THE WALKING DEAD (NO, NOT THAT ONE, THIS ONE)

The most interesting things about the routine horror film THE WALKING DEAD (1936), are the two main talents involved in the production and where this film fits into their respective filmographies. 

Director Michael Curtiz had already dabbled in horror for Warner Brothers with DOCTOR X (1932) and MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933), two early Technicolor fright fests that are both superior to WALKING DEAD. Before cranking out WALKING (a studio quickie if ever there was one), Curtiz helmed the classic swashbuckler CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935) and he followed WALKING with another Errol Flynn adventure, THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936). 

Karloff, already a major horror star, did the far superior INVISIBLE RAY at Universal in early 1936 and after WALKING, he went to Great Britain for the mystery/thriller JUGGERNAUT (also 1936). 

The storyline of WALKING deals with a criminal cabal who plots to murder a judge. Karloff is a newly released convict, sentenced by said judge and he's set up to take the fall for the planned murder. The murder takes place, Karloff is framed and receives the death penalty.

A young couple who witnessed the judge's murder come forward at the 11th hour to exonerate Karloff, but it's too late, the switch has been thrown. Rather than bury Karloff's electrified body, the corpse is sent to the laboratory of mad doctor Edmund Gwenn. The doctor implants an artificial heart into Karloff, which resurrects him, minus any memory of who was responsible for his frame up. 

Karloff stalks the guilty, with each man meeting a grisly death before Karloff himself is gunned down. 

The similarities to FRANKENSTEIN (1931) are many. The laboratory features equipment that looks a lot like what Colin Clive used in both FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935). The resurrected Karloff has a white streak in his hair (shades of BRIDE!), a gaunt, drawn look and very little dialogue. 

In short, both Karloff and Curtiz did far better work in their careers both before and after WALKING DEAD. Still, it's an interesting little film (running time 66 minutes), that Golden Age horror fans should definitely check out.