I was so taken with The Walking Dead that I watched it second time with commentary from a chronically enthusiastic film historian. The historian spoke hurriedly as he had a treasure trove of trivia to get off his chest about this early zombie movie. For starters, director Michael Curtiz would go on to direct the iconic films Casablanca (1942) and White Christmas (1954).
Boris Karloff stars as John Ellman, a sympathetic ex-con framed for killing the judge that once sentenced him. He is betrayed by his attorney and used as a fall guy for murder in a conspiracy involving the governor and the mafia. To get an idea of how dangerous and controversial horror movies were considered in 1936, censors didn’t allow the judge’s body to be shown. Only an arm dangling out of a car door made the final cut. (I would love to take one of those uptight censors from the 30’s to the future to watch Martyrs.) Evidence that clears his name is purposefully withheld at the last minute and he gets sent to the electric chair.
Ellman is brought back to life by a doctor who is obsessed with learning the secrets of the afterlife. The revival scene is very similar to the awakening in Frankenstein but instead of a mad scientist shouting “It's alive!” Dr. Beaumont subtly and elegantly whispers “He lives” as though he just witnessed a miracle. The invention of the Lindbergh heart pump (which eventually led to the first heart transplant in 1967), captured the imagination of the 1930’s dumbasses and inspired this film.
A quiet melancholy defines John after he returns from the dead. He retains his love of music and the ability to speak but most of his memory is nearly wiped out. Boris Karloff earned his place among horror legends Bela Lugosi and Lon Cheney Jr. for his work in the Frankenstein and the Mummy movies but his portrayal of the zombie in The Walking Dead is equally memorable. Rather than seek bloodthirsty revenge Ellman meanders around halfway between two worlds with a vague sense of purpose. He simply seeks answers and happens to get (awesome) revenge in the process. Zombies were described as "running on pure motorized instinct" in the original Dawn of the Dead and this is the earliest movie I've come that fits that bill.
So what the hey – five Gretchens. It’s intriguing, atmospheric, great for historical zombie purposes* and the acting is terrific.
*kickass spoiler in the first comment!
10 comments:
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This is the first movie where a zombie is killed with a bullet to the head. High five!
This sounds great! I don't know how this one escaped me. I'm always looking for vintage classics and this one sounds like it fits the bill. Are you going to check out Van Lewton's, "I Walked With a Zombie"?
I love listening to the commentary on vintage films because you learn all sorts of interesting facts about the actors (e.g., "So and so eventually became an alcoholic and died in a gutter", etc). The commentary on Dracula is great.
I don't think this was available on DVD until recently. It was part of a 2 pack along with Frankenstein (1970). I returned it before watching Frankenstein.
The commentary guy was funny as hell. At one point he said something along the lines of "not only do you sympathize with this monster but you also grow [dramatic pause] to love him."
Great review, I've never seen this one but I want to now. I love classic horror and classic zombie horror just makes it all that much more fun.
This sounds fantastic. Excellent find and review.
I love The Walking Dead. More the comic book and new tv show than a 1930's film. Not much of a fan of the pre-color films but I do love a good zombie flick.
(I would love to take one of those uptight censors from the 30’s to the future to watch Martyrs.)
That would be awesome. Let's build a time machine.
Sounds excellent! What a cool find.
Great review!
Who is Alistair?
I figure he found us because he's a fan of the current comic book that has the same title as this movie (which I hear they're making a movie of someday). It's a zombie takeover drama drawn in black and white and written by a writer I really like. I took a look at it but realized I wasn't interested in a zombie story in that medium.
Loved this review. Very thoughtful and fun to read. I can't recall the last time you gave an old-timey movie five out of five.
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