Best of three and a noble attempt at mysticism/primitivism from Tourneur. Even with the hypnotic drums, I didn't dissasociate. Easy tier 9 if I had.

Lives up to its reputation in the horror genre.

79.375

The "zombies" here aren't scary. They may not even be zombies. What IS scary is the spiritual and moral malaise that causes people to wish death to those around them, and then the melancholy that leads one to give in to their Fate and/or Madness. (Here, they may be the same thing.) This kind of pervasive and all-encompassing sadness becomes the film equivalent of quicksand: the more you struggle to survive, the deeper you sink. Gorgeous stuff. Just disregard the title.

Eery and atmospheric melodrama, from a time when zombies didn't as much eat your brains as stand around in Caribbean cornfields.

Another great horror flick from Val Lewton's crew at RKO. Wonderfully shot, with a great script and cast and an exotic locale. While I love the gothic European setting of most horror movies from the 1930s-1940s, it's good to see a film from the era go a different route.

A subdued, eerie zombie story. There are no major shock scenes or gruesome deaths. Instead we get an atmosphere of dread and mystery, and great use of voodoo superstition to create a subtly eerie vibe. Short, sweet, and very effective.

#487

Transcends the horror genre, avoiding all the usual clichés and blurring the line between the supernatural and the spiritual. Extremely atmospheric, with a lingering air of melancholy and sadness, it's full of gorgeous photography and striking imagery. Even the song by Sir Lancelot - which acts as a bit of mid-film narrative filler - has a wonderfully ominous quality to it.

The zombie aspect of the film is great, but the love story is utter shit.

At times it's very creepy.

Romero revolutionised the zombie-genre. Also meaning that zombie movies before his time were quite a different experience from what we know now. This one barely has any zombies (actually..), but the atmosphere..brilliant! Not horror and gruel, but tasteful suspense. Slow pacing, of course, but I found the sweltering heat, mysterious 'natives', and simmering dread well placed.

One of Jacques Tourneur's best films.

Stylish, gothic voodoo tale. Tense and wonderful!

Really atmospheric and pretty appropriately creepy.

Beautifully photographed, well-done horror. I prefer some of Val Lewton's other horror films over this one, but it's still very good.

Atmospheric Val Lewton chiller with more brains than shock value: those of you who prefer graphic gore and degradation will be disappointed. For normal human beings, this gothic has some pleasingly chilling moments and rewards your attention with its intelligence and class.

Dull as dust even at this brief running time

# 378

Another excellent Lewton film with Tourneur at the helm. The gothic atmosphere, heavy mood, and beautiful photography serve to turn what might have otherwise been a so-so genre film into something far more interesting. Tourneur does a nice job building suspense, and the story takes the supernatural elements introduced by the islanders with surprising reverence. The pinnacle of the film comes when the two women walk through the sugar cane fields--a scene shot through with creepiness.

508

"There is no beauty here, only death and decay." Gripping and remarkably well photographed - the contours, light, darkness, shadows... it all comes together. The voodoo scene with dancing, banging of drums and more manic dancing is breathtaking. Or as the mother puts it: "The drums, the chanting, the lights!"

488

A bit like Curse of the Cat People in that it's very moody and ambiguous, and not really a horror movie at all. I always get a kick out of "pagan" religions, and the trek to the voodoo ritual is a delightfully creepy sequence. At a tight 68 minutes, the film wastes little time. Even the build-up that would seem superfluous in similar movies adds extra dimensions here.

Dee is extremely fetching. Typically low-key but immensely disturbing Val Lewton chiller.