Ultra low-budgeted 40's quickie that pitifully tries to cash in the successful Universal horror movies by telling a familiar vampire theme and casting washed-up actors like Dwight Frye, who totally reprises his Renfield-role from "Dracula". It's my own fault I'm slightly disappointed, because I expected a more entertaining movie simply because George Zucco is the main star
in a double role, even! This guy had an amazing horror-charisma, and I still respect him for his work in "The Mad Monster" and "The Black Raven", but even he can't save this dull mess of a film. Georgie-boy stars as the twin brothers Lloyd and Elwyn Clayton, eminent doctors in a little rural village. Lloyd recently killed Elwyn, for his own good however, because he was getting too involved with black magic and sorcery. But apparently Elwyn learned enough magic tricks to rise from his grave and bug his relatives. "Dead Men Walk" is very boring, with a lot of endless dialogues but almost no action. Zucco appears to be very restrained and not really comfortable in his double role. The end sequences are quite good, but it's far too late by then. Contemporary movies like "The Monster Maker" and again "The Mad Monster" proved that high budgets weren't an absolute necessity in order to make memorable horror gems, but this film fails on every possible level. Avoid!
Review of Dead Men Walk
