WHITE ZOMBIE

US, 1932, 68 minutes, Black and white.
Bela Lugosi, Madge Bellamy, Joseph Cawthorne, Robert Frazer, John Harran, Brandon Hearst.
Directed by Victor Halperin.

White Zombie is a Bela Lugosi star vehicle made soon after his international success as Dracula.

By now, although perhaps not in the 1930s, this is a familiar story of the Living Dead on a Caribbean island. Two young people, about to be married, land on the island and are attacked by the Living Dead. The owner of the mansion to which they are going has eyes for the young woman and employs Bela Lugosi as the manager of a sugar farm worked by zombies to destroy her and turn her into a zombie. He is successful – but the earnest young man gets the aid of a missionary and they finally confront Lugosi. In the meantime, he has paralysed and made mute the rival for the young woman. With the death of the murderer, the young woman is freed and there is a happy ending.

The film is strong on atmospherics, has some scary moments and some special effects. This kind of story became much more prominent. The classic is the Val Lewton -produced I Walked With a Zombie from the 1940s. Wes Craven ventured into this territory in the 1980s with The Serpent and the Rainbow.

1.A horror classic from the 1930s? The popularity of Living Dead themes? The popularity of Bela Lugosi? Bela Lugosi and his screen presence, his appearance, face, hairstyle? The echoes of Dracula? Sinister, his glazed eyes, his intensity, his interior feelings?

2.The black and white photography, the sound-stage sets? The Caribbean, the island, the jungle, the mansion, the sugar factory, the beaches and the coast and cliffs? The musical score?

3.The title, its evocation of the Living Dead? For Madeleine and her fate?

4.Madeleine and Neil, coming to the Caribbean, meeting Charles Beaumont, the invitation to his house, the arrival? The attack on the carriage by the Living Dead? The meeting with the missionary? The preparations for the wedding, the wedding? The celebration, Madeleine and her collapse, her funeral? Neil and his grief? Going to Doctor Bruner for help?

5.Charles Beaumont, friendly, owner of the plantation? With Silver the butler and his orders? The invitation to Madeleine and Neil? Meeting with Legendre and the sinister plan? The wedding, the collapse of Madeleine? Beaumont having Madeleine in his power? Legendre turning against him, the toast, the poison, his being made mute? The final confrontation with Legendre and killing him?

6.Legendre, Bela Lugosi’s style and presence? His plantation, his turning victims into the Living Dead? The scenes of their work at the sugar mill? His mind control over them? The attack on the carriage? The further attacks, their being impervious to bullets?

7.Neil, Doctor Bruner, the pursuit of Madeleine? On the beach, the confrontation with Legendre? Legendre’s death? The restoration of Madeleine?

8.Silver the butler, Legendre’s control over him, his death, being carried away by the zombies, thrown into the river, his death?

9.The picturing of the zombies, the variety, their attacks, at the behest of Legendre?

10.The popular ingredients of this kind of Living Dead story? The basic elements in the 1930s? The way they were developed over the succeeding decades?