Dead Men Walk
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Movie Reviews of Dead Men Walk
Movie Review: Zucco shines in this refreshingly different kind of vampire film
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm a big George Zucco fan. Zucco brought class and a unique presence to many a B movie of the 1930s and 1940s, and Dead Men Walk actually gives you two George Zuccos for the price of one. Yes, Zucco stars in a dual role as the kindly Dr. Lloyd Clayton and his evil brother Elwyn. Some accuse Zucco of being too theatrical, but I think his performance is basically that of a consummate stage actor who just happens to be working in film. His manner and aristocratic voice inspire confidence in the viewer - even when he is talking about a subject such as vampires. Speaking of vampires - and, yes this is a vampire film - Dead Men Walk takes an unusual approach to the subject, one hearkening back to the days of old rather than transplanting a Count Dracula clone into the story.
Elwyn Clayton is dead, and no one seems too upset about his passing, including his identical twin brother Lloyd. By all accounts, Elwyn was a malevolent man who became as a man possessed after devoting himself to the study of the dark arts. One old lady enters the church and pretty much calls him out during his own funeral. Lloyd, for his part, hurries to burn his brother's papers and thus put an absolute end to his evil existence. Imagine his surprise when his brother suddenly appears to him in his study soon thereafter, filling the audience in on how he really died and promising Lloyd all sorts of torment from this point on. It seems Elwyn has learned how to conquer death; he has, in essence, become a vampire.
Lloyd's niece Gayle (Mary Carlisle) soon begins suffering a mysterious ailment that leaves her weaker by the day, and Lloyd eventually begins to think his mind wasn't playing tricks on him after all when his brother appeared to him - Elwyn, as impossible as it seems, actually is alive (or at least not dead). Naturally, Lloyd initially keeps this information to himself, fearing no one will believe him. His niece's fiancé, David (Nedrick Young), actually comes to suspect Lloyd of secretly trying to kill Gayle, the townspeople start itching for some good old-fashioned pitchfork-wielding mob activity, and Lloyd is at his wit's end - while Elwyn is having a grand old time drinking blood and taunting his brother. Lloyd's only hope is to find Elwyn's coffin and destroy him once and for all.
We don't get to see any blood in this film, but the special effects are quite impressive for a low-budget, mid-40s release. It's also something of a treat to see Dwight Frye (forever known as Dracula's wild-eyed helper, Renfield) in one of his final roles (he died several months after completing this film). Zucco really carries the movie, though, as the other players (excepting Frye, of course) are really quite anemic when it comes to charisma. Zucco excels in his portrayal of Lloyd, but he also makes for a quietly menacing Elwyn, a vampire character who is undeniably evil but cut from a very different cloth than Legosi's Dracula. I think Dead Men Walk is really an impressive little film. It only runs sixty-two minutes, but it's definitely worth seeking out (thus proving that PRC - the much-maligned studio behind many a low-budget stinker - didn't always stand for "Pretty Rotten Crap").
Movie Review: He walks with me. And He talks with me.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the tale of two brothers, Dr. Lloyd Clayton and Dr. Elwyn Clayton (George Zucco). The two brothers hated each other for many years which culminated in a small tussle on a Cliff. Elwyn went over by accident, yeah sure. But unimagined by brother Lloyd, Elwyn was in cahoots with dark forces. His tombstone should have read "I'll be back".
Yep Elwyn returns and must have watched every vampire movie as a kid since he must now been to all the standard vampire rules. With the assistance of his hunchbacked sidekick Zolarr (Dwight Frye) he will now get is revenge by depriving his brother of everything. The best place to start is sucking on the niece Gayle Clayton (Mary Carlisle).
Meanwhile the village mob running in with torches and ropes has decide the Dr. Lloyd Clayton is having his way with them and bumping off old ladies on the side.
This was a surprisingly good film as we all know that George Zucco can look maniacal. Who suspected that he could play the sucker?
The Mummy's Ghost [VHS]
Movie Review: ALPHA DVD VERSION
Summary: 4 Stars
ZUCCO LIVES!!!...AT LEAST AS A VAMPIRE, FOR A FEW DAYS.
THIS IS A TOP-NOTCH PRC HORROR FILM ABOUT TWIN BROTHERS, ONE GOOD ONE BAD, AND BOTH PLAYED BY GEORGE ZUCCO, WHO HAS, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, ALWAYS ADDED A TOUCH OF CLASS & SOPHISTICATION TO ABYSMAL POVERTY ROW DREK. IN DEAD MEN WALK ZUCCO PLAYS ELWYN CLAYTON, A SORTTA LOVECRAFTIAN TYPE WHO READS MYSTIC BOOKS OF FORBIDDEN LORE AND BECOMES A VAMPIRE AFTER HIS DEATH. ZUCCO IS ALSO DR. LLOYD CLAYTON, RESPONSIBLE FOR ELWLN'S DEATH & NOW HAS TO PAY FOR IT. DWIGHT FRYE SHINES AS ELWYN'S EVIL ASSISTANT & AL "FUZZY" ST.JOHN EVEN POPS IN AS A LOCAL RUBE. HAL PRICE PLAYS THE LOCAL LAW AS HE DID IN LUGOSI'S THE DEVIL BAT...CERTAINLY A FUN TIME FOR FANS OF LOW BUDGET 1940'S HORROR FILMS!!! YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.
THE ALPHA DVD VERSION IS PRETTY GOOD, A NICE CLEAR PICTURE EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE OF OUTSIDE NIGHT SHOTS WHICH ARE A TAD TOO DARK, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE FAULT OF PCR'S SHODDY PRODUCTION VALUES. ALL IN ALL A GREAT BUY CONSIDERING THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE ALPHA PRODUCT.
Movie Review: "I know the store ad said, "Run, don't walk." to the sale. I'm dead. Cut me some slack."
Summary: 4 Stars
Laying your deceased twin brother to rest should normally be an emotional and trying affair. Of course, if you're George Zucco, almost nothing in life, or death, is ever considered normal. Like the cause of his brother's death by way of murder from our surviving sibling, for example. Or the stacks of books he had collected and studied over the years concerning witchcraft, vampirism, sorcery and demonology. However, when you have such knowledge of the supernatural and a faithful, hunchbacked assistant (Dwight Frye, no less!) willing to unearth your coffin and allow you to come back from the grave to exact a bloodthristy revenge, perhaps the loss of earthly life and a few material items can be considered expendable. An enjoyable variation of the vampire genre from PRC (one of the better known "poverty row" production companies of the day) with crisp dialogue from Fred Myton's screenplay. Zucco may not be the ideal vampire, but he was an ideal horror film actor and this dual role performance was possibly his finest hour. 8/10Movie Review: Possibly PRC's Best Film
Summary: 4 Stars
George Zucco gets what may be his best "poverty row" horror role as a doctor who must contend with his nasty vampire brother who is out to torment him. Dwight "Renfield" Frye is along for the ride as the evil brother's assistant and adds to the creepy mood of the piece. Some of the other actors are pretty bland, but George and Dwight keeps things moving. There is some very creepy and effective photography in this film which is surprising for such a low budget. All in all, this is not as bad as some "critics" claim and actually one of the better "poverty row" horror flicks of the 40's. Recommended.
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