White Zombie Review

Greeting, classic horror fans, JM Dobies here to tell you all about 1932's WHITE ZOMBIE, directed by Victor Halperin, written by Garnett Weston, and starring Bela Lugosi, in his third greatest role, as Murder Legere, just one year after his breakthrough in DRACULA. There have been many zombie flicks throughout the years, from I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD to the EVIL DEAD movies to SCOOBY DOO ON ZOMBIE ISLAND, but this is the original, folks.

It's all about the wealthy owner of a Haitian palntation who covets his best friend's gal and tries to steal her away before she can marry his pal. When his efforts to win her heart go over like a lead balloon, he turns to the local hypnotist and zombie master played by Lugosi, and things go very, very badly indeed. Though made on a low budget by an independent producer, WHITE ZOMBIE holds it own with studio pictures of its era with its atmospheric cinematography, which was heavily influenced by German expressionism. Of course, a larger budget might have afforded the producers better supporting actors While the performances of Lugosi and female lead Madge Bellamy are excellent, the same can't be said for the rest of the cast. Especially the guy who plays Neil, the bridegroom-to-be. What a maroon! He's so bad you'll find yourself rooting for Bela. Sure, he's evil, but at least he can act.

Also, I must say that zombie girl is hot! Floating around with that blank expression on her face, she's mighty purty for being one of the living dead and all. This movie was made in 1932, and back then, zombies had class. They didn't eat people's brains, they just kinda lurched around in a vaguely menacing way and did the bidding of the zombie master. They had restraint. No brain-eating for them. Just a little chanting, and lots of staring straight ahead with their dead zombie eyeballs.

WHITE ZOMBIE was made over 70 years ago, on a low budget even by Depression-era standards, but it still works, thanks to Bela's performance and the doom-laden, atmospheric direction of Victor Halperin.

Restored edition available on DVD from Roan Classics.