Rating: 
Summary: Digging Up A Few Old Friends
Review: People keep inexplicably disappearing and dying in a backward Cornish town. Visiting doctor Andre Morell can't find out why, because the locals are so superstitious they won't let him perform autopsies to determine the cause of death. Decadent squire John Carson seems slippery and evasive about it all, when clues are tracked to his doorstep. Local chief of police Michael Ripper is reluctant to accept Morell's evidence for a supernatural explanation - the well-traveled Carson learned voodoo in Haiti, and is killing and resurrecting the locals by black magic to become his cheap slave-labor in the neighboring mines. It goes without saying he "comes to a bad end."This is more or less a companion feature to the same year's The Reptile, both pictures featuring Ripper and Jacqueline Pearce and directed by John Gilling. Most critics prefer Plague to Reptile, but I am not one of them. The Reptile is much more original than this movie, but that isn't to say Plague of the Zombies isn't good - it's just pretty pedestrian, really, except for some memorable camerawork and better-than-usual (for this kind of fare) performances. Carson is a splendid cad, often reminiscent of James Mason. Morell has a certain presence and dignity that are naturally compelling. Michael Ripper is a wonderful character actor, and is as good here as in any of his other numerous supporting roles. In fact, the entire cast is quite good. The story couldn't be more ordinary, but the scenery and some of the camerawork are splendid. The zombie makeups are trite affairs - a bit of pyrotechnics occurs in the finale, and you can easily see one or two of the staggering undead in immobile asbestos face-masks - but there is a truly phenomenal time-lapse metamorphosis scene about an hour into the picture, in which a dead Jacqueline Pearce seamlessly transforms from a beautiful maiden into a grotesquely livid corpse before the viewer's eyes. Not a bad flick, but no surprises here. You've seen it all done better, in countless zombie flicks since.
Rating: 
Summary: The original and still the best modern zombie movie
Review: Plague of the zombies is a horror film with breeding.In comparison to its illegitimate offspring of the 1980s spawned by such directors as George Romero it boasts what can be done with a skillful combination of a simple story and energetic direction. Never reducing itself to the visceral excesses of the Night of the Living Dead series,as its name might imply,the film relies on creating an atmospheric sense of mystery that engages your imagination rather than the muscles of your digestive system. The story centres around the dead rising from their coffins to wander the Cornish countryside frightening the locals and providing a scientific enigma for a visiting Professor of medicine from London University (the stalwart Andre Morrell). Mixed up in the proceedings are his inquisitive daughter (Diane Clare),the mysterious squire Hamilton (John Carson),a village Doctor seemingly out of his depth,along with his affected,pale and sickly wife (Brook Williams and Jacqueline Pearce).Numerous members of the peasantry add their weight to the proceedings,while a confused constable (the ever present Michael Ripper)attempts to retain law and order during a period when noone seems to obey the rules,least of all the dear departed. The film produced by Hammer was Directed by John Gilling,a veteran British screenplay writer of post war, crime and detective yarns. He controls the action with a nicely judged feel for pace ,blending the qualities of both fantasy horror and a sense of adventure in a way that makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. One scene in the film is particularly memorable and can never go unmentioned,the now famous dream sequence,where corpses rise from their graves. Filmed in slightly green hue,with a tilted frame it shows what can be done with simple techniques of the movie makers craft. This quality DVD edition is an excellent anamorphic transfer by Anchor Bay in the academy standard ratio of 1:1.85 and shows more information on the sides of the frame than any other previous television or VHS panned and scan version. A curious aside to this release is the fact that two versions were actually produced,the only difference being the placement of the title sequence.In the American release it was placed quite close to the start,as opposed to the British print which introduced it right at the end of the opening sequence,which in all honesty, if you watch the film is the most effective place for it to go.The start of the film is self evidently less dramatic and the build up slightly spoiled in the American print.This DVD of course is the American copy and although the other title arrangement would have been preferred its only a very small criticism.
Rating: 
Summary: A Stellar DVD Transfer of a Wonderful Hammer Film
Review: The DVD transfer is incredible and makes a low-budget 1966 film look new. Clean, bright colors. Especially those eye-popping reds! The audio is also just as crisp and clean. As for the film. It holds up very well. Slowly and carefully building suspense. Worth getting just for the zombie/graveyard sequence alone.
Rating: 
Summary: NO ZOMBIES HERE!
Review: The title of this film is INCREDIBLY Misleading!! There are NO ZOMBIES ANYWHERE in this film! A Terribly Disappointing film to watch or to own. This one CAN "Passed Over" AND Forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: NO ZOMBIES HERE!
Review: The title of this film is INCREDIBLY Misleading!! There are NO ZOMBIES ANYWHERE in this film! A Terribly Disappointing film to watch or to own. This one CAN "Passed Over" AND Forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: NO ZOMBIES HERE!
Review: The title of this film is INCREDIBLY Misleading!! There are NO ZOMBIES ANYWHERE in this film! A Terribly Disappointing film to watch or to own. This one CAN "Passed Over" AND Forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: One of the original zombie movies
Review: This is an above average Hammer Studios film from 1966. It was filmed back to back with The Reptile, another above average Hammer production, using chiefly the same crew and much of the same cast. The story is that there is a mysterious plauge killing people in a small Cornish villiage. Dr. Forbes (André Morell) travels there to inviestigate and is accompanied by his daughter, Sylvia Forbes (Diane Clare), who uses it as an excuse to visit her childhood friend Alice Tompson (Jacqueline Pearce). Alice's husband is the local doctor and has been unable to figure out why people have been dying. His wife Alice has also been acting strange lately, somewhat withdrawn and lifeless, which has been the main sympton before the locals died. There is a local gang of privileged ruffians who are headed by the local nobleman, Squire Clive Hamilton. Hamilton more or less runs the vilage and he also owns the old abondoned mine near town. He is of course approached by Dr. Forbes but cannot provide any help as to the cause of deaths. But soon he doctor begins to suspect the truth: That the Squire is actually a practicing Voodoo priest who has been turning locals into zombies to work in his mine! Before too long Alice Tompson dies and her distraught husband has her buried in the local cemetery. We get to watch as she rises from the grave to report to the mine for duty! There are lots of cool shots of zombies lumbering around and rising from graves In this film the whole town is shrouded in mist and there is a constant sense of dread among the population. Michael Ripper does a great job as the local constable who is trying to solve the mystery along with Dr. Forbes. Tightly put together with a fast pace for most of the movie, this is a great release from Hammer. It is also the only zombie movie they ever put out which is too bad as this one turned out so well. This release from Anchor Bay is another notch in their cap for the fine picture (1.85:1 anamorphic) and sound. There are a couple of trailers and a World of Hammer Episode: "Mummies, Werewolves & the Living Dead". I am glad I own this dvd and I will watch it many more times over the years.
Rating:
Summary: One of the very best Hammer films!
Review: This is one of the finest horror films produced by Hammer Films in the Sixties. It features great sets, fine acting, and several genuinely chilling moments. It loses a star because some of the story elements in the ending feel too much like "uh-oh... we're on page 83 of the script, so it's time to wrap things up!"
Rating:
Summary: Rare animal
Review: This is one of those rare animals known as a good zombie film. This film was filmed at almost the same time as the Reptile, but was released on a double-bill with Dracula Prince of darkness. The film centers around a small village where people are mysteriously dying at the rate of one per month and the town's young doctor has no idea what is causing it because he is not allowed to do an autopsy. The doctor's mentor (Andre Morrell) comes to the village with his daughter to help his former student. The doctor and his mentor discover empty graves and mysterious flesh wounds. The daughter eventually becomes a target for the fiendish plot that has a grip on the village. Plague is beautifully filmed with vibrant colors and some striking visuals here and there. The zombie make-up is good and the fact the crime of turning people into zombies is the focus rather than the zombies themselves helps this film. Andre Morrell is wonderful as the main hero and John Carson is sharp as the villainous squire. The eerie score and the steady pace of the film really help round it out. This film is sometimes overlooked, but it really is quite well done.
Rating:
Summary: One of Hammer's best - and underrated - films
Review: What can I say? I fell for this horror flick. It's atmospheric, entertaining and just plain scary and fun. I would highly recommend this one to anyone wanting to see what Hammer horror is truly about.
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