The Frozen Dead * (1966, Dana Andrews, Anna Palk, Philip Gilbert, Karel Stepanek) – Classic Movie Review 7293

Producer, screenwriter, director Herbert J Leder’s gleefully ridiculous 1966 British zombies plus Nazis mashup horror film The Frozen Dead stars Dana Andrews, Anna Palk, Philip Gilbert, and Karel Stepanek.

The frozen dead are refrigerated top Nazis whom crazy scientist Doctor Norberg (Andrews) has carefully stowed in a meat-packing cupboard and is now trying to melt again as part of his plan to restore the Third Reich. Unfortunately he has a problem with defrosting their brains and the thawed Nazis are only zombie-like creatures, including his vicious, throttle-happy brother, Prisoner number 3 (Edward Fox). Norberg also turns Elsa (Kathleen Breck), the best friend of his niece Jean (Anna Palk), into a living-head zombie.

The Frozen Dead is an absolutely silly sci-fi horror exploitation movie, poorly made and with a stupid script, but the weird plot deserves a plus mark for invention, and the film is often so pathetic that it is good for some scoffing laughter at its expense. Andrews, a bit past his prime, still deserved better than this.

Also in the cast are Anna Palk as Jean Norburg Philip Gilbert as Dr Ted Roberts, Kathleen Breck as Elsa Tenney, Karel Stepanek as General Lubeck, Basil Henson as Captain Tirpitz, Alan Tilvern as Karl Essen, Ann Tirard as Mrs Schmidt, Edward Fox as Norburg’s brother (prisoner number 3), Oliver MacGreevy as Joseph the butler, Tom Chatto as Inspector Witt, John Moore as Bailey the stationmaster, Charles Wade as Alfie the porter.

The movie is shot by Davis Boulton in Eastmancolor at Merton Park Studios in London.

The Frozen Dead is directed by Herbert J Leder, runs 95 minutes is made by Gold Star Productions and Seven Arts, released by Warner-Seven Arts, is written by Herbert J Leder, is shot in Eastmancolor by Davis Boulton, is produced by Herbert J Leder, is scored by Philip Martell and is designed by Scott MacGregor.

It is Fox’s first on-screen credit though he had already been in three films.

The film was released in the US in 1967 in a double bill with Leder’s follow-up movie It! (1967), starring Roddy McDowall, Jill Haworth and Paul Maxwell.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7293

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