{"id":16818,"date":"2011-04-25T10:07:33","date_gmt":"2011-04-25T17:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=16818"},"modified":"2021-03-13T15:20:37","modified_gmt":"2021-03-13T22:20:37","slug":"undead-the-1957","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=16818","title":{"rendered":"Undead, The (1957)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I mean to invade the depths of the mind; that is not nonsense.&#8221;<\/strong> <\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Poster-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-16819\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Poster-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Poster-86x128.jpg 86w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA hypnotist (Val Dufour) with questionable ethics sends a call girl (Pamela Duncan) back in time to a previous life, in which she was a wrongly condemned to die as a witch &#8212; but soon he realizes that she may be altering the outcome of history, and thus her own future existence.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dick Miller Films<\/li>\n<li>Falsely Accused<\/li>\n<li>Fantasy<\/li>\n<li>Mind Control and Hypnosis<\/li>\n<li>Past Lives<\/li>\n<li>Roger Corman Films<\/li>\n<li>Time Travel<\/li>\n<li>Witches and Wizards<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nClearly an attempt to cash in on the &#8220;past lives craze&#8221; engendered by the release of <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1875\"><em>The Search for Bridey Murphy<\/em> (1956)<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives-1024x766.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives-1024x766.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives-768x574.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives-361x270.png 361w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Past-Lives.png 1238w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>this fantasy-horror film was just one of <u>nine<\/u> low-budget flicks helmed by Roger Corman in 1957. For the first half-hour or so, it&#8217;s unclear why Corman&#8217;s screenwriters (Charles B. Griffith and Mark Hanna) even bothered with the past-lives angle, since their primary focus seems to be on the fate of Duncan-as-Helene:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2-1024x746.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"466\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63141\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2-1024x746.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2-300x219.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2-768x560.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2-370x270.png 370w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Duncan2.png 1247w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>a medieval damsel falsely accused of witchcraft by jealous Allison Hayes (who covets her lover, Richard Garland). Eventually, however, the two storylines merge, as it becomes clear that Dufour&#8217;s questionable dabblings may have unexpectedly dire ramifications for his unwitting subject. <\/p>\n<p>As with nearly all of Corman&#8217;s outings, <em>The Undead<\/em> is often laughably low-budget (viz. the way Hayes and her impish consort, played by Billy Barty:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart-1024x751.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"469\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart-1024x751.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart-300x220.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart-768x564.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart-368x270.png 368w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Billy-Bart.png 1236w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>magically transform into rubber creatures on strings), and the storyline frequently defies all credibility (don&#8217;t even try to analyze it logically) &#8212; but, amazingly, it&#8217;s never boring. Corman&#8217;s gift was with taking any given scenario, stuffing it as full as possible from every exploitative angle, and moving quickly ahead, never leaving audience members with enough time to worry or wonder about what they&#8217;re seeing. In this particular case, he&#8217;s helped by a number of clever touches sprinkled throughout the screenplay &#8212; such as the little ditties sung by Mel Welles (as Smolkin the Gravedigger), in which he takes traditional nursery rhymes and turns them into macabre meditations on death:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Sing a song of graveyards, an acre full of germs \/<br \/>\nFour and twenty landlords, dinner for the worms.<br \/>\nWhen the box was planted, the worms began to sing:<br \/>\n&#8220;Isn&#8217;t that a dainty dish to set before a thing?&#8221; <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Meanwhile, Hayes gives a deliciously vampy performance as &#8220;bad witch&#8221; Livia:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy-1024x750.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"469\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63138\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy-1024x750.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy-300x220.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy-768x563.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy-369x270.png 369w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Jealousy.png 1249w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>while Dorothy Neumann (in surprisingly effective low-budget make-up) is fine as her ugly but ultimately good-natured counterpart. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann-1024x747.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"467\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63137\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann-1024x747.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann-300x219.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann-768x560.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann-370x270.png 370w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Neumann.png 1265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>None of this is to defend <em>The Undead<\/em> as anything other than the low-budget exploitation flick it is, and it&#8217;s not must-see viewing &#8212; but there&#8217;s enough here to keep you reasonably entertained, if you&#8217;re in the right mood (especially if you check out the MST3K version, available on YouTube). <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mel Welles as Smolkin the Gravedigger<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1-1024x755.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"472\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1-1024x755.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1-768x566.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1-366x270.png 366w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Ditty2-1.png 1241w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Allison Hayes as Livia<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1-1024x746.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"466\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-63135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1-1024x746.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1-300x219.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1-768x560.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1-370x270.png 370w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Undead-Hayes-1.png 1239w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s worth a look for its campy cult value. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0051128\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fantasticmoviemusings.com\/2015\/06\/14\/the-undead-1957\/\">SciFilm Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/the-undead-1\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I mean to invade the depths of the mind; that is not nonsense.&#8221; Synopsis: A hypnotist (Val Dufour) with questionable ethics sends a call girl (Pamela Duncan) back in time to a previous life, in which she was a wrongly condemned to die as a witch &#8212; but soon he realizes that she may be altering the outcome of history, and thus her own future existence. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Dick Miller Films Falsely Accused Fantasy Mind Control and&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=16818\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16818"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70499,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16818\/revisions\/70499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}