GL84 Hoping to get away from a stressful relationship, a nurse takes a job looking after a bedridden millionaire in Haiti, but when she starts to stay there longer, the more she finds the entire situation encased in a series of voodoo-driven rites and ceremonies intended to ward off her employer.Overall this one was quite enjoyable if slightly flawed effort. One of the main things holding this one back is the film's utterly bland and snail-like pacing, which is the common factor found in these types of films. There's so many scenes here in the first half that do nothing overall and are really just there to make the film seem like an appropriate length before it ends since so little of the film actually comes off as scary. Since so many of these scenes are filled with her initial arrival and meeting with the two brothers who are engaged in their own mini-squabble over the afflicted wife's treatment, these scenes are in general quite dull and bland which simply hold off the main horror sections of the film to rather isolated section in the second half as it has to get through dry, dull sections up front. As well, the decision for including the plot-point of his brothers' drinking problems are completely unnecessary as they just make the film that much longer and are not that interesting having it play out, and really sets the stage for usually-talkative explanation sequence which doesn't really go anywhere here. The only other flaw here is the completely inane reasoning given for them being targeted, as it really makes no sense and goes against what she tells them later on which should've protected them instead and it seems somewhat odd as an explanation.Though these issues here hold this one back, it does have some positive elements at work here. One of the better features here is the fact that there's some rather creepy and chilling work done on the inclusion of the voodoo rituals at the compound which are some of the films' most chilling moments. Starting with the deeply-rousing tribal drumming that's heard coming from deep in the jungle sounding like they're all around them, and it really starts in on that driving feel where the otherworldly feel and chilling-by-association nature makes this quite creepy while starting the other big voodoo-led activities. From the insanely chilling walk-through of the sugarcane fields with the zombified woman in the moonlight while the effectively eerie drumming comes into play during the darting shots of them amongst the towering plants, the absolutely creepy first encounter with the zombie and then encountering the rather thrilling ceremony that takes place at their camp. Other fun scenes include the absolutely wild and crazy retrieval scenes where they attempt to bring her back to camp in her zombie-like state several times, especially since the later one turns into the outrageously fun finale that takes place across the island, finally leading into the sea for a fantastic finish to this one. Alongside the rather well-done atmosphere from the film, these here really work nicely for this one.Today's Rating/PG: Mild Violence.

Alex da Silva Frances Dee (Betsy) is appointed as a nurse to care for Christine Gordon (Jessica) on a Caribbean island. Gordon has a mysterious condition. Can it be attributed to voodoo or more natural causes? Whatever the condition, it is weird! The rest of the cast include her plantation-owner husband Tom Conway (Paul), his half-brother James Ellison (Wesley), their mother Edith Barrett, and a community of voodoo worshippers. They all have their own theories as to what has happened to Jessica. So, can nurse Frances get to the truth? This film is way better than its title suggests. It's atmospheric, spooky, nicely shot and very unexpected as well as original in its setting. There are quite a few memorable set pieces in this fairly short film. In fact, it's all pretty memorable and keeps you watching. If you try to anticipate what is coming next, I guarantee you will get it wrong. I got things wrong every time I thought I knew what was going to happen. It's a very good film in that respect. So, just watch the story unfurl.The actors are fine – I wasn't too enamoured with James Ellison given that he had the top credit. I don't think he deserved it. I'd have put him around 4th on the cast list. There are also several story threads left open and not fully explained but it doesn't matter, it adds to the mystery. I recommend this one - a different kind of zombie in this film. It's scary and sad.

Johan Louwet Well the original meaning of a zombie is not a dead creature that is brought back to life or became a flesh eating monster due to a virus as in today's tales, but is it is a human that has no more will of his own and is directed by witchcraft in this case voodoo. That is what we see with the blonde lady and also the black guard with his big eyes. Well the voodoo scenes are done really well and that is why I pass this movie. However it falls pretty flat in story and characters. None of them is remarkable and the dramatic story with relationship intrigues is just as uninteresting as the standard soap opera. Besides there is too many characters involved which made the whole pretty tedious to watch. The location was nice though.

bkoganbing After watching I Walked With A Zombie I was shaken a bit, a little unnerved as it were. But when I started to analyze the film I was wondering just what did I see?Frances Dee has been hired to look after Tom Conway's wife Christine Gordon who is in a coma, but this is the sleepwalking type of coma and the natives have identified here as a zombie. Here illness whatever it is has cast a pall on the household. Conway and his mother apparently make a nice income which is half brother James Ellison drinks a lot of it away.One thing that was interesting and highly unusual. The natives are the descendants of escaped slaves and the heritage there is one of reverting back to their tribal beliefs as an act of defiance. Slavery with few exceptions is rarely dealt with from the slave or former slave point of view.Edith Barrett plays Conway and Ellison's mother. She likes Dee and views here as an ideal daughter-in-law for one of her kids. She also has another role on the island, one I can't reveal here. Val Lewton produced and Jacques Tourneur directed I Walked With A Zombie. It's not great, I think it was butchered in the editing department. But the mood that is created will linger with you. And the ending is decades ahead of its time, something you might see in a Stephen King work.