White Zombie: The Divisive Lugosi Classic Receives a New Restoration (Blu-ray)

The Film:

The legendary Bela Lugosi, prolific actor of stage and screen, will always be remembered most for his iconic portrayal of Dracula in the 1931 Tod Browning classic, but if one had to choose what his second most famous film was, you would likely get a variety of answers. Some might choose another one of his beloved monster-related works like "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man," "Son of Frankenstein," or the delightful "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein." However, there are no doubt many that would also be quick to name Victor Halperin's 1932 horror outing "White Zombie," which is considered to be the first full-length zombie film.

When it comes to home releases of the classic, most have been considered somewhat low grade given their use of a 16mm print for their remasters. However, the good folks at Film Masters have taken it upon themselves to upgrade the film with a 4K remaster from an archival 35mm print in order to improve upon the various versions that came before, giving us the perfect excuse to dive way back into the past to see how well this pre-code chiller has held up in the incredible 94 years since its release.

The film begins in Haiti with engaged couple Madeleine Short (Madge Bellamy) and Neil Parker (John Harron) on their way to see Charles Beaumont (Robert W. Frazer), who's invited them and offered Neil a job. On their way, they just happen to run into Legendre (Bela Lugosi), a voodoo master who has used his powers to resurrect the dead to do his bidding. They quickly leave him behind and proceed to Charles' estate, where we learn of his love for Madeleine, a love that is so deep that he decides to enlist Legendre's help in winning her. This involves giving her a potion during her wedding that causes her sudden death, but with Legendre's powers, she is soon brought back to life, though far from what she once was. Charles comes to regret his decision and begs for Legendre to return her to normal, but as we soon find out, the voodoo master actually has plans of his own for both of them.

"White Zombie" is one of those Lugosi classics that has always somewhat divided viewers, with some finding it to be an eerie, atmospheric horror outing, while others find it to be a dreary, melodramatic vehicle for its legendary lead. Revisiting the film today, it's easy to see where both viewpoints are coming from. It does indeed have some good atmosphere to it, and Lugosi is his usual charmingly-evil self, but even for a film that runs a mere 67 minutes, it manages to be a bit of a drag thanks to a strange, half-baked plot that screenwriter Garnett Weston never takes full advantage of.

As noted, this is commonly cited as the first full-length film featuring zombies (though not yet the flesh-eating variety that George A. Romero would give us 36 years later), so just on that basis, the film is a rather fascinating historical landmark, but even so, the ghouls aren't really given a whole lot to do here and never really come off as much of a threat. Combine that with its odd, muddled love triangle, and an antagonist's plans that are equally head-scratching, and you end up with a rather mixed offering, one that certainly looks great & has Lugosi doing what he does best, but which falls a bit short when it comes to telling a compelling story. The film certainly has its place in history, and everyone who sees it will forever remember Lugosi's incredible glaring eyes, but when compared with the rest of his extensive filmography, it must be said that there are better offerings of his to be had.

Video/Audio:

Film Masters' new restoration brings "White Zombie" to Blu-ray in a 1.37:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of outstanding quality. The 4K remaster has cleaned up the image quite well, presenting a rather impressive picture for a film that's nearly a century old. Likewise, the LCPM 2.0 mono audio track is quite good for the most part. Some of the dialogue is still a little rough, but it's understandable for a film this old (English subtitles are included as well to assist). Overall, Film Masters has done a marvelous job in both departments for the film's new release.

Special Features:

None.

Conclusion:

Victor Halperin's "White Zombie" features some wonderful atmosphere, a delightfully chilling performance from the legendary Bela Lugosi, and is a fascinating historical curiosity for being the first film to feature zombies, but thanks to its strange, half-baked plot that features quite a few muddled elements, it sadly ends up struggling to tell a compelling story, ultimately leaving us with a classic horror outing that falls a little short.

Score: 3/5

Now available on Blu-ray.

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