utgard14
Cheapie horror comedy from Monogram, a sort of sequel/remake of King of the Zombies. Mantan Moreland was in both pictures playing the same character. There are small differences in the plots of the two films but essentially they're the same - a couple of white guys and their black valet (Moreland) wind up in a spooky old dark house where a mad scientist (John Carradine) is experimenting with zombies for the Nazis. Moreland is an acquired taste but he's pretty much the only person in this who appears to be trying. Even John Carradine looks bored. There's not a lot about this to love. It's not as cheesy or fun as you might hope. As much as I didn't care for King of the Zombies, there were at least some funny moments here and there. This is just blah.
dbborroughs
John Carradine, in one of his occasional starring roles from the 1940's, plays a mad doctor working in the Louisiana swamps on a method of creating zombies for the Nazi cause. In order to perfect his method he's gone so far as to turn his wife into one. Things get complicated when his wife's brother shows up with a detective nd doctor in tow. Worse still is the fact that his zombie bride seems to have a mind of her own.This is a mostly good horror mystery espionage thriller. For most of the films brief running time the film is a clever at and mouse game between the doctor and his guests. The trouble is that in the final fifteen minutes the film goes through so many gyrations of the plot that you'll swear that someone left a reel or two out the film. Its twist upon twist upon nonsensical turn. Its fine in the B movie way the film is constructed, but at the same time it considerably lessens what should have been a better film.Over all this is an amusing film (some nice comedy is provided by the great Mantan Moreland). Its definitely worth checking out if you run across it or can pick it up, as I did in the the bargain bin.
preppy-3
A somewhat fun Monogram horror movie. The wife of Dr. von Altermann (John Carradine) has died mysteriously. Her brother and a hired detective (hunky Robert Lowery) investigate. It seems the doctor is quite mad and experimenting on human beings and turning them into zombies.Yes, it's a cheap no budget movie but it's fun. It has a nice atmospheric opening, a few amusing lines, some funny bits by Mantan Moreland and an interesting plot. Also Carradine gives a good performance and Lowery is tall, handsome, muscular and pretty good in a nothing role. A light enjoyable horror flick. Good viewing around Halloween. I give this a 5.
JoeKarlosi
A pretty ordinary cheapie from Monogram Studios that begins with some promising atmosphere and visual style, but ultimately deteriorates with a lot of talk and some lame attempts at comic relief by black funny-man Mantan Moreland, who's not so humorous this time around.A very youthful John Carradine plays it surprisingly low-key as an unconvincing Nazi scientist trying to create an army of non-scary zombies to fight for the Germans. He even turns his own wife into one of them, the fiend. These living dead sleepwalkers are more like what you'd call the "marching dead" as they step about in silly and perfect militaristic formation, like mindless robots. Those viewers unfamiliar with "pre-Romero" zombie movies are bound to be left especially stumped.** out of ****