King of the Zombies Won't Win Any Awards for Sensitivity.
King of the Zombies is a fun film that was needed at that time in history. Just enjoy it for what it is – scare comedy with early zombies.
Written by The Zombie Master
April 11, 2008
Release: 1941
Directed by: Jean Yarbrough
Written by: Edmond Kelso
Starring:
Dick Purcell as Mac McCarthy
Mantan Moreland as Jeff Jackson
Henry Victor as Dr. Miklos Sangre
John Archer as Bill Summers
In the middle of 1941 the U.S. was looking at Europe in the throws of war and praying it stayed over there, Captain America and Bucky entered the comic book realm, the first FM Radio station began operation in Nashville and Monogram Pictures released King of the Zombies to a public in dire need of a release from the norm if not for just a little over an hour.
King of the Zombies begins with Mac, Bill and Jeff flying over a remote South American island in a storm. Off course, running out of fuel and with no place to land they hear a radio signal and aim for it. After crash landing the three find a house owned by Dr. Miklos Sangre (Henry Victor). Dr. Sangre offers hospitality for Mac and Bill but Jeff,
the “servant”, is told to go to the servant’s quarters in the kitchen. It is here that Jeff, while macking on a cute cook, witnesses his first zombie. It turns out that Dr. Sangre is actually a spy, has captured an Admiral and is trying to extract information from him with the help of an island voodoo priestess.
King of the Zombies is a fun film that was needed at the time. It is also a film that would never be allowed to be shown in today’s world. The humor of Mantan Moreland as Jeff Jackson is so not politically correct that it could possibly offend some people today. I, on the other hand, am an equal opportunity offender and don’t care so I was able to watch this genre notable
with an opened mind. Because of this, I laughed every time that Jeff (expertly portrayed by Mantan Moreland) had dialogue. Moreland was a great African-American comedic actor in a “stereotype” filled era. He took what Hollywood gave him and became a genius at “scare-reaction” comedy. Lou Costello did it, but Moreland perfect at it.
Sadly, King of the Zombies has fallen into obscurity because of the PC world in which we live. Thankfully, you can still find it in the many “cheap Horror Compilations” that are floating around in the bargain bins around the Internet. Do yourself a favor and find a copy of this old film, grab an adult beverage, open your mind and enjoy a look into the past when horror was still young and zombies were still cutting there teeth. Questions or comments about King of the Zombies? Contact us!
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