The Plague of the Zombies (1966) starring André Morell, Diane Clare, Brook Williams, Jacqueline Pearce directed by John Gilling Movie Review

The Plague of the Zombies (1966)   3/53/53/53/53/5


The Plague of the Zombies (1966)

Mine of the Zombies

Following a curious letter from his protege, Dr. Peter Tompson (Brook Williams), Sir James Forbes (André Morell) and his daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare) head to down to the tin-mining village where he lives which is being plagued by a mysterious epidemic leading to many deaths. Not long after those who have died are seen by the old mine leading to James coming to the conclusion that some type of black magic is involved to raise the dead as zombies. The question for Forbes and his daughter is who is behind this macabre act of resurrection.

If you asked most young movie fans to tell you what goes on in a zombie movie the chances are they will mention things like an epidemic sweeping the country and a small group of survivors trying to stay alive as they are chased down by the living dead who run after them and wait outside of where ever it is the humans are hiding. But zombie movies were not always like that and just a couple of years before George A. Romero changed the face of zombie movies we had "The Plague of the Zombies" an old school Hammer horror which is quite different to what a modern zombie movie is about.

Diane Clare and André Morell in The Plague of the Zombies (1966)

"The Plague of the Zombies" in fact is only loosely a zombie movie because instead the focus is more on who is behind the black magic which is causing the dead to rise up from their graves. As such for those who know their Hammer horrors will recognize the formula, as well as the set as this was made back to back with "The Reptile". As such what this is really about is the sinister squire and the young Sylvia who ends up in danger as he and a group of elitist fox hunters take an interest in her. It is no spoiler to say any of that as it makes it abundantly clear very early on what is going on.

This is in fact the problem with "The Plague of the Zombies" because there is very little mystery to the movie and instead it becomes a case of waiting for it to hit the inevitable marks when it comes to Sylvia ending up in danger and the mad rush to save someone's life at the end. What this really means is that "The Plague of the Zombies" is less of a movie for horror fans and more a movie for fans of Hammer horror and how they use to make them.

What this all boils down to is that "The Plague of the Zombies" won't be for everyone and certainly not for those raised on modern zombie movies. But for those with an interest in older movies especially older horror movies this has some interesting elements.

Tags: Zombie Movies


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