The Plague of the Zombies

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

83%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 12

54%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 2,167
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Movie Info

A wonderfully atmospheric outing from Hammer Films, who diverged from their often successful variations on Universal's classic monsters into the world of zombies, a genre which had yet to receive its infusion of terrifying new blood with the 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead. The plot, which owes a debt to the Bela Lugosi chiller White Zombie, involves a mad Cornish squire, who solves an annoying labor crisis in his tin mines by turning local villagers into voodoo-controlled zombies. Dr. Thompson (Brook Williams) and his daughter Alice (Jacqueline Pearce) soon discover the unpleasant nocturnal habits of the shambling undead slaves -- including their tendency to go on murderous rampages when not directly under the squire's control. At the request of Alice, Sir James Forbes (André Morell) arrives on the scene to investigate. The superb script by Peter Bryan employs an interesting subtext about the rift between the British aristocracy and the exploited working class, but the film is less a political allegory than a spooky, atmospheric horror opus that ranks among Hammer Films' finest. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Cast

Diane Clare
as Sylvia Forbes
Brook Williams
as Dr. Peter Tompson
André Morell
as Sir James Forbes
Michael Ripper
as Sgt. Jack Swift
John Carson
as Clive Hamilton
Alexander Davion
as Denver
Jacqueline Pearce
as Alice Thompson
Marcus Hammond
as Martinus
Dennis Chinnery
as PC Christian
Roy Royston
as Vicar
Ben Aris
as John Martinus
Tim Condren
as The Young Blood
Bernard Egan
as The Young Blood
Norman Mann
as The Young Blood
Jerry Verno
as Landlord
Jolyan Booth
as Coachman
Louis Mahoney
as Servant
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Critic Reviews for The Plague of the Zombies

All Critics (12) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (2)

View All Critic Reviews (12)

Audience Reviews for The Plague of the Zombies

  • Jun 15, 2013
    Decent Hammer Horror from the 60's about the dead being brought back to life by a local rich man and his associates in order to work down the mines in a hard time for the community. Problem is, the zombies keep escaping and killing people so its up to a doctor and his daughter to try and save the town. This actually pre-dates Night of the Living Dead and could be seen as one of Hammers most influential releases.Well worth a look for zombie fans.
    Adam M Super Reviewer
  • Mar 13, 2012
    In an age where we've been inundated with zombie films in recent years and we now have the excellent series 'The Walking Dead' this film comes across as a little quaint and the zombies aren't really used to their full affect (they're brought back from the dead to work a tin mine!) but this is still the peak of Hammer's visual style period and the film looks great. The zombies also make quite an impression on their first appearance and the dream sequence is effective. A shame that Lee and Cushing aren't involved but Morell brings quiet authority to the lead and Pearce is great but underused. Unfortunately Clare is a stilted heroine but at least this makes her convincing when she is hypnotized!
    David S Super Reviewer
  • Jul 30, 2010
    Plague of the Zombies offers up the voodoo brand as opposed the rotten diseased brand of zombies. Not my preference, but combine some creepy zombies with that trademarked Hammer gothic atmosphere and you're in for a good time. The zombies are sporadic but they're pretty nasty when they actually do show. Plague of the Zombies has some legitimately disturbingly-done moments (the would-be rape scene, Thompson's nightmare) that pay off for the slow buildup. But as with a good many Hammer movies, the last 15 minutes make up for it. And for as much of a tightass as Andre Morell came across as in the first 15 minutes, he kicked some serious ass in the end.
    Michael G Super Reviewer
  • Jan 26, 2009
    Prototypical Hammer fare. Equal parts goth, gore, camp and shtick. A milestone in the evolution of the 'zombie flick', fans of Hammer Studios will love it, most others won't.
    Randy T Super Reviewer
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