As I have written elsewhere, the history of the 1940s horror film can practically be summarized with two words: Universal and Lewton. But while Universal Studios was busily churning out its remarkable run of Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man and Invisible Man films during that decade, and producer Val Lewton over at RKO was turning out some of the most artfully done horror films of all time (such as "Cat People" and "I Walked With a Zombie"), some of the other, lesser studios in Hollywood were coming out with their own shuddery fare, as well. Case in point: PRC, short for Producers Releasing Corp., a so-called "Poverty Row" outfit that specialized in B films meant to appear as the lesser attraction of double features. The studio came out with all manner of films during the '40s--their most famous films perhaps being "The Devil Bat," featuring Bela Lugosi, the truly one-of-a-kind film noir "Detour," and "The Brute Man," the final film featuring the acromegalic Rondo Hatton--and in February '43 released the picture in question here, "Dead Men Walk." In this film, the great English actor George Zucco (who has been very accurately described by writer David Quinlan as "the Boris Karloff of the B feature") plays two very different roles: mild-mannered Dr. Lloyd Clayton and his evil twin brother, Elwyn, a Satanist of sorts who has just died and whose funeral we witness in the film's opening scene. Elwyn's hunchbacked assistant, Zolarr (Dwight Frye, here in one of his last roles), accuses the good doctor of having murdered his master, but whether or not that deed was done in self-defense or not is something that the film does not divulge. As it turns out, however, you just cannot keep a good Satanist down, and before very long, Elwyn is seen arising from his coffin, having been somehow transformed into a vampire of sorts; a being who sleeps by day in his coffin and arises at night to feed on the blood of the living. And what a toothsome morsel he happens to set his fangs on: Dr. Lloyd's pretty young niece, Gayle (played by Mary Carlisle, in her final film). Thus, it is up to the good doctor, as well as Gayle's fiancé Dr. Bently (Nedrick Young, the future co-screenwriter of such films as "Jailhouse Rock," "The Defiant Ones" and "Inherit the Wind"!), to figure out a way to stop the undead brother's unholy depredations....In truth, "Dead Men Walk" (something of a misnomer of a title, actually, as there is only one man in it who can be termed "the walking dead") is nothing that we haven't seen done infinitely better before, as well as after. The film sports production values very much in keeping with its Poverty Row provenance, and although Zucco is as dependable as ever in his double role, most of the other players deliver up fairly lackluster performances. Director Sam Newfield (who, the previous year, had helmed the Zucco film "The Mad Monster") brings his film home in a fairly lackluster manner, while screenwriter Fred Myton (who had also been responsible for "The Mad Monster") offers up some fairly conventional dialogue. The film also features some clumsy scene transitions and decidedly oddball musical cues, and in all strikes the viewer as a decidedly minor piffle. Not helping matters is the fact that the film today seems to reside in the public domain, with many subpar prints floating about. The one that I just experienced, courtesy of the usually dependable TCM, sported a corroded-looking image and some very lousy sound; fortunately, it is possible to also watch the film on YouTube, a site that offers any number of superior prints of the film, but none of which looks truly pristine. Still, there is some good news to be had here. "Dead Men Walk," besides being a fine showcase for Zucco's skills (he is very sympathetic as the kindly Dr. Lloyd and at times chilling as the evil undead brother...never more so than when he first appears in Lloyd's study after his funeral), also features a few interesting camera setups and some interesting visuals courtesy of cinematographer Jack Greenhalgh, as well as giving us the opportunity to appreciate the, uh, unique thesping skills of Dwight Frye, here in another of his patented wacko roles. (Sadly, Frye would be gone the following year, the victim of a heart attack at the age of 44.) The picture also provides the viewer with several well-done scenes, especially the one that takes place toward the finale, with the two brothers battling to the death in the flaming residence of Elwyn, while Zolarr, pinned beneath a piece of furniture, screeches "Help me, master!" I suppose that there are probably worse ways to kill an hour (the film runs to a streamlined 63 minutes...NOT the 67 claimed by "Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide") than by sitting down with "Dead Men Walk," but most viewers, I have a feeling, will be left vaguely dissatisfied. The film is best recommended for completists of 1940s horror fare only--even though the picture in question never rises to the task of engendering chills--or perhaps to those fans of George Zucco who just cannot see enough of him...if any such person exists out there. Others might be well warned away, as watching "Dead Men Walk" might very well result in "Live Man Sleeping"....

George Zucco, who was brilliant in The Mad Monster, now ups his game by playing twin brothers, one good, one bad, one still alive, the other one recently deceased. The good brother is a doctor who had to kill his evil brother because he was messing around with the occult. We all know what happens when folks that mess with occult get deaded, right? Before you know it, evil George is back in vampire form, chomping down on the populace, and having his sidekick do his dirty working during the day.Worse still, he's appeared before good George and told him he's gonna slowly turn good George's niece into a vampire. This entails him using her like a human drinks machine every night, which makes her fiancé think that good George is trying to kill her, for some reason. Additionally, there's your usual locals up in arms and a strange woman snooping around.Zucco's great here in both roles, being the concerned Uncle one minute, and then appearing in people's rooms to threaten them as the evil one. While it does have a good set up and ending, the film flags slightly in the middle when Evil George just gets his nightly blood fix from one victim without killing her. When he turns his attention back to other folk, things pick up again for a cool showdown.Not the most exciting film ever, but yet again, it's no slouch either and won't take up a lot of your time. I was impressed by Zucco's menacing features when threatening folk - he was rather good at it.

I'm working my way through the Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection and DEAD MEN WALK is one of the movies in the set.I thought that DEAD MEN WALK was a fairly original adaptation of the vampire story, with George Zucco playing two parts – the evil Elwyn Clayton; and, the good doctor Lloyd Clayton. I have only seen Zucco in one other movie, THE MAD MONSTER, which wasn't nearly as good as this one – which also isn't that good.The two parts played by Zucco are extremes of each other. You see, once evil Elwyn dies, Lloyd destroys all of his brother's books on the occult. Unfortunately, the evil brother died at the hands of his good brother, so of course he sets out for revenge, with the help of his loyal assistant.In this case, like so many others of its ilk, Elwyn, who is now a vampire is not able to face daylight; and, must obtain sustenance from the blood of the locals. He begins with a selection of a few lovely young ladies, including Lloyds' niece, whom he pledges will take a long time to die! There is really no plot beyond Elwyn's revenge from beyond the grave. A bit of comic relief is provided by the loony-locals. Some of whom seem to know everything; but, others nothing, depending upon which one is talking. Oh, and the future nephew-in-law turns detective, only to suspect the good doctor of poisoning his soon-to-be bride… a red-herring to stir up those locals! The special effects surrounding Elwyn's vampirism are rather limited to his reappearing in his physical body; and, as a ghostly presence. There are some inconsistencies with those, which would make for a skeptical modern audience.

George Zucco sinks his teeth into dual roles as good and evil twins, one a friendly town physician, Dr. Lloyd Clayton, and the other, occultist brother Elwyn who had discovered the power of vampirism while away in another country(..also known as a devil worshiper who studied and dabbled in sorcery). Accused of murdering his brother, by Elwyn's loyal assistant, Zolarr(Dwight Frye, yet playing another hunchbacked fiend), Lloyd is soon confronted by him after attacking a female victim within the town. Claiming revenge for being pushed off a cliff, Elwyn promises to ruin Lloyd's life, and starts by draining his beloved daughter, Gayle(Mary Carlisle)of her blood. Gayle, slowly dying due to anemia, Lloyd starts debating his sanity, and soon accepts, despite common logic dictating otherwise, that Elwyn is in fact a vampire, and must convince his daughter's fiancé, David(Nedrick Young)as well. As more people are killed(..such as local snoop, Kate(Fern Emmett), considered the superstitious town loony, who stumbles onto Elwyn's hiding place and is executed by Zolarr), the town hicks become restless and scared, forming a mob that will accuse Lloyd of committing the deeds after overhearing David's threats towards him to the sheriff(Hal Price), considering him the one responsible for Gayle's weakening and deteriorating state. But, when David himself sees Elwyn, returning to antagonize his brother Lloyd, they set out a plan to stop him and Zolarr of their conniving evil schemes to endanger innocents. Lloyd faces insurmountable odds as the town mob set out to find him while he searches for Elwyn's lair, also confronting Zolarr in a climactic battle of good vs. evil.Zucco and Frye are the definite draws for this little horror tale which operates using the traditional vampire themes. It was certainly neat seeing Zucco getting a chance to portray not only the compassionate, caring doctor who faces daunting challenges as nearly everyone sides against him, but also the vile, malevolent vampire brother who uses unbelief as a weapon. Frye doesn't have to stretch since he has portrayed this same kind of character numerous times, but it's always fun watching him playing these devious, slimy, animated villains who work valiantly for their masters. Young and Carlisle are colorless, but the roles of loving couple caught in the middle of a war between the forces of good and evil have never demanded much for the actor and actress who portrayed them. There's nothing that original in this film(..and it is rather predictable), but it's rare that you get to see Zucco as a vampire and hero, so that gives DEAD MEN WALK an allure. Typical of the vampire genre, Lloyd can only awaken at night, fears the crucifix, and is susceptible to death by fire..also, his loyal servant, Zolarr, must watch over his casket during the day, proving that despite his supernatural powers, he's vulnerable. Interesting enough, Elwyn's main weakness is returning to torment Lloyd.