Scott LeBrun Nowadays, if the title 'The Walking Dead' gets mentioned, one will likely think that it's in reference to the popular current TV series. But it's also the title of this interesting and absorbing combination of the horror, sci-fi, and gangster genres! It's not without a flaw here or there, but in general it's effectively atmospheric, quite snappy (it only runs an hour and six minutes), and features a mostly wonderful cast, led by the powerfully expressive Boris Karloff, who does a fine job of underplaying his part.He plays John Ellman, a pathetic sap who'd been sent up the river for murder and who makes the ideal patsy for mobsters who conspire to kill a judge. This is the same judge who'd presided over Ellmans' trial, so the mobsters correctly figure out that authorities will assume that Ellman killed the man in revenge. Two witnesses who can testify that Ellman is innocent come forward, but not in time to prevent his execution. Fortunately, they work for a scientist named Beaumont (Edmund Gwenn) who successfully brings Ellman back to life! Each of the creeps that set our hero up soon receive an eerie visit from him.Karloff is pitiable and touching, especially in a key scene where, since his death seems imminent, he requests that his favourite piece of music be played. However, the others in the cast also do some fine work, including Ricardo Cortez as slimy lawyer Nolan, Henry O'Neill as prosecuting attorney Werner, Joe Sawyer as swaggering hit-man Trigger Smith, and the always welcome Barton MacLane as Loder, the most conscience-free of the bad guys. Marguerite Churchill and Warren Hull as witnesses Nancy and Jimmy are less satisfactory.Ably directed by legendary Michael Curtiz of "Casablanca" fame, this has you rooting for the sad eyed Ellman every step of the way. While it does work as a serious story, it doesn't miss opportunities for humour by making the idea of wagering a recurring theme; there's even a minor character named "Betcha".Absolute must viewing for Karloff fans.Seven out of 10.

bkoganbing After seeing Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein monster in those Universal horror classics, it must have been obvious to Jack Warner and director Michael Curtiz that he was the only player capable of bringing this film off. Karloff is once again a resurrected man and said resurrection has foiled a carefully made frame that Karloff has been put in.Boris is cast as a concert pianist who has just served ten years for manslaughter. The judge who sent him up has become the target of the city's racketeers which include Barton MacLane and Karloff's own lawyer Ricardo Cortez.Here's where Karloff is under-appreciated as an actor. When you examine the frame up that is used it's really kind of stupid. But Karloff creates such an impression of this down and out pitiable figure that the real trigger man Joe Sawyer can take advantage of him and get him arrested and tried for the crime Sawyer commits.Here also is where Ricardo Cortez plays one of his patented screen heels as well. He defends Karloff once again and throws the case and then prevents two witnesses, Warren Hull and Marguerite Churchill, from coming forward to save Karloff from the electric chair. Their reasons for originally not coming forward are specious as well, but Karloff's brilliant performance smooths that all over.They work for scientist Edmund Gwenn who uses electricity and a lab that looks a whole lot like Dr. Frankenstein's to shock Karloff's cadaver back to life. He feigns amnesia and starts looking for those who did him wrong. What Karloff doesn't feign is that he has no memory of those hours that he was not among the living.As you can see a whole lot of the Warner Brothers stock company got work in this film giving Boris Karloff an unusually strong supporting cast for a change. Still Karloff carries this film and this terribly wronged man that Karloff brings to the screen will haunt you and overcomes a lot of script and editing weaknesses The Walking Dead has.

Prichards12345 I suppose you could argue that many classic horror movies are pretty religious - Frankenstein is about a scientist who tampers with God's forbidden knowledge and pays the penalty - Dracula is awash in religious symbolism; The Exorcist is seen by many as a serious comment on Possession by Demons - Yet The Walking Dead also has this religious element...and then some! Boris Karloff plays John Elman, a former convict just out of prison for accidentally killing a man. Elman, a musician, is promptly stitched up by gangsters for the murder of the judge who sent him down, removing the judge's threat to their criminal activities. He walks the last mile to the electric chair proclaiming his innocence. However medical researcher Dr. Beaumont (Edmund Gwen) restores Karloff to life with the aid of the Lindburgh Heart, a real device from the 30s that Charles Linburgh co-designed in the hope it would lead to mechanical heart replacements.Elman has suffered a blood clot which has affected his memory, yet strangely he seems to know everything the guilty men did, and sets out to confront those responsible.And here is the crux - Karloff does not hunt these men down like some mad zombie, he merely appears to each and questions them as to their actions, and through their own fear they each die. The whole theme of the movie is the vengeance of a higher power using Elman as his agent.The movie is a watchable and atmospheric little thriller, with Karloff giving a strangely moving performance. Director Michael Curtiz, here making his third horror movie after Dr. X and Mystery Of The Wax Museum, delivers another good addition to these films. If you expect Karloff in monster mode you'll probably be disappointed, but The Walking Dead is interestingly different to the usual horror fare, and well worth a look.

classicsoncall Reading most of the other viewer comments on this board, I was surprised that virtually no one had anything to say about the whitish 'L' shaped band in Boris Karloff's hair. It was reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart's skunk like streak in "The Return of Dr. X" where he portrayed a vampire of all things! In "The Walking Dead", Karloff is an ex-con brought back from the dead after being framed for a murder he didn't commit. Once revived, he exacts his revenge on the gang that set him up, using a psychic link from the beyond to track them down and lead them to their doom. For the premise of the story to work however, one has to get beyond the point where the murdered Judge Shaw was connected to the car John Ellman (Karloff) was driving. With no one around, why wouldn't Ellman simply have found a place to dump the body?The other thing that bothered me was why the conflicted young couple working for Dr. Beaumont waited until the evening of Ellman's scheduled execution to come clean with their story. I mean Jimmy (Warren Hull) was jumping right out of his skin at the trial to tell what he knew, and it didn't strike me convincingly that Nancy (Marguerite Churchill) would let an innocent man die. I know, then there wouldn't have been a story, but gee, that makes them the film's really, REALLY bad guys, doesn't it?I must say, I was unusually impressed by the size and scope of Dr. Beaumont's (Edmund Gwenn) laboratory. It looked like Warner Brothers might have been trying to outdo their Universal counterparts in the technical gadgetry department with all those beakers and scientific looking gizmos. They even did one better on the Frankenstein operating table with one that see-sawed during the back to life process - pretty clever. The other Frankenstein connection saw Karloff's character walking through the cemetery after his last two victims using that distinctive halting gait.Fans of Boris Karloff might not consider this one of his better performances, but it still carries some punch whenever the camera closes in on his gaunt expressionless face. After all, he was dead you know. Which is kind of interesting, as this is one of those rare films where the zombie brought back to life is actually killed again before it's all over. Better not to try and explain it, just tune in for a frightfully good show.