Valley of the Zombies

VALLEY OF THE ZOMBIES has Dr. Ormand Murks (Ian Keith) use voodoo to rise from the dead. He's now in need of human blood and will acquire it by any means necessary. Murks' victims are found drained of blood and filled with embalming fluid.

While the police are baffled, a young doctor and nurse set out to solve the series of bizarre murders.

Keith is fantastic as the ghoulish Murks. His gaunt face, bulging eyes, hat, and cape are the perfect combination. This character could / should have been seen in other such films.

Deserves to be rediscovered...

OK, I admit it. I love 30's and 40's B horror films. They generally have great atmosphere and wonderful characters. Are both the atmosphere and the characters over-the-top? Yeah, most of the time, but that is part of the charm. You don't watch these movies looking for great cinema. You watch them for the perpetually foggy streets. What city or what country makes no difference, 9 times out of 10 there will be fog. You watch them for the crazed characters. You watch them for the dripping-with-venom dialog. You also have the wonderful look that black and white creates. Things are stark and heavily shadowed.

You watch these films simply because you love the time and the genre. Not for great writing and most times not for great performances. You either love these period B films or not. Had I lived during the era you would have never gotten me out of the theater.

Fondly remembered, just for the title. In the 70s it turned up a lot on weekends, and the later at night the better. Creature Feature or Chiller Theater time. A real gas.

A modest B film, basically what critics at the time said, but that's the key to its creepiness. Ian Keith, a veteran actor from the old school, makes an outstanding villain, in search of blood transfusions to keep himself alive. The cobwebs, an abandoned mansion and graveyard are also fun and put to good use. By the way, our heroes (Robert Livingston and Adrian Booth) are locked in a tomb for a ghoulish minute or two.

Keith plays Ormond Merks, executed years ago for past crimes, now looking for his next "blood" victim. More of a vampire-type film, and Keith keeps it going, replete with a long, black cape and the best lines. No valley or zombies, although he does hypnotize Booth and arm her with a gun. Sometimes compared to the RETURN OF DR. X (1939), starring Humphrey Bogart, though Bogey's makeup was more outlandish, also sporting a Bride of Frankenstein gray streak hairdoo.

Very good supporting cast featuring character actor Tommy Jackson playing the detective on the case. Robert "Bob" Livingston plays the two-fisted hero, known for westerns. Filmed by Republic Pictures and catch some of the area footage of surrounding Studio City (Ventura Blvd) and possibly North Hollywood back in the 40s.

Interestingly, Keith was originally considered for the role of DRACULA, before Bela Lugosi. Not too long after this film, he was considered again for the part in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN.

Catch the closing gag line by Livingston said to gal friend Adrian Booth. Best dvd is coupled with THE VAMPIRES GHOST, released through Fast Fushion Films, and with some nice artwork. A super Halloween treat, though short running time at 56 minutes.

After Dr. Rufus Maynard (Charles Trowbridge) is found murdered, Dr. Terry Evans (Robert Livingston) and his pretty nurse Susan Drake (Lorna Gray) turn amateur detective to prove their innocence. Their investigation leads them to the home of insane undertaker Ormand Murks (Ian Keith), who has used a voodoo potion to achieve immortality, but who requires a constant supply of blood to stay alive.

This cheapo B-movie could be accused of misleading the viewer: with just a passing mention of the titular valley and only one 'zombie'-- the very alive looking Murks -- its credentials as a living dead movie are extremely questionable. The film is actually more of a murder/mystery as Evans and Drake sleuth their way into danger, stumbling across assorted embalmed corpses and becoming trapped in a creepy old crypt (while narrowly avoiding being throttled by the villain's hand which emerges slowly from the shadows -- very Scooby Doo!). It's routine stuff but, at under an hour long, the film doesn't outstay its welcome, and Keith, as cape-swishing, cane-wielding Murks, makes for a wonderfully theatrical bad guy.

4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for the 'hilarious' closing gag.

This is not your traditional zombie film - they do not mean "zombie" in the way we think film them in films. I won't tell for it would ruin the film. With this film think Jack the Ripper is a Vampire in a way... this one is really hard to describe, you would just have to see it for yourself.

Ian Keith as Ormand Murks is super! He reminds me a lot of Boris Karloff as Cabman John Gray in "The Body Snatcher (1945)" and, as I said, Jack the Ripper. Ormand Murks is right up there with them - he is a madman.

This is a really good late at night film - great atmosphere: graveyard, a madman on the loose, talk of an asylum, embalming... if you like the classic films with these things then you should enjoy this "Valley of the Zombies".

8/10