Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- atmospheric
- foreboding
- classic horror night
- halloween viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a well-acted, visually splendid, highly atmospheric Hammer horror film whose formulaic script is outweighed by its production design and genre influence.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The epidemic is traced to voodoo rituals, witchcraft, and human sacrifice controlled by a powerful master.
The film emphasizes pleasantly muted colors, elegantly designed interiors, and atmospheric exteriors across the Cornish village and mine.
Young workers die in an isolated Cornwall village while the unused mine and local power structure conceal the zombie-making operation.
Its mindless reanimated servants and influential imagery helped bridge Hammer occult horror and later zombie films such as Night of the Living Dead.
Films like The Plague of the Zombies, and why
The Reptile
classic British horror, occult menace, atmospheric rural setting, and restrained period gore
The Devil Rides Out
Hammer horror atmosphere, supernatural villainy, vivid period design, and gothic mystery
Night of the Living Dead
early zombie horror, social dread, reanimated dead, and influential genre imagery
The Wicker Man
occult investigation, village isolation, eerie supernatural rituals, and British horror tradition
Movie Details
- Director
- John Gilling
- Release Date
- 1966-01-02
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (161)
Cast
- André Morell
- Brook Williams
- Diane Clare
- John Carson
- Jacqueline Pearce
- Michael Ripper
- Roy Royston
- Alexander Davion
- Marcus Hammond
- Dennis Chinnery
Common questions
- What is The Plague of the Zombies about?
- A country doctor and visiting professor uncover a voodoo conspiracy turning the dead of rural Cornwall into obedient zombies.
- What is The Plague of the Zombies like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Plague of the Zombies as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Plague of the Zombies violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Plague of the Zombies as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Plague of the Zombies?
- Critics broadly regard it as a well-acted, visually splendid, highly atmospheric Hammer horror film whose formulaic script is outweighed by its production design and genre influence.
- Which films are like The Plague of the Zombies?
- Films with a similar feel include The Reptile, The Devil Rides Out, Night of the Living Dead, and The Wicker Man.
- How long is The Plague of the Zombies?
- The Plague of the Zombies runs 91 minutes.
