The Walking Dead

Summary

“I don’t want to die… I want to live!”

Warner Archive has given Michael Curtis’s classic science-fiction revenge thriller The Walking Dead an excellent Blu-ray release. Starring Boris Karloff in one of his best roles, the film combines the crime-revenge drama with elements of science-fiction and the supernatural. I had never seen the picture, but I tend to pay attention when Warner Archive brings back genre films from the Thirties and Forties. This release was part of a very good slate that Warner put out that month with some other oddities such as The Return of Doctor X and The Beast with Five Fingers. I was happy to view the film last night for the first time.

As the picture begins, Judge Roger Shaw finds gangster Paul Martin guilty of misappropriation of funds and sentences him to ten years in prison despite the threats the judge has received on his life. The gangsters worry that the D.A. and Shaw will get them all eventually, so they allow one of their killers nicknamed Trigger to go off the judge. Defense attorney Nolan (Ricardo Cortez) hatches a plan. Recently released prisoner John Elman (Boris Karloff) comes to see the men, seeking a helping hand and a job. He is a talented musician whom had been sentenced to ten years when he accidentally struck and killed a man who was embroiled with his wife. Judge Shaw was the man who sent him to prison. Out on the street Trigger approaches John to offer him a job: he simply wants him to watch Judge Shaw’s house. Trigger gives him a story that the job is just a bit of private detective work. John reluctantly agrees to the job. In a lab across town, Jimmy (Warren Hull) works with his love interest Nancy (Marguerite Churchill) in the lab of Dr. Beaumont (Edmund Gwenn.) John arrives at Shaw’s house. Jimmy and his girl are involved in a hit and run when a car driven by some gangsters bumps into them. The men who hit Jimmy’s car pull up to John’s car and stash the body of Judge Shaw. The gangsters tell Jimmy and Nancy, who are looking on, to keep quiet. John walks back to his car and is shocked to find the body. John is framed for the murder perfectly by his criminal defense lawyer Nolan and his gangster buddies. John could only be saved if Jimmy and Nancy come forward, but Nancy convinces Jimmy that it is just too dangerous. John is railroaded and doomed to the electric chair. He waits on the governor’s call to save him. The couple finally can not hold their silence any longer. Jimmy tells Dr. Beaumont and he reaches out to Nolan. Nolan intentionally delays grabbing the DA to hear the story from the couple. They try to reach the Governor in time, but the call to the warden to pardon John comes through just a moment too late. They had just given John the first jolt. Dr. Beaumont asks that they call off the autopsy. He has an idea that might be insane or might give John back his life. They perform an experimental procedure which manages to bring John back to life… but John has changed. The reanimated John seeks to confront those who unjustly framed him and left him to die, and some newborn sense within him knows exactly whom is at fault for his death.

The Walking Dead is a very enjoyable genre picture. The film itself is a bit of a Frankenstein of a number of genres blending crime-revenge, science-fiction, and supernatural thriller. One would be tempted to call the picture a horror film given its name, its star, and the plot device of a man being brought back from the dead, but that feels like a bit of a misnomer. The film does not aim to scare the audience (at least from what I can tell eighty years after its release.) What the film manages to do is create a great atmosphere and allow the plot to unfold efficiently. Michael Curtiz was an exceptional director (he directed Casablanca, which is perfection) and he brings the very best out of his cast and crew. The camera movements and lighting during a sequence coordinated to piano music that serves as a stare down between John and his killers is fantastic and is just one of many good cinematic moments. Karloff is so good at playing the pitiable John both before and after the operation. This is one of his more memorable roles in my opinion and it really allows him to show off his range. The script by Ewart Adamson, Peter Milne, Robert Hardy Andrews, and Lillie Hayward (from a story by Joseph Fields) is cleverly put together. There is even some sly comedy that appears in the film in regards to one helpless sap who consistently makes bad bets, and another laugh occurs when the gangsters purchase flowers. The gangsters purchasing flowers say, “Give us something that will knock the mourners eyes out,” which made me chuckle.

Overall – this film was a nice discovery for me. I am grateful that Warner Archive has preserved the picture.

Video

Warner Bros. did a truly magnificent job on the transfer of The Walking Dead using an MPEG- 4 AVC codec on a new 4K restoration from the original nitrate camera negative. The film looks fantastic. Director Michael Curtiz worked with cinematographer Hal Mohr to bring the most out of the shadows and lights. Warner has meticulously restored the film. Clarity and fine detail are as good as could be possible given the source materials. Warner continues to impress.

Audio

Warner Bros. have provided a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track that sounds good. As a mono mix front speakers are used for the entire mix. Clarity is solid. The audio has been cleaned up well. The score by Bernhard Kaun comes through well. Fans should be pleased.

Supplements:

• Audio Commentary – Author Greg Mank discusses the film in great detail in this legacy commentary track.

• Audio Commentary – film historian Alan K. Rode shows up for a brand new commentary track! Rode is an exceptional film historian, and his tracks are always well done. 

• Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You’ve Never Heard Of – an enjoyable piece on director Curtiz and the myriad of varied projects he tackled.
• Classic Cartoons – A pair of restored Merrie Melodies shorts
  • The Cat Came Back 
  • Let It Be Me
• Theatrical Trailer

Overall Scores:

Video – 5/5

Audio – 4.5/5

Supplements – 4/5

Overall – 4.5/5

Warner Archive’s release of The Walking Dead is well worth checking out. Director Michael Curtiz brings a very strong performance out of Boris Karloff in one of his better roles. The script blends together a number of different genre tropes much more successfully than I could have imagined. It works. The film is short, shot well, and memorable. The Warner Archive Blu-ray has a remarkable video transfer and some enjoyable supplements. Recommended!

The film can be purchased at www.moviezyng.com.