Stevecorp
Don't listen to the negative reviews
ChicRawIdol
A brilliant film that helped define a genre
Voxitype
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
qmtv
The story is silly. We must all agree to that. But the acting, cinematography, music, editing are all professional. This makes this movie very watchable. Some decent effects. The dialogue along with the story is silly.This is a 1957 B/W production. When viewed in light of the period made, the low budget, high professional production, and silly story, it makes for a fun movie. No gore to be seen. But some decent twists. Helens choice at the end was commendable. And Quintes getting stuck in the past is also a good twist, he can't get back to the present because the live link of Helens death.Rating is a C, or 5 stars. Roger Corman does it again.
bkoganbing
I saw The Undead many years ago and sad to say before writing this review I got to see it again as part of Mystery Science Theater. No doubt Roger Corman did a whole lot of Thanksgiving specials especially in his early career. But I always rather liked this paradoxical film about hypnotism and travel. And of course a scientist's curiosity which backfires on him in a most peculiar way.Pamela Duncan is the subject of hypnosis therapy by doctors Maurice Manson and Val Dufour. She's a hooker, but when we first meet her she's under and regresses back to a life in the first millenia AD where she's been condemned to be a witch and scheduled to die. Her mind goes back to that past and she escapes the headman's ax. Which creates a paradox because if her past life doesn't die it puts her future lives in jeopardy. Knight Richard Garland who's earnest, but a little thick loves the past Duncan and wants to do the knight errant thing and save her. Real witch Allison Hayes has a thing for Garland and doesn't stand a chance while she lives.Fascinated by the paradox and the drama Dufour regresses himself through hypnosis to see how it all unfolds and meets none other than a medieval Satan himself played by Richard Devon. He also is watching the drama unfold in fact he recognizes Dufour for who he is and states plainly that he is the critic and let the play continue.No doubt Roger Corman was influenced by all the publicity of the Bridey Murphy controversy and the book and film that was made about it. Of course this is shot on a dental floss budget and it shows in spots, but only rarely.I waited for years to see this again and review it and despite the MST snide comments during the film I still enjoyed it though Citizen Kane it ain't.
drystyx
This is a horror movie which seems to be unpretentious, and yet has some inventive quality about it.It's hard to say who the central character is, because while there are two main characters, many of them share the spotlight. A woman is hypnotized into reliving her past.To say more will "spoil" the film, I think, because there are many subplots going on here, along with the two chief plots.While it definitely goes for "unpretentious camp", particularly with the imp and the beautiful evil witch, there is more than meets the eye in the story. Devon purposely hams it up as the Devil, because we've seen Devon do some great acting work in movies like "The Comancheros", and here he just has a blast. In fact, the movie looks like a "Monster Mash" type of blast for the supporting cast.A few things ruined what could have been great. While a certain character was asking for a come uppance, the fact that she was an unarmed woman killed by the leading man was too much for any heterosexual male to enjoy. Women will like it, though, and most movies by Corman and his breed are made for women.Mixed feelings, but not a bad flick. It helps when everyone seems to be having a good time. It makes the film more of a joy to watch.
tedg
Sure this is cheap, and sure the whole enterprise hangs on two pairs of costumed breasts. The devil. Time travel through hypnosis. Some very puzzling and complex causal mechanics, if you actually pay attention.Corman tries to make sense, which is why In these sorts of things I always prefer Franco.A woman is hypnotized and sent back in time. Ancient witchcraft intermingles with modern witchcraft, both represented by sexually open women. Two men "observe" and one goes back in time as well. The devil himself gets involved.There's lots of interesting stuff here if you are a watcher — a few things about us as watchers both being in the thing watched and twisting the mechanics of what happens. Its a noir thing, that notion of the world bending to be interesting for the viewer and harming people in that world.So you may find it mildly interesting. But really, if you are at all interested in this you'd do better with Jess Franco.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
