------------
"Isle of the Dead"
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE / Hamlet Act 1. Scene V abt. 1601

`Under conquest and oppression the people of Greece allowed their legends to degenerate into superstition; the Goddess Aphrodite giving way to the `Vorvolaka.' This nightmare figure was very much alive in the mines of the peasants when Greece fought the victorious war of 1912."

Gen. Nikolas Pherides (Boris Karloff) is an experienced watcher. That is he must watch over his troops to be sure the do what they are supposed to and survive to win the day.

Finding some time take a war correspondent (Marc Cramer) to visit the grave yard island where his wife is buried. There he meats a strange collection of people and an unseen enemy that is much deadlier than any bullet. Will he be able to fight it logically and scientifically? Or will his cultural fears lead him to see the truth?

Once again we see that Boris Karloff can act and that Val Lewton can take a scary title and turn it from a cheap horror movie into a classic Psychological Thriller.
---------------------------------------------------
"Bedlam"
Story suggested by The William Hogarth painting Bedlam plate 8 "The Rake's Progress

Once again Val Lewton takes what would have been a second rate horror story and turns it into a sit on the edge of your seat psychological thriller. The basic question of the story is the same as the one in his movie "Ghost Ship"; that is, is man fundamentally good and helpful of others or is he so self centered that he will act even to his own ultimate demise? An added element is that of not quite being granted all mental faculties.

The year is 1791 Lord Mortimer (Billy House) is just one of the upper class (Wiggs) that gets his kicks from watching the loonies of Bedlam loon. His protégé (Anna Lee) is discussed at the treatment of the "guests" by the head apothecary, Master George Sims (Boris Karloff who can actually act). She attempts to correct this to the detriment of Lord Mortimer. So Lord Mortimer and Sims invite her as a guest to Bedlam.

Will she ever get out or just go crazy. While there she applies a theory supplied by a Quaker (Richard Fraser), one of the Society of Friends if this works the tables may turn on Sims. What can Sims say in his defense?
------------------------------------
"The Leopard Man"
All or our lives are like the ball bouncing at the top of the fountain

Rival entertainers meet in a club in New Mexico Kiki Walker (Jean Brooks) brings in a leopard to upstage Clo-Clo (Margo). But Clo-Clo gets the last laugh when she chases the leopard off with her castanets.

All is fun rivalry until people start dying. Naturally the local authorities think it is the leopard. But Jerry Manning (Dennis O'Keefe) who rented the leopard has a theory that this is the work of a demented person. This theory is sort of supported by Dr. Galbraith (James Bell) the local museum curator. To make matters worse the leopard's owner, Charlie How-Come (Abner Biberman) does not remember where he was at the time.

As with the cat people it is what you don't see that can harm you. And the simile turning of a card can mark you for death.

You may recognize Dynamite the leopard that was also used in the movie "Cat People".

Produced by Val Lewton (7 May 1904, Yalta, Crimea, Russian Empire (now Ukraine) ) whose story telling device is unique in that this is more of a psychological film that does not focus on any one person as they are all pawns in a much larger story. Some time it verges on the surreal.

Now that you have seen the film read the book "Black Alibi" by Cornell Woolrich.
----------------------------------
"The Ghost Ship"
A new third mate on his first long sea voyage in introduced to captain and crew. Before he steps on bard he is warned by a blond man. He runs into a mute. And before they even leave port Jensen is found dead, just a heat attack. "With his death the waters of the sea are open to us. But there will be other deaths and the agony of dieing."

Don't go looking for anything supernatural as this is a Val Lewton movie. I would pay close attention to the characters. One of them may be a bit unhinged. The big question in this story is man's nature to help or ignore their fellow man.
--------------------------------------
"Shadows in the Dark"
This is more of a Val Lewton biography with more emphasis on his producer years.

The Val Lewton Horror Collection.......2007-06-25

While the plots alone are enough to distinguish Lewton's brand of horror from other practitioners--a mysterious Serbian beauty might or might not have the ability to transform herself into a panther in "Cat People," a death-haunted New York woman is pursued by a cabal of satanists in "The Seventh Victim"--these films are also masterpieces of noir atmospherics. Karloff, an intellectual bored by ghoulish makeup, emerged from semi-retirement to make three pictures with Lewton: "Bedlam," "The Body Snatcher," and "The Isle of the Dead," with Bela Lugosi. It was a fruitful relationship. And this omnibus collection amply demonstrates Lewton's pulpy, lurid genius.

Quintessential Lewton..........2006-10-31

I've read the other reviews, and agree with most. Still, my favorite is "Curse of the Cat People". I've always been fascinated by (good) films that see life through the eyes of a child.Next to "To Kill a Mockingbird", I can't think of another film that brought me back to those simple, sweet times that adults just didn't get! (Except for Atticus, of course). I was also annoyed that the collection was in a tall box that would never fit on my shelf; I hate to separate them to fit on my shelf, alphabetically. Lewton had that wonderful idea, realized by Tourneur, with the glorious black & white photography, crisp and clear as a bell, and much appreciated by those of us who love outstanding film-making. I enjoy this collection a lot, but wish I could put it on the shelf with my other "collections", in a nice box.

Elegant horror.......2006-10-30

Steven Spielberg and Brian DePalma should be locked in a closet with a projection screen and forced to watch these films repeatedly until they swear an oath to imitate them. Made on what Tom Cruises' cleaning bill for one day's shoot would be adjusted for 1940 dollars, and infinitely superior to anything they have done. "Curse of the Cat People" and "The Seventh Victim" are largely unknown but the best and most subtle of these works. Less is more, I only wish there were more of them.

I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher

Average customer rating:

Zombie/Body Snatcher timeless entertainments
Great movies, however if you like them definetly buy the Val Lewton Horror Collection instead. Well worth it.
Lewton Double Feature
I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher
"There was a family that lived on the isle of St. Sebastian a long, long while..."

I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher
Starring: James Ellison , Frances Dee , Tom Conway , Edith Barrett , and James Bell
Director: Jacques Tourneur , and Robert Wise
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A0GOFA
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Description

Literary classics become screen horror classics when given the Lewton touch. Take the gothic romance of Jane Eyre, reset it in the West Indies, add the direction of Jacques Tourneur (Cat People) and the overriding terror of the living dead and you have I Walked with a Zombie. Frances Dee plays the nurse who witnesses the strange power of voodoo. Boris Karloff plays the title role in the Lewton adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Body Snatcher, directed with subtle calculation by versatile Robert Wise. A doctor (Henry Daniell) needs cadavers for medical studies and Karloff is willing to provide them one way or another. Don't miss his scene with fellow horror icon Bela Lugosi.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:I Walked With A Zombie - Kim Newman and Steve Jones. The Body Snatcher - Steve Haberman with Robert Wise
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Zombie/Body Snatcher timeless entertainments.......2007-08-04

Right off the bat I have to admit that there was a moment in 'I Walked With A Zombie' where I found myself on the edge of my seat and biting a ragged chunk from my index fingernail. I would be the first skeptic to say "Yeah, whatever" if someone said that a movie this old could still pack a punch, but 'I Walked With A Zombie' does just that. The story is simple ... city nurse goes to an island where voodoo is the national pastime and finds herself mixing it up with zombies. But when we think of zombies today, we tend to imagine the faster, bloodier, fang-filled versions of more recent movies like 'Shaun of the Dead' and '28 Weeks Later'. Producer Val Lewton's zombies are more classical ... shuffling, bug-eyed undead who relentlessly pursue their victims, even if it takes them days to actually reach them. -- This movie combines excellent production values and intelligent scripting to produce a movie that is as hypnotic and interesting today as it was then. -- And luckily, this set is doubled with 'The Body Snatcher' (arguably, Boris Karloff's greatest role). This movie deals with a doctor and the blackmailing grave robber who provides cadavers for his midnight researches. Karloff comes out of the gate running in this one -- partially chewing the scenery and genuinely giving off creepy vibes. He is all menace in this movie. In a small but excellent turn is Bela Lugosi (like the Kirk/Picard debates, there is argument over who was the king of the horror genre, Lugosi or Karloff. It's Karloff by many many miles, but Lugosi was great, so long as he didn't actually have to carry a picture). Lugosi plays something with stringy hair and an indecipherable accent and he does this very well, even getting some screen time with Karloff, making 'Body Snatcher' a delight for anyone who used to stay up late on Saturday nights, watching whatever black and white offering the local TV stations used to provide. These two films are often used as examples of producer Val Lewton's finest work. Who can argue? These movies still make me jump.

Great movies, however if you like them definetly buy the Val Lewton Horror Collection instead. Well worth it........2007-07-23

To get an in depth read on the movies themselves and alot of information check out the Amazon review on The Val Lewton Horror Collection (recommended) they do a great job, tons of info.
I originally bought Cat People (which includes Curse of The Cat People) when it was added to Roger Ebert's great movie list, I've loved nearly everything from that list and I like horror so i picked it up. I didn't buy the whole Val Lewton Collection not knowing enough about the movies at the time and thinking it was perhaps a case of putting the best movie in a box set, which is not the case at all. After watching Cat People and loving it i checked out more titles from director Jacques Tourneur purchasing the Night of the Demon/Curse of the Demon dvd and loving that one even more, and i also picked up the great film noir by Tourneur Out of The Past (also on Ebert's great list), now after reading more on Tourneur and reviews on his work even picking up a couple books i came upon I Walked With a Zombie which was also highly recommended and that's in the Val Lewton Horror Collection as well. You'd think I learned my lesson but i figured it was Tourneur who was the star of this package and i hadn't heard to much on The Leopard Man so i figured seeing i had Cat People I'd save some cash and just pick up I walked With a Zombie/The body Snatcher. So I watch I walked With a Zombie and loved it, then popped in the second feature The body Snatcher starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi hearing nothing on and expecting nothing i ended up thoroughly enjoying it as well. The Body Snatcher which was directed by Robert Wise (west side story, the sound of music) winner of 4 oscars and also did another great horror film which i enjoy The Haunting and Curse of the Cat People which is also in the Val Lewton Horror Collection.
The other four were directed by Mark Robson two time oscar nominee. Producers were big in movies back then as directors are now and I've only heard great things of Val Lewton.
So, if you like anything by directors Jacques Tourneur (Cat people, Night of the demon, Out of the past, I walked with a zombie), Robert Wise (the hauting), Mark Robson, or like anything produced by Val Lewton or like classic horror in general definitely splurge for the Val Lewton Horror Collection. I'm confident that if you like one of the movies, the directors, or the producer you'll love the majority of the set and with 9 films for 48$ that's just 5$ a dvd, a great buy.

Lewton Double Feature.......2007-06-25

These titles are two of Lewton's best, with "Zombie" a stand-out, due to its sublimely creepy atmosphere, a literate script (reputedly based on "Jane Eyre"!), and charismatic turns by both Dee and Conway. Exploration of voodoo practices adds spice as well. "The Body Snatcher" is also a grabber, with excellent character actor Daniell in top form, and Karloff riveting as the sneering, cold-blooded Gray, a role that displays the star's impressive acting chops without all the Frankenstein make-up. "Snatcher" also includes a secondary role for Bela Lugosi as MacFarlaine's servant Joseph. Sadly, Bela's career was on the wane at this point, and this would mark Karloff and Lugosi's last screen outing together.

I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher.......2007-05-13

"I Walked with a Zombie"

We are treated to exotic titles and expectations with titles such as "I walked With a Zombie." My only encounters with Zombies are those that process in an UNIX operating system that can not be killed. I also watched "Weekend at Bernie's II."

As with other Lewton productions he got a way with a psychological thriller in the guise of a monster movie. In the days of sailing ships a nurse (Frances Dee) is employed to go to San Sebastian to look after a plantation owner's wife (Christine Gordon.) She fined that her charge is more than just a victim of a disease that heft her without will. Turns out if you cut the wife she does not bleed. We all know what that means.

The true story is the relationship to man and wife, man and nurse, nurse and wife, brother and brother, brother and wife, need I say more? Could it mean that there is nothing supernatural or is love moving in mysterious natural.

Can this all be straightened out or is Jessica Holland the wife destined to be zomiated for ever and the nurse must learn to love from afar?

Yeah Lord pity them who are dead and give peace and happiness to the living.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Body Snature"
Based on a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson

"It is through error that a man tries and rises. It is through tragedy he learns. All the roads of learning begin in darkness and go out into the light." Hippocrates of Gos

This film has the psychological complexity of a Val Lewton production but is a lot more graphic than most of his productions where he just implies violence. He even takes it out on innocent dogs. I feel that some one was pushing Lewton from behind to be more vicious with this film.

A young student (Russell Wade) wants to become a doctor like the great Dr. Wolfe 'Toddy' MacFarlane (Henry Daniell.) Little does he know what it will entail?

The DVD has a voiceover commentary from the late Director Robert Wise who directed "West Side Story" and "The Sound of Music." Surprisingly he said that the original basic script was written by Philip MacDonald.

"There was a family that lived on the isle of St. Sebastian a long, long while...".......2007-02-02

Excellent, somewhat campy, often genuinely creepy film from the fine French director Jacques Tourneur, I Walked with a Zombie is less well-known than his famous Cat People but perhaps even more accomplished. Something of a Jane Eyre story recast in the West Indies, the film features an added treat in watching the calypso great Sir Lancelot act as a kind of Greek chorus, narrating the action.

Average customer rating:

Great Z movie from the 50s.
I'll Take This "B" Movie Over A Coma Anyday
Jungle Fever...
Everything a cult B movie should be
The Wicked World of Wade Williams

She Demons
Starring: Irish McCalla , Tod Griffin , Victor Sen Yung , Rudolph Anders , and Gene Roth
Director: Richard E. Cunha
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005B6KS
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Description

A hurricane, island castaways, dancing native girls, female monsters, Nazis, a mad scientist, weird surgical experiments and a volcano--all prime ingredients for horror exploitation films. Or, in the case of "She Demons," one horror exploitation film. This lively, lurid shocker from writer/director Richard E. Cunha managed the remarkable feat of cramming all of these plot elements into its 76-minute running time.

Customer Reviews:

Great Z movie from the 50s........2006-03-31

I last saw this movie ages ago on "Chiller Theatre"!
Even then, my family and I enjoyed it because it was so campy and rediculous. This is the perfect film for a lazy weekend. Just make lots of popcorn, don your fuzzy socks and curl up in front of the TV for some great laughs. It's better than watching SNL!

I'll Take This "B" Movie Over A Coma Anyday.......2005-09-19

I've seen hundreds of Sci Fi/Horror movies over the years. This is one of those you'll wonder whether you've watched it or not a few years down the road. You just can't remember.

All in all, I figure it's still better to watch a so-so Sci Fi/Horror movie than "Dances With Wolves" or "Evita". This movie will end up being non-memorable, but it's preferable to being in a coma.

Jungle Fever..........2004-06-11

On a remote, uncharted island in the south pacific, strange things are happening. Nazis have set up camp, kidnapping a troupe of dancers (The Diana Nellis Dancers to be exact) and subjecting them to diabolical experiments at the hands of an evil SS officer / scientist named Osler (aka: The Butcher)! Enter 4 castaways, Gerri (Irish McCalla) and 3 guys to whom I paid little attention (when you see Ms. McCalla you'll understand why). Gerri's a rich, spoiled brat. Her zillionaire father footed the bill for the expedition which landed her and her cohorts on the island. Well, our heroine and friends soon encounter the lost dancing girls, and we are treated to a fairly good little jungle-hoochy-koo number! Then, those mean old nazi-boogers show up, pooping all over the party! It's a battle between the forces of good and evil, as Osler tries to get Gerri to be more than a friend! Unfortunately for Hitler jr., Gerri does befriend his wife, who's badly burned face is the reason behind Osler's experiments. The actual SHE DEMONS themselves (dancing girls turned icky through Osler's serum) don't do a whole lot, except for exterminating the worst of their nazi tormentors! The rest is pretty standard fair, but Irish McCalla makes it all seem worthwhile somehow! Check her out in her black evening dress! Wowzers...

Everything a cult B movie should be.......2004-03-07

She Demons turned out to be a much better film that I expected it to be. While there is absolutely nothing original about the plot, the film manages to retain one's interest from start to finish. Native girls, a mad Nazi scientist, atavistic she demons, bombs, volcanic eruptions -- what's not to like?

The film opens sort of strangely, with a news report about a recent hurricane followed by a plea for information from some rich guy whose daughter's boat is missing. Then we cut to our shipwreck survivors: poor little spoiled rich girl Jerrie Turner (stalwart blonde Irish McCalla, whom some may recognize as Sheena, Queen of the Jungle), scientist Tod Maklin (Tod Griffin), comic-relief sidekick Sammy Ching (Victor Sen Yung), and a native captain who doesn't even survive long enough to witness the big native girl dance scene. And what a native girl dance scene it is. These aren't your run-of-the-mill natives; these girls, made up of the Diana Nellis Dancers, include some real beauties. Unfortunately, beauty can be fleeting on this island. You see, twelve years ago the Fuehrer sent Colonel Osler (aka the Butcher), played quite smarmily by Rudolph Anders, to this uncharted island to continue his experiments on the exploitation of lava for the generation of electricity. The doggoned evil scientist has actually figured out the secret of perpetual motion, but this sort of plays second fiddle to his continued experiments to turn scar tissue back into healthy skin (the Fuehrer didn't want any of his master race soldiers baring scars when they came back from the war). In an unfortunate accident several years earlier, Osler's wife Mona was severely burned, and the Colonel is attempting to restore her beauty by extracting "character X" from the faces of attractive native females (whom his crack staff of clueless soldiers have somehow managed to capture) and injecting it into his wife's skin (underneath all those bandages). Unfortunately, the medical procedure tends to turn these hot island girls into grotesque monsters so ugly that they have to sneak up on the dipper just to get a drink of water. The special effects makeup is rather pathetic, but the girls definitely do look ugly after their visits to the lab.

Well, our heroes get captured, the scientist and the rich girl fall in love, Osler does the whole evil madman shtick, etc. You know. Surprisingly, it all ends up being pretty darned entertaining, and the big "reveal" scene at the end is something not to be missed. I do have to mention these soldiers on the island, though; these guys make Sgt. Schultz look like a prize German soldier. Hiding from them is no trouble whatsoever; they wouldn't even recognize Hitler if he came up and kicked them in the shins. Okay, I also have to admit that some of the dialogue is pretty cheesy, but it makes for some good laughs. The only real complaint I have with this film is the fact that the gorgeous native girls (in their pre-She Demon forms, of course) were not featured nearly enough for my liking. When all is said and done, though, She Demons is everything a 1950s B movie should be.

The Wicked World of Wade Williams.......2003-11-14

I was pissed off recently when I picked up a copy of SHE DEMONS,(from the 'Wade Williams Collection'). If the guy owns the damn film, why couldn't he wait until he locates a decent print before rushing it to DVD?

In the film there's a scene where a bevy of not-as-yet demonic beauties does a ritual dance before the camera; as each woman dances before the camera she has her moment when the camera gets a chance to focus on her face close up. Someone, probably long ago, had clipped out the crucial frames for each woman's close up in front of the camera. You may have seen other films where this "clipping" has been done, I know I have. What's up with that? Are they making prints to sell or something? This clipping of frames is not the kind of thing a casual observer will notice, but for me it mars the film horribly.

I remember watching BATMAN (was it 1985?) at the Grand in Oakland. It was a few days after the movie had been released, but damn if someone had not already snagged crucial frames, like the shot where Joker kills his TV.

Seems like the picture I'm getting of one Wade Williams is he doesn't really care about these films except as money makers. He has no love for the genre, and therefore does not really care about video collectors either.

Amazon.com

Bela Lugosi followed up his star-making role in Dracula with this ambitious low-budget horror film from the Halperin brothers, who effectively transplanted the misty gothic mood of the Universal horror films to their poverty-row studio. White Zombie drips with atmosphere from the opening, as eerie chanting accompanies the credits and Madeleine (Madge Bellamy) arrives at midnight to witness a mysterious burial before coming face to face with the satanic looking Murder Legendre (Lugosi with goatee and searing eyes), a hypnotist and voodoo master who has been supplying the local mills with an army of zombie laborers. Madeleine's nightmare is just beginning. Having landed in a world of almost perpetual night, where hollow-eyed zombies lumber through the sugar mill and the ghostly town is eerily bereft of living souls, she becomes the object of desire for Legendre, whose plan to possess her involves her initiation to the world of the undead. This first zombie movie is also one of the best, with Lugosi's archly sinister performance dominating the film (thankfully obscuring a lot of overacting by supporting players), and astounding sets and gorgeous matte paintings creating a wondrous sense of poetic doom. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Delightfully yummy..........2007-07-21

A diabolical voodoo master plots to turn a beautiful young American into a WHITE ZOMBIE, a slave of his perverted passions...

Here is one of the great unheralded horror classics of the 1930's. Almost forgotten today, it is an excellent example of what can be accomplished by an obscure film company (in this case Halperin Productions) working with a tiny budget, but using enormous flair & imagination. Some of the visuals - the opening scene of the burial on the road, the sugar mill worked by zombies - remain in the imagination for an uncomfortable amount of time, one sure sign of true success for a horror film. Certain of the settings - the hillside graveyard, the villain's towering fortress - are as good as you'll find anywhere. Additionally, the moody music of Xavier Cugat & the make-up wizardry of Jack Pierce help tremendously.

But it's the performance of Bela Lugosi, looking utterly satanic, which is truly memorable. Released the year following his celebrated Dracula, WHITE ZOMBIE gives him another character which, in measures of pure menace, is easily the equal of the Count. With his mesmeric eyes, expressive, spider-like hands & wonderfully eerie voice, Lugosi radiates absolute evil. This talented Austro-Hungarian actor (born Béla Ferenc Dezsõ Blaskó, 1882-1956) would fritter away much of his career in low-budget dregs, but here he must have realized he was in competent hands and he is obviously having a wonderful time. To see his imposing, cloaked figure stalk about the screen, closely followed by his Living Dead slaves, is to enjoy one of cinema's most deliciously spooky moments.

Madge Bellamy & John Harron are both impressive as Lugosi's victims. Robert Frazer is very good indeed as the plantation owner whose obsession for Miss Bellamy throws him right into Lugosi's clutches. Elderly Joseph Cawthorn scores as the aged missionary who may be the only person wise enough to thwart the zombie master. Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Clarence Muse as the frightened coach driver in the opening sequence.

A "B" Horror Masterpiece.......2007-04-11

This atmospheric horror film of a happy young couple finding danger on a Hatain plantation is a "B" horror classic. Coming closely on the heels of Lugosi's "Dracula," "White Zombie" has much of the same atmosphere and look of that film.

Brothers Edward (producer) and Victor (director) Halperin worked with cinematographer Arthur Martinelli to give Garnett Weston's story of zombies an eerie look and fun atmosphere. Anyone popping this one in late at night won't be disappointed.

John Harrow and pretty Madge Bellamy star as the young lovers who learn right away that those who work in the sugar mills, and the fields at night, are no longer men, but dead bodies. Lugosi is their master, controlling the glassy-eyed undead at every turn.

Plantation owner Charles Beaumont (Robert Frazer) loves Madeleine (Madge Bellamy) also, but cannot convince her not to marry her true love, Neil (John Harrow). He will finally turn to Lugosi for help, but Lugosi has his own plans for the beautiful young bride. The discovery that her body has been removed will lead her new husband Neil and his new friend Dr. Bruner (Joseph Cawthorn), a missionary, to follow a trail to Lugosi's foreboding castle by the sea in order to break the zombie spell and save her soul.

This is a "B" horror masterpiece which is a lot of fun to watch. The ending doesn't disappoint in this one either, as it does in "Dracula." Don't miss this one!

"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video".......2006-10-16

Passport Video presents "The Bela Lugosi Box - 15 Frightful Films" (1942) --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- Béla Lugosi was the stage name of actor Béla Ferenc Dezs Blaskó (October 20, 1882 - August 16, 1956) --- Lugosi was born in Lugos, Hungary, at the time part of Austria-Hungary (now Lugoj, Romania), the youngest of four children of a baker --- best known for his portrayal of "Dracula" in the American Broadway stage production, and subsequent film, of Bram Stoker's classic vampire story.

Late in his life, he again received star billing in movies when filmmaker Edward D. Wood, Jr., a fan of Lugosi, found him living in obscurity and near-poverty and offered him roles in his films, such as "GLEN OR GLENDA?" (1953) (in which his role made no more sense than the rest of the movie) and as a Dr. Frankenstein-like mad scientist in "BRIDE OF THE MONSTER" (1955), during post-production of the latter, Lugosi entered treatment for his addiction, and the premier of the film was ostensibly intended to help pay for his treatment expenses. The extras on an early DVD release of "PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE" (1959) include an impromptu interview with Lugosi upon his exit from the treatment center, which provide some rare personal insights into the man --- this was one of Lugosi's most infamous roles was released after he was dead. Ed Wood (Director) features footage of Lugosi interspersed with a double --- Wood had taken a few minutes of silent footage of Lugosi, in his Dracula cape, for a planned vampire picture but was unable to find financing for the project --- Wood later conceived of Plan 9, Wood wrote the script to incorporate the Lugosi footage and hired his wife's chiropractor to double for Lugosi in additional shots --- notice however the "double" is thinner than Lugosi, and covers the lower half of his face with his cape in every shot --- Leonard Maltin (Famous Film Critic) was quoted - "Lugosi died during production, and it shows."

Lugosi died of a heart attack on August 16, 1956 while lying in bed in his Los Angeles home. He was 73 --- Bela Lugosi was buried wearing one of the many capes from the Dracula stageplay, as per the request of his son and fifth wife, in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California --- Contrary to popular belief, Lugosi never requested to be buried in his famous cloak; Bela Lugosi, Jr. has confirmed on numerous occasions that he and his mother, Lillian, arrived at their decision independently.

BIOS:
1. Bela Lugosi (aka: Béla Ferenc Dezsõ Blaskó)
Date of birth: 20 October 1882 - Lugos, Austria-Hungary. [now Lugoj, Romania]
Date of death: 16 August 1956 - Los Angeles, California
2. Edward D. Wood Jr. (Director, Writer and Producer)
Date of birth: 10 October 1924 - Poughkeepsie, New York
Date of death: 10 December 1978 - North Hollywood, California

This collection of "The Bela Lugosi Box - 15 Frightful Films" (1942) --- still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years --- but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten ... Plus the half-hour tribute "100 Years of Horror: Bela Lugosi", hosted by Christopher Lee --- and a great job by Passport Video for this release --- looking forward to more of the same from the '20s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video, stay tuned once again for more remarkable films from the vaults of classic television and Hollywood during the Golden Era of Entertaiment.

Total Time: 1034 mins on DVD ~ Passport Video #5260 ~ (9/05/2006)

A Visual Feast.......2006-08-18

Sometimes silly, sometimes stilted, nearly always stagey, White Zombie remains nonetheless one of the most visually fascinating films in horror history. Who can forget the image of Madge Bellamy's alabaster gown flowing down the concrete staircase, or the zombie burial procession outlined spectrally against the sky, or the sinister shadows cast demonically across a dance floor. Then there's the magnificently gothic hall with its grotesquely twisted bannister like none other I've seen. In fact, almost every scene presents at least one arresting visual feature. As good as these and the many other touches are, it's still the mill scene that remains a masterpiece of visual staging. It must be seen to be appreciated-- the pitiless grind of the crusher, the soundless shuffle circling into the maw-- all in all, one of the deeper levels of Dante's inferno and one that's bound to stay with you.

If the visuals are inspired, the acting is not. It's almost as if two different people are in charge. Bellamy is quite good with her large liquid eyes and bee-stung lips. Her transformation into a zombie stupor is well performed. Of course, there's also Lugosi as Lugosi, florid, hammy, but effective nonetheless. The other principals, however, bring down the proceedings with what can only be described as bad acting. Bellamy's swain in particular is plain annoying, while the preacher appears to have wandered in from a breezy Bing Crosby production. Too bad. With more appropriate performances this could have been an all-time classic.

As things stand, it's a truly memorable film, whose influence can be seen in such diverse venues as Val Lewton's horror cycle, Bergman's The Seventh Seal, and Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Except for the mill scene with its eerily grinding tonality, the movie might be best enjoyed by turning off the sound altogether. (P. S. Colorizing this b&w marvel is nothing less than a crime.)

An Oasis in a Desert of Bad Quality Editions.......2006-03-08

White Zombie is one of those movies that can be found in many cheap, struck from VHS editions. Roan has has put out this excellent edition which does the movie justice. The sound and picture quality are about as good as you're probably going to get and the commentary is very informative. Beware of cheap editions and get this one instead.

White Zombie (1932) DVD [Remastered Edition]

Average customer rating:

Moody and Mysterious
The only special effects are Bela's eyebrows
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video"
Reasonable If Not Best Remaster of a Seldom-Seen Horror Classic
Vintage post-Dracula Lugosi

White Zombie (1932) DVD [Remastered Edition]
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ASIN: B000853QN0
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Product Description

"In an age when thrilling westerns ruled the silver screen, director Victor Helparin decided to move on to another form and level of cinematic entertainment. What prompted him to so is not clear, but the results of the decision are pretty evident from the scores of horror movies that followed his pioneering venture "The White Zombie!" The movie both thrilled and horrified audiences unaccustomed to such themes. It is difficult to portray themes that are fascinating, terrifying, captivating and innovative all at once, but in this timeless classic Victor Helparin has done just this and earned himself a place of honor in the world of entertainment. His disconcerting use of sound and dreamy images, which paved the way for later horror movies, is proof of his exceptional insight and skills as director. Of course, this is amply supplemented by the genius of people like Harold Anderson, whose special effects are stunningly imaginative, and Bela Lugosi, whose portrayal of an evil sorcerer is truly chilling. The rest of the cast, too, deserves mention for their great effort in portraying various characters from dehumanized zombies to helpless lovers. The set designers have done a fabulous job of creating an eerie atmosphere that heralds the horrifying incidents to follow. A2ZCDS offers you - now on DVD - this deliciously horrifying feature film about a couple that gets much more than they bargained for when they decide to tie the knot in a spooky Haitian mansion!"

Customer Reviews:

Moody and Mysterious.......2007-08-20

This movie, which I believe was the first zombie movie ever released, relies a lot on shadow and mood rather than action, which is sporadic, though intense. This film often bores fans of modern film because they expect action to dull them into senselessness rather than getting into the atmosphere of a film. Fans of classic movies will enjoy the texture of the film and the creepy feeling the film does a very good job of instilling.

Madeleine Short (Madge Bellamy) and Neil Parker (John Harron, who appeared in minor roles in dozens of movies until his untimely death in 1939) have journeyed to Haiti to get married. Once there, their host Charles Beaumont (Robert Frazer, who appeared in dozens of movies, though many of his roles were uncredited) falls madly in love with Madeleine. Beaumont turns to Murder Legendre (Bela Lugosi, who one year earlier created the standard for all future Dracula wannabes) for assistance. Legendre is a zombie master, and uses his abilities to turn Madeleine into a zombie.

Neil Parker is beside himself with grief because he thinks Madeleine is dead, but her death is only in appearance because of the drugs that Legendre used. Parker discovers that Madeleine may be alive, and enlists the aid of missionary Dr. Bruner (Joseph Cawthorn) to track her down and rescue her.

Though the end of the movie has some measure of predictability, the value of this movie is in the journey and not the destination. The movie has an eerie quality throughout, partially due to the sets and partially due to cinematography. Bela Lugosi's piercing eyes are prominent and with a big screen television it is easy to see how intimidating his eyes can be. This movie used techniques that were ground-breaking at the time, including split screens and overlays. I am not sure how the director created the view of the castle, but the beach scenes featuring the castle were outstanding considering this movie was filmed in 1932. The result of all these features is that the movie is very artistic and interesting to watch.

"White Zombie" is a relatively slow movie that relies almost completely on atmosphere. The action is limited to brief moments, though intensity is important. For example, there is a scene with a zombie falling into a grinder. The scene is very graphic and the sound effects are realistic and disturbing. Fans of gothic horror, Bela Lugosi and zombie movies will find this movie a treat and one they will want in their collection.

Use caution in buying this movie. I know that many people have tried, and failed, to get a good copy of this movie off the internet. For some reason the sound off these copies is poor. This movie is one that you should probably purchase as a DVD if you wish to have it in your collection. Other reviewers consider the version by the Roan Group to be the best available version, and it is (currently) cheaper than this version. I have not seen the Roan Group version myself, so I take this assertion based on the expertise of reviewers who have seen both versions. You may wish to do a bit of research before deciding which version meets your needs the best.

Enjoy!

The only special effects are Bela's eyebrows.......2007-05-03

Well we got a good little flick here. The great-grandfather of zombie films. Thanks to this we have Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead.

Bela Lugosi lives in a big castle in Haiti. He resurrects the dead as slave labor to work in the sugarcane fields and in the mill. This is the forerunner of Kathy Lee Gifford's sweat shops. Anyway a young couple on the island are going to get married. You got to check this blonde out! She's a little small in the chest, but her face is awesome! She is a real beauty. Well this loser wants her for himself and devises a plan with Bela. On her wedding night the bride 'dies' only to be brought back as a zombie by Bela. Unfortunately the loser learns to late that though she can still play the piano, the light in her eyes is gone.

He wants her back to normal, but Bela has other ideas. He wants the loser to be a slave in the sugar mill too! But the groom comes to the rescue and the loser and Bela take a long walk off a short cliff.

The interesting thing about this movie is Bela himself. It seems they couldn't decide what he should look like, so he is half Dracula and half Charlie Chan. I lost count how many times he does the 'Dracula stare' into the camera, but I guess audiences loved it and it's what Bela did best.

Man that blond was smoking. SHe could be my White Zombie any day.

"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video".......2006-10-16

Reasonable If Not Best Remaster of a Seldom-Seen Horror Classic.......2006-06-30

The term "Zombie" and the concepts it conveyed did not really enter American conciousness until the publication of William B. Seabrook's THE MAGIC ISLAND in 1929--but once established, it fired popular imagination, producing everything from a host of pulp fiction shorts to a fairly lethal mixture of rum and tropical juices. Released in 1932, THE WHITE ZOMBIE is generally considered to be the first motion picture on the subject--and it would pretty much set pop culture ideas about zombies, voodoo, and Hati for decades to come.

The film is interesting in several respects, not least of which is the fact that it an independent production, something rare indeed for a film of its era. Unfortunately, this fact also gave rise to a series of legal battles between writer Kenneth S. Webb and producers Edward and Victor Halperin. What with one thing or another the film itself was considered lost from about 1935 until it resurfaced in 1960, when it once more touched off another legal battle between the same parties and their estates. In consequence, and although it has indeed turned up at special screenings and on the late-late show, the film has never really been widely seen since its 1932 debut--and most of the prints available were pretty dire. This was certainly the case when I saw the film in a "big screen" film festival in the late 1970s: the sound was poor, the visuals worse, and it was very difficult to tell what all the fuss was about.

Fortunately for fans of 1930s horror, THE WHITE ZOMBIE is now available in numerous DVD versions--but it is very much a case of "buyer beware," for most of them are extremely dire. Roan Group has released an exceptional restoration of the film; PC Treasures has a reasonable budget release in tandem with the cult classic CARNIVAL OF SOULS. The Timeless Classics edition falls somewhere between the two: the age of the elements show and it isn't a patch on the Roan edition, but its a darn sight better than most.

As for the film itself, even by 1932 standards THE WHITE ZOMBIE was not a "screamer" in the same sense as DRACULA or FRANKENSTEIN were; it is instead lyric, at times poetic in nature, disturbing in the same manner of an Edgar Allen Poe poem. The story is quite simple: Madeline Short (Madge Bellamy) and Neil Parker (John Harron) have come to Hati--and en route have met estate owner Charles Beaumont (Robert Frazer.) Beaumont falls in love with Madeline; unable to convince her to leave Parker, he goes to zombie master 'Murder' Legendre (Bela Lugosi), who works his evil spell upon her. But Beaumont soon finds himself at odds with Legendre, and Parker, with the aid of missionary Dr. Bruner (Joseph Cawthorne) has set out to rescue Madeline at all costs.

The cast is quite fine, and many critics consider that this is really Lugosi's best performance of the early 1930s, surpassing his more famous turn in DRACULA. Indeed, he is a remarkable presence in the film, ugly and sinister and yet at times--it is difficult to describe--one sees the unexpectedly attractiveness of the man in both physical and psychological terms. It is a memorable performance. But the big thing about THE WHITE ZOMBIE isn't so much the story or the performances as "how the thing is done."

The cinematography is simple, but it has a misty quality, and one is always aware of the texture of black and white; shadows are important in the film, and the overall look is quite unlike anything to come out of Hollywood up to that point--and even today it remains largely unique. There is an elegance to the way the scenes are staged and photographed that rarely occurs in any film of any era.

Modern viewers without significant interest in films of this period are likely to find THE WHITE ZOMBIE mannered and a bit slow--but if you have an interest in early sound films, and even more so in horror films of the 1930s, THE WHITE ZOMBIE is an essential in your collection.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Vintage post-Dracula Lugosi.......2005-05-22

Close on the heels of portraying the immortal Dracula, Bela Lugosi turned his suave eeriness and trademark powerful stares to 1932's White Zombie. He manages to make an otherwise forgetful horror flick into something worth watching, although I admit I was far from captivated by the movie. It gets off to a promising start. Neil and his fiancé Madeleine have to pause on their way to the home of their supposed benefactor when they encounter a nighttime burial in the middle of the road (so no one will tamper with the dead body, you know), then soon meet up with the creepy, mysterious Legrende (Lugosi) and some of his pet zombies. Once they arrive at their destination, their host, Beaumont, confesses his love for Madeleine but finds that his Harry Houdini haircut does not succeed in winning her over. Naturally, he decides to invoke the help of Legrende, who promises Beaumont that there is a way for him to claim her. I'll give you three guesses as to what this involves. Neil runs around half crazy even before discovering that the tomb of his beloved is empty, then manages to get the support of the local missionary in finding his apparently not fully deceased wife. I'm afraid I didn't particularly care for the ending of this film; it's a little too predictable, and Neil's clumsy antics are almost as annoying as the pipe-smoking missionary's repeated requests for a match. There are some interesting little film production techniques here -- split screens, overlays of ghostly images, and the like, but it is the story that seems to come up a little short. Haiti doesn't seem quite the proper setting for Lugosi, but the filmmaker got a lot of terrific mileage out of close-ups on his piercing eyes. Lugosi fans won't want to miss White Zombie, but others may not get much out of the movie.

Average customer rating:

Delightfully yummy...
A "B" Horror Masterpiece
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video"
A Visual Feast
An Oasis in a Desert of Bad Quality Editions

White Zombie
Starring: Bela Lugosi , Madge Bellamy , Joseph Cawthorn , Robert Frazer , and John Harron
Director: Victor Halperin
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006AUGD
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Delightfully yummy..........2007-07-21

A "B" Horror Masterpiece.......2007-04-11

"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video".......2006-10-16

A Visual Feast.......2006-08-18

An Oasis in a Desert of Bad Quality Editions.......2006-03-08

Average customer rating:

They Saved Hitler's Brain
Not kitschy or ridiculous enough
Ten Thumbs up!!! A Cinematic Tour d'Force!!!
Great RPG!!! wait.... it's no video game?
With a wife like you who needs a girlfriend?

They Saved Hitler's Brain
Starring: Walter Stocker , Audrey Caire , Carlos Rivas , John Holland , and Marshall Reed
Director: David Bradley
Manufacturer: Rhino Theatrical
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ASIN: B00004UD5Q
Release Date: 2000-08-22

Amazon.com

Connoisseurs of bad movies rank this execration as an all-time favorite, rivaling Ed Wood's infamous Plan 9 from Outer Space as the worst film of all time. The trouble began in the early 1950s when a film called Madmen of Mandoras was shot and shelved for no mysterious reason at all. The film boasted the great cinematographer, Stanley Cortez (The Magnificent Ambersons), whose gorgeously evocative photography makes a startling contrast to the inexplicable plot with which it seems to coexist. But that wasn't bad enough, so in the early 1960s some UCLA film students shot additional footage, somewhat differently styled (think Mod Squad meets cinéma vérité porno), and intercut it with the original film as if the two were meant for each other. The resultant jumble concerns a pair of modish CID agents on the trail of a kidnapped scientist, Nerve Gas-G, an antidote, the resurgence of the Fourth Reich on the Caribbean island of Mandoras, and Hitler's severed head barking orders from a jar. Here are but a few of the absurdities awaiting you: The swastika is backward, one obtuse character has to pull the car over to discover that her partner was shot even though she was present at the event, and when Hitler's head bites the big one, it melts. Critic J. Hoberman, in his seminal article, Bad Movies, observed that this film fairly makes the brain explode with ideas. Not only that, but aneurysms. You'll be screaming, "Mein Kopf! Mein Kopf!" just as Hitler's head should have, if only there had been the budget for that. --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

They Saved Hitler's Brain.......2007-08-31

It's pure trash!It's not supposed to be funny but if you want to laugh a lot watch this movie!
"A group of Nazi survivors somehow manage to save Hitler's brain. In an attempt to revive the Fuhrer's pickled bean, they kidnap a prominent transplanter. So awful, it's a hoot!" (Rotten Tomatoes)

Not kitschy or ridiculous enough .......2007-01-15

As a fan of MST3K, I thought this would provide an evening of distracted laughs. It did not. When people see your DVD collection, this might add some interest and depth, but as far as actually viewing it, you might want the internet and some checkbook balancing activities to do.

Ten Thumbs up!!! A Cinematic Tour d'Force!!!.......2005-10-14

No better representation of the cinematic art of 'avant noir' has yet to surpass this stylictic post-modern cult masterpiece. Under the sheer directorial genius of David Bradley (Julius Ceaser, Dragstrip Riot), "T