The Walking Dead

I have to agree with those who consider Karloff an underrated actor. Given the nature of this film and its fantastic premise, he brings a real subtlety to the role. After each of his antagonists meet their untimely demise, there is just a hint of remorse and sadness. Who else in the horror genre would have underplayed it like that? Karloff becomes the walking conscience of his tormentors and apart from the films failings regarding plot, effects etc., I think it works quite nicely on the level of allegory.

Eerie, creepy, beautifully shot oddity, the kind of stuff they just wouldn't know how to make any more (not that they would want to). Karloff gives a fine performance as the gaunt, haunted patsy in a murder rap. Stand-out scene is definitely the fantastic build up to Karloff's undeserved execution, as sad cello music plays and prison guards banter about baseball while a man's life hangs in the balance. The ideas dry up a bit as King Karloff haunts his killers, but his sinister solemnity captivates the interest, and it's all crammed into little more than an hour.

Dispersed throughout the Universal reign of horror in the thirties came several remarkably well-made MGM and Warner Brother horror films. The Walking Dead is one such film produced by Warner Bros. that mixes their predominant genre of expertise, the gangster film, with the horror film. You might say in a way that it is a blend of reality and the supernatural. This film has stood the test of time well, and is a nice, taut story of a man wrongly accused of a crime, miraculously brought back to life, and eventually seeking vindication and justice from those that did him wrong. Karloff is a masterful lead in that he is able to frighten us and exact from us a tremendous amount of pity and understanding. In point of fact, his characterization of Ellman is one of his most powerful and sympathetic, a true tragic hero toyed with by crime bosses and a corrupt lawyer. Most of the acting beyond Karloff is rather pedestrian, with Edmund Gwenn turning in a nice portrayal of a questioning scientist and Ricardo Cortez wonderfully playing the stereotypical slimy lawyer. Curtiz does a good job of direction and lighting and shading are used to almost perfect results. A must see for the classic horror buff!

This is a one of a kind--combination horror/gangster! Karloff (who's just incredible) is bought back from the dead after being wrongfully executed and takes revenge on those who set him up. It's basically a gangster film until the last half hour--then the scary stuff kicks in. The film is VERY short (70 minutes) and moves quickly. It's intelligent (although bringing a person back from the dead after they've been electrocuted is a stretch!), very well-directed (effective use of shadows and camera angles) but the main reason to watch is Karloff. He never received the attention he deserved because he made horror films, which are still looked down upon. He was a wonderful actor and in this movie gives one of his best performances ("The Black Room" is probably THE best he ever gave). Just check out his expression after he "kills" the men he goes after. Excellent job. A perfect "B" movie. Don't miss it! I don't believe this is on video (I saw it on TCM), so if you get a chance, SEE IT! You won't be disappointed!

Michael Curtiz directed this odd combination of gangster and horror films for Warner Bros. Karloff is a minor gangster released from prison who is framed and executed for murder. He's brought back to life when his name is cleared and confronts each of the men who framed him with his knowledge from beyond the grave. The execution scene is absolutely excruciating, as the only witnesses to the crime try to get the corrupt governor to call in a pardon while the music-loving Karloff walks to the electric chair, accompanied by a cello.