'I have not yet been able to enlist the help of Satan.'
Welcome back to my Dark Corner of this Sick World.
‘You have the secret of the zombies.’
Revolt of the Zombies was directed by Victor Halperin,
who had previously made White Zombie with Bela Lugosi,
whose eyes make a cameo appearance courtesy of footage from the earlier film.
Most zombie films of the era locate zombieism to the Caribbean
but this places it in Cambodia during the 1st World War,
where a local priest is said to have strange powers.
‘I don’t think you can turn human beings into automatons or as you call it, zombies.’
through interpreter Armand, the priest offers to prove his powers.
‘He says he’ll show us how a handful of zombie soldiers can take an entire enemy trench.’
and he does.
Impressive, but the top brass aren’t happy.
‘Then we are agreed that since the Priest Teeyong refuses to reveal his secrets he is a menace so powerful he must be confined where he can never use them again.’
Which seems a dick move but I’m sure they have their reasons.
‘It may mean the destruction of the white race.’
Wildly racist reasons.
But before the priest can go to jail or give up his secrets.
His killer searches him and finds a Cambodian dirty postcard.
Nice. I’m keeping this.
Leaving the military with one option.
‘Find the secret of the zombies and destroy it.’
So, after the war an archaeological expedition heads for Angkor,
including Armand, and the priest’s murderer, Mazovia, who has ordered his clothes from the evil explorer range.
Also, the beautiful Clare Duval,
with whom Armand falls in love.
‘Now that’s my idea of a man in love.’
Unfortunately…
‘That’s Cliff Grayson, he’s one of our best men here.’
‘Ah ha.’
But Grayson is the stoic, manly type who doesn’t have time for ladies, leaving Clare only one option.
‘I’m the most fortunate man in the world.’
She gets engaged to Armand to make Grayson jealous then dumps him.
‘A woman in love can justify anything.’
Clearly. Armand is…
‘I will always love you.’
actually surprisingly forgiving.
‘I have no pride.’
Clearly. Never the less, all this leaves him a shell of a man and bound to do something dumb.
‘The zombie ceremony.’
Returning to Angkor he discovers a secret basement,
Not sure how they missed that first time round,
also not sure how the basement seems contain the everglades
but let’s just admire this fine example of an actor interacting with his rear projected surroundings,
in a hidden shrine, Armand finds the secret of the zombies, which he shares with his local servant.
‘You are my first experiment’
Uhh… do I have to be?
He does.
All hail Bela Lugosi’s eyes.
Now I kind of like the twist of the young romantic lead turning to evil, but it is not subtly handled.
‘Boona, we’re learning to be ruthless.’
I’m a bad guy now.
And Mazovia shows up to give him pointers on what that entails.
‘Let me share your secret with you and the world will lie at our feet.’
But…
'You will feel hands of steel around your throat.'
He is killed without his motives, role in the film or nationality ever becoming clear.
‘You are a clod.’
Armand now zombifies pretty much everyone he knows,
'You my friends are now the unwilling partners.'
Plus the local army,
'No doubt you will rip me limb from limb if I ever relinquish control.'
which you’d think would cause a stir
but there doesn’t seem to be a limit to the number of people he can zombify so okay.
Now he has acquired this power, will he follow Mazovia’s suggestion and take over the world?
‘She’s a grand girl and he’s a good lad. And we’ll all be wishing them happiness in another 2 weeks.’
Not while there’s a wedding to stop.
‘He’s found the secret of the high priest and has his power.’
Yes it’s the old story; boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy raises zombie army to coerce girl back again.
‘And both of us taught him the lesson of being ruthless.’
How ironic. So whose side will you be taking?
The zombie king or the girl who screwed him over?
'A measure said by an ancient philosopher.'
Although Armand is having second thoughts.
‘Is it so terrible to fight for and get the one thing in the world you want?’
‘Not if you played a gentleman’s game.’
Well I was fine robbing people of their will but if it seems like ungentlemanly conduct then I’m all turned around.
‘If I give up this power, if I release these people?’
‘Then I would really believe you loved me.’
And I’m sure there won’t be any consequences.
‘I give it up.’
Hope all the people I controlled are going to be cool about this.
‘The madman who did this to us must die.’
Oh you’re all just determined to hold a grudge aren’t you.
And since this is a B movie.
‘Whom the gods destroy, they first make mad.’
Was that the message here?
l maybe someday I'll say something that meet with your approval.'
Thanks for watching. For more zombie movie reviews click here.
Overreacting to a bad break-up is a staple of horror film,
what are your favourite examples and does anything top zombie army?
Let us know in the comments below.
'Goodnight.'