Another great horror movie that almost no one sees anymore. Released the year after Dracula, White Zombie is the story of two basically clueless lovers visiting Jamaica as the guests of Legrende, an ominous plantation owner willing to do whatever he has to to get what he wants.
What makes this movie great is two things. First off, Lugosi is *perfect* as Legrende. He's eeevvvvvvvvviiiilllll, and it's wonderfully entertaining to watch him work. Secondly, it's striking how much the filmmakers did with an obviously minuscule budget.
Some scenes (the burial in the road, the zombies working the sugar mill) are downright creepy and will stay with you. My favorite, though, was the cantina. All you really see is one actor and some shadows on a burlap curtain behind them. With that, though, they manage to not only suggest a bustling seaside bar, but also the characters isolation and despair at being separated from his love.
A unique, forgotten classic.
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