The Plague of the Zombies (1964) dir. John Gilling, Hammer Film Productions/Seven Arts
The first and only zombie film by Hammer.
Cornwall, 1860. A plague is ravaging the village, with the people either dying or fleeing by the wagon full. Dr. Tompson (Brock Williams) is at his wits end. He sends for Sir James Forbes (Andre Morell), who quickly arrives with his daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare).
The men are stumped. At length they figure an autopsy might provide some kind of clue, but after an exhausting bit of labor they find all the coffins are empty. As in, were buried with no bodies in them. A bit more of research leads them to the tin mines on the outskirts of town owned by Squire Clive Hamilton (John Carson), and the time he spent in Haiti.
There's also the matter of Dr. Tompson's wife Alice (Jacqueline Pearce), an old friend of Sylvia. Seems she's caught whatever bug is going around the village. Also there's Sgt. Swift (Michael Ripper), who discovered the doctor's efforts but agrees to help them. After all, does it count as grave robbing if there was no body?
Rather not spoil any more but this is easily one of Hammer's best films of the 1960s. Granted zombies would quickly be viewed as shambling flesh eaters but here might be the last use of them according to proper folklore.
Worth a viewing.
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