A wealthy landowner living in Haiti convinces a sorcerer to lure the woman he has fallen for away from her fiancé. The madman later betrays their agreement by keeping the woman for himself…As a zombie.
Acting
Lugosi's stare could turn water into wine... or corpses into slaves
Cinematography
Silky shadows and sugar-mill zombie labor—expressionist horror on a shoestring
Production
Universal's reject castle sets reborn as Haitian nightmare
Director
Victor Halperin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This is the first zombie film ever made, predating Romero's flesh-eaters by 36 years. These Haitian-inspired zombies were hypnotized laborers, not cannibals.
Bela Lugosi only took the role because he was broke after Dracula—he later called it his worst film while simultaneously giving 110% to every evil hand gesture.
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