Movies A-C
Blood of the Zombie
by Shrub 2/6/05
Here’s a brief little “lost” movie that has been released on a very affordable DVD. The box states that it is approximately 90 minutes long but at the end credits my counter said 65 (which is probably for the best as the story is bare bones). The budget was apparently quite low and the acting is very stilted. It feels not unlike a H.G. Lewis film minus the gore.
So now you’re probably wondering, what does that leave? Well, I’ve always been intrigued by voodoo, especially the New Orleans variety, and that is the premise for the flick. It’s kind of a peek back in time at the culture of the early sixties New Orleans. Now this does bring with it negative aspects, meaning the inherent racism portrayed unquestioningly in this movie. But it is also fun to see the depiction of Bourbon Street of yesteryear.
We start with newlyweds embarking on their honeymoon from New Orleans, but first they make the rounds to a few clubs starting with Joe Burton’s where they hear a piano jazz trio, visit a “girlie” bar and see a belly dancer, and then hit a more swinging jazz joint. The style and atmosphere of the day are neat to see.
The story of the newlyweds turns out to be that now that he is married, John will inherit a Louisiana plantation. He plans to take his new bride there to finalize the inheritance. However, his cousin Monica has been living on the plantation and is not ready to give it up. She has a dead brother, Jonas, whom she now controls as a zombie through voodoo and intends to keep John from the inheritance (by keeping him from remaining married).
Jonas is a rail thin, longhaired, greenish-yellow zombie that Monica summons with drums and dolls during ceremonies conducted with the plantation staff from the “old slave quarters.” She only has one command for him…”Kill!”
