Film: Jessica Kellgren-Hayes
Zombies on the brain
As regular viewers of PostFeature, the film review show I co-present with Joseph Gunn on Latest TV, (and I’m hoping that’s all of you! ahem, ahem…) will know; the two of us have widely differing tastes in film with just a few crossovers, mainly of the superhero variety! One genre we greatly disagree on is anything involving a zombie. Yet, in this week’s episode, on Wednesday at 6.30pm, we will be looking exclusively at zombie films.
Yes, zombie films. I’m so anti-zombie it will be worth tuning in just to watch me squirm! But… Joseph can be a pretty persuasive chap when he wants to be so perhaps he will change my mind.
In preparation for the episode I have been watching 1932’s White Zombie, the first ever feature length zombie film. It was a poorly-funded, independent film with most of the props borrowed from past horror films and most of its budget going on star villain Bela Lugosi. The plot is poor, the acting is awful and the costume make up is not worth mentioning. Excepting Lugosi’s eyebrows of course, which are magnificence beyond belief!
The story begins in Haiti with a carriage carrying a holidaying couple being stopped by a
funeral taking place in the middle of the road. The driver explains that the family do not want the body stolen so they are burying it where regular traffic will keep people from trying. The couple later cross paths with an eerie gentleman and his odd henchmen. The driver again explains that the henchmen are not just strangely acting people (although they are that too: small budget, not great extras) but zombies. In Haiti the living dead that are made to work in the fields and factories.
The couple, Neil Parker and his fianceé Madeleine, played by old silent film stars John Harron and Madge Bellamy, are staying at the home of Charles Beaumont to be wed. Unfortunately, Beaumont is rather taken with Madeline and will do anything to have her, including turning her into a zombie!
Harron and Bellamy were silent film stars who had fallen out of favour in the era of the ‘talkies’- unsurprising given their over the top mannerisms and flat line readings. Best to watch this film with the sound off, but certainly do take the time to see it. The full version can be found on YouTube. White Zombie has a number of beautiful Expressionistic touches: When Neil broods over the loss of Madeleine in a nightclub we see no other patrons, just their shadows on the wall behind him. The eerie shadows emphasising how alone and powerless he is. There is also a lot of movement from the camera, an innovative touch at the time. One long scene in the doctor’s study is done with no cuts, though the camera moves around; an experiment in technique Hitchcock would likely have appreciated!
If you have already missed Wednesday’s episode then check the TV listings in this magazine for catch up details or keep your eye on our twitter account, @PostFeatureTV, for more info Check our Facebook page, ‘FilmFest on TV’ directly via Jessica@thelatest.tv twitter: @postfeature
