The Undead *** (1957, Pamela Duncan, Richard Garland, Allison Hayes, Billy Barty) – Classic Movie Review 3986

This 1957 American International Pictures horror movie The Undead is an unexpected surprise success from director Roger Corman’s conveyor belt of ultra-low-budget suspense thrillers. It was filmed in a refurbished supermarket in 10 days for just $70,000.

Pamela Duncan stars as Diana Love, a Fifties prostitute who visits a psychiatrist called Pendragon (Richard Garland) and in a trance goes back in time to the Middle Ages when she was burned as a witch and has to do battle with the forces of darkness.

Charles B Griffith and Mark Hanna’s darkly comedic screenplay, with a mass of Freudian mumbo-jumbo, throws up some genuinely spooky moments. And it is easy to accept Corman’s ragged, rough and ready production.

Allison Hayes gives a spellbinding performance as a witch (Livia), Billy Barty is nimble as a dwarf (The Imp) and Richard Devon impresses as the Devil (Satan). Also in the cast are Val Dufour as Quintus Ratcliff, Dorothy Neumann as Meg Maud the Witch, Mel Welles as Smolkin the gravedigger, Dick Miller (as The Leper), Maurice Manson as Professor Ulbrecht Olinger, Aaron Saxon as Gobbo the Jailer, Don Garrett as The Knight and Bruno VeSota as Scroop the innkeeper.

The cast character names are impressively inventive!

Corman recalls: ‘I seemed to have a little more control on this one. We didn’t have the money to rent a really large studio.’

It was released in a double bill with Voodoo Woman (1957).

The Undead [The Hypnosis of Diana Love] is directed by Roger Corman, runs 73 minutes, is made by Roger Corman Productions [Balboa Productions], is released by American International Pictures, is written by Charles B Griffith and Mark Hanna, is shot in black and white by William A Sickner, is produced by Roger Corman, and is scored by Ronald Stein.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3986

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com