Btexxamar I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

HottWwjdIam There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

mark.waltz "They will give me the blood from their hearts as I destroy them!" That's the return from the grave statement that one of the two brothers which George Zucco plays almost immediately after his funeral. It wasn't a respectful send-off with a woman intruder invading the church to damn the congregation for having a church service for such an evil man. It turns out that the surviving brother was responsible for his own brother's death which he claims was necessary because indeed, his brother was evil. Now back for revenge, he's combination ghost and vampire, appearing and disappearing as well, and not giving his brother a moment of rest. The subject of the back from the dead brother's revenge is their own niece (Mary Carlisle) and in order to stop his brother from his unearthly revenge, the surviving brother utilizes his niece as the method to which he will destroy the undead for good. But Carlisle's fiancée (Nedrick Young) suspects that the surviving brother has his own reasons for keeping such a close eye on Carlisle and accuses him of setting the whole thing up!Zucco gives two completely different performances: one an obvious evil mad man, the other seemingly decent. What makes the tension in this so great is the fact that you don't know for sure if the "good" brother is indeed doing mankind a favor by taking the life of his own sibling. The dead Zucco has an Igor like hunchbacked assistant (Robert Strange) under his control (doesn't every madman?) who does his every bidding, while Fern Emmett plays a character obviously influenced by the screeching harpies played by Una O'Connor and the nosy neighbors played by Eily Malyon and Margaret Hamilton. Emmett, however, brings on an Evangelical theme into the film, first by invading the church during the opening scenes, and later in the near conclusion where she comes across the grave. A moody, atmospheric setting and cleverly slow pacing (which works in this case) sets this above many Z-grade shockers of the 1930's and 40's, although in the case of Zucco, he also scored with the same year's "The Black Raven" as well. When I first took an interest in the classic movies, I used to skip the ones for some reason I considered beneath me (anything which came from Monogram or PRC), but now that I've discovered them, I am fascinating even with the low budgets, cheap sets, sometimes dismal photography and theatrical acting that seems to have gone out with flame burning footlights and putting on melodramas in local barns. But in many cases, they are more entertaining than many of the classics we've come to cherish, and get to their point faster and with more action. Zucco always added an undercurrent of subtlety in his evil characters, and when the seemingly good ones did turn out to be evil, it was both a surprise and a prediction. "We were brothers, and there was a bond of hatred that was there between us for a lifetime", he states here, and you truly feel all the emotions that both men share. I am glad that modern day audiences have taken an interest in these and hopefully film preservation societies will put in the efforts into cleaning up these prints and retaining them for eternity. Even on the cheap, they are true pieces of art.

MARIO GAUCI This one has an odd title, since it is more appropriate for a zombie flick rather than a vampire picture. In any case, it reunites director Newfield with star George Zucco (I have another collaboration of theirs to go through during this "Halloween Challenge", THE FLYING SERPENT {1946}, apart from having just acquired one more i.e. the non-horror outing THE BLACK RAVEN {1943}).Zucco plays dual roles here: an eminent small-town doctor and his disreputable twin (whose burial actually opens the film), with an avid interest in the occult extending to his having joined the ranks of the undead (complete with unhinged acolyte – who else but Dwight Frye? – to protect him when powerless i.e. during the day and generally do his evil bidding). By the way, this also features an intrepid old lady (eventually gotten out of the way by Frye, then on his last legs himself!) – an unlikely and annoying device adopted in a handful of vintage horrors. Typically, the good Zucco is charged with caring for the leading lady (invariably engaged to a young man – played by subsequently blacklisted actor-turned-Oscar-winning-writer Nedrick Young! – who admires him, though he has no qualms about threatening the old man for his helplessness when the girl is on the point of dying!). In fact, apart from one isolated attack early on, the vampire concentrates his blood-drinking activities upon her, intending to turn the girl into his disciple (bride?): however, since she calls his brother "Uncle" and no mention is made of another sibling, the heroine must also be the villain's own flesh and blood (how's that for perversion?)! For the record, the aged and partially-disabled Zucco is not exactly cut out for fang-and-cloak work: if anything, he never quite bares the former and, with respect to the latter, sticks to his everyday clothes throughout – though he can still appear and vanish again at will! Amusingly, the film proper is preceded by a prologue featuring an "Inner Sanctum"-type host delivering a portentous speech, and where a book entitled "History Of Vampires" is actually thrown into the fire – intimating that what is to follow will be a novel spin on things but, then, what we get is just the usual stuff! While undeniably watchable (especially at a manageable 64-minute duration), DEAD MEN WALK's programmer pedigree ultimately makes it strictly forgettable fare.

Woodyanders Evil occultist Elwyn Clayton (marvelously played to the deliciously diabolical hilt by George Zucco) returns from the grave as a predatory vampire to exact revenge on his kindly physician twin brother Lloyd (a sympathetic portrayal by Zucco) and his family. While the premise certainly has promise and the movie boasts a few effectively creepy moments, overall this picture fails to add up to much due to Fred Myton's talky script, a draggy pace, and a crippling lack of action, energy and excitement. That said, Sam Newfield's competent direction manages to create and sustain a properly spooky and brooding atmosphere throughout. Moreover, the sound acting from the sturdy cast just about holds things together: the always great Zucco excels in his juicy dual role, Dwight Frye gives a lively and inspired performance as Elwyn's crazed loyal servant Zolarr, Al St. John is amusing as a comic relief local yokel, plus there are nice turns by the fetching Mary Carlisle as Lloyd's sweet niece Gayle, Nedrick Young as Gayle's concerned, practical suitor Dr. David Bently, Fern Emmett as paranoid doomsayer Kate, and Hal Price as the earnest, but ineffectual sheriff. Jack Greenhalgh's stark black and white cinematography and Leo Erddody's shuddery score are both up to par. The rousing fiery conclusion likewise hits the stirring spot. But this film is still too static and plodding to amount to anything more than a merely passable time-waster.

wes-connors Make that one "Dead Man" walking. It's George Zucco (as Dr. Elwyn Clayton), practitioner of the Black Arts, who has just been slain, by his abel (okay, able) look-alike brother George Zucco (as Dr. Lloyd Clayton). The film's first mistake is not showing the murder; instead, it is explained, by "bad" Zucco's companion Dwight Frye (as Zolarr). As the vampire, Zucco keeps it all in the family by repeatedly going for the neck of pretty blonde niece Mary Carlisle (Gayle Clayton), quite like they did on "Dark Shadows". Ms. Carlisle's boyfriend, Nedrick Young (Dr. David Bently), is, initially, nonplussed.Story development is unoriginal; obviously, filmmakers expected everyone was familiar with the "Dracula" plot. This variation lets its possibilities slip away by leaving interesting new stones unturned. The graveyard scenes are atmospheric; possibly, they are enhanced by the low budget. The film's conclusion really fires things up; but, a lack of characterization and originality regarding the ending confrontation is a damper. The cast and crew perform well, under the circumstances.**** Dead Men Walk (2/10/43) Sam Newfield ~ George Zucco, Mary Carlisle, Nedrick Young, Dwight Frye