Zombie Strains

Contact:

Interview with Ted V. Mikels

The Astro-Zombies (1968)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:00:21 +0000

Show favorite John Carradine is back as Dr. DeMarco in 1968’s THE ASTRO-ZOMBIES. DeMarco has figured out how to create enhanced humans (don't call them zombies!) for the space program, but now everyone wants his secret. The CIA must find DeMarco before the sinister Satana (Zura Satana) and her gang of thugs steal the secret of the Astro-Zombies for their own sinister purposes. Who will reach him first? Why has one of Astro-zombies gone on a mad killing spree? Will Dr. DeMarco ever stop speaking in techno-babble? Join the Zombie Strains team in pursuit of The Astro-Zombies to find out what makes them kill!

Show Notes:

US Theatrical Release Date: May, 1968

Ted V. Mikels obituary

Wendell Corey obituary

Tura Satana obituary

Merch

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Contact:

Cinebeats remembrance of Emilio Vieyra

Strange Invasion (1965)

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:00:59 +0000

Didn't your parents always warn that if you watched too much mind-numbing TV, you'd turn into a mindless zombie? Little did they know how literally that would turn out! In EXTRAÑA INVASIÓN (1965),AKA STRANGE INVASION, a small town is horrified as its children become addicted to a mysterious zombifying TV broadcast. John, Andy, and Producer Brad head once again to Argentina to find out whether this movie's cultural commentary can overcome its low budget to make it a zombie classic.

Show Notes:

Mark Cole review of Strange Invasion

Ana Strasberg obituary

MARILYN MONROE'S IMAGE // She's gone, but the money lives on

Law Decides Who Owns a Dead Star's Image (NPR)

Court Rules for Heirs of a Man Who Took Pictures of Monroe - The New York Times

Merch

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Contact:

Link to Sharp Mini Stereophone pocket record player similar to the one used in the film

The Deadly Organ (1967)

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:27 +0000

The trippy 60s are finally here! This hip party beach in Argentina has a problem: young women are sinking into a zombie-like state, wandering off, and getting themselves murdered by a psychotic killer. THE DEADLY ORGAN is a psychadelic film that has everything you expect from 1960s horror: sex, drugs, and... no actual zombies? John, Andy, and Producer Brad don their coolest beach attire to learn whether or not we're dealing with an overlooked zombie classic or just another zombie-less exploitation flick.

Show Notes:

US Theatrical release date: October, 1967

Porsche 718 Spyder as seen in the film

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

John Carradine's obituary

Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horror (1967)

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:00:55 +0000

It's time for another horror anthology film, this one rooted in the melodramatic twist endings of horror comics! DR. TERROR'S GALLERY OF HORROR walks us through five spooky tales that feature vampires, werewolves, and yes, zombies--as well as horror veterans Lon Cheney and John Carradine. Will this film's earnest charm overcome its bargain-basement production values? Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they try to survive through all five stories.

Show Notes:

US theatrical release date: April 17, 1967

Weaver, Tom. EYE ON SCIENCE FICTION: 20 INTERVIEWS WITH CLASSIC SF AND HORROR FILMMAKERS

Lon Chaney Jr.'s obituary

Rochelle Hudson's obituary

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Zombie Madness Showdown!

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:56 +0000

Forty-eight zombies enter... but only one will leave! Who is the scariest of them all? It's time for a ZOMBIE MADNESS SHOWDOWN to find out! We put every movie zombie from 1919 to 1966 into a bracket to face off against each other. Follow along as John, Andy, and Producer Brad weigh the relative strengths, weaknesses, and overall vibes of zombies across the first 50 years of zombie cinema. Which will be the last zombie standing?

Show Notes:

Zombie Madness Bracket

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Medium post on the making of THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES

The Plague of the Zombies (1966)

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:00:43 +0000

Who knew there was more than one zombie movie centered on Cornish tin mines? That's the setting of the Hammer Horror classic THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966), which features spooky moors, an arrogant British zombie master, and the most intense (and violent) zombie resurrection we've seen so far. Venture into the mines with John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they excavate a true zombie cinema gem.

Show Notes:

André Morell's biography

John Carson obituary

Brook Williams obituary

Jacqueline Pearce obituary

Dendle, Peter. The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia

British cinema in the 1960s

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Ian Flemings involvement with THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.

The Very Important Zombie Affair

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:00:09 +0000

Exotic locations! Spy gadgets! Suave secret agents taking down enemy... zombies? With "THE VERY IMPORTANT ZOMBIE AFFAIR", an episode of the hit 1960s TV show THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., the Zombie Strains team ventures into uncharted territory: the satirical superspy genre. Napoleon Solo and his sidekick Ilya go up against a Caribbean dictator whose favorite method of oppression is zombification. Will our heroes take out the villain without becoming zombies themselves? Tune in on your shoe phone or favorite podcast app to find out.

Show Notes:

Original broadcast date: December 31, 1965

1956-66 TV ratings

Gerald Fried obituary

Robert Vaughn obituary

David McCallum obituary

Ian Fleming's Mr. Solo

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Dr. Orloff's Monster (1965)

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:41 +0000

Revenge is a dish best served with zombies! At least, that's the plan of mad scientist Dr. Conrad Fisherman, who has brought his own brother back from the dead and sent him on a misogynistic killing spree. Look closely amid all the low-budget terror of DR. ORLOF'S MONSTER and you might just find a few zombie movie firsts, like zombie-killing headshots! Join the Zombie Strains team as John, Andy, and Brad tackle this strangely compelling European gothic tale of madness, betrayal, and the walking dead.

SHOW NOTES

Theatrical release dates:

October 12, 1965 (Spain)

Jess Franco obituary

Agnes Spaak Instagram

Kay, Glenn. Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

US Theatrical movie poster.

The Frozen Dead (1966)

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:00:17 +0000

The elite of the German army have been on ice since the end of WWII. Doctor Norberg must perfect his technique of reanimating his zombicles before his plans are foiled by his… niece? Join the Zombie Strains crew as they encounter animated body parts! Talking severed heads! Attempted murder by potted plant! Can they survive The Frozen Dead?

SHOW NOTES:

US Theatrical release date: November 15, 1967

1966 Box Office

1967 Academy Awards

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Reg Park official fan site

Hercules in the Haunted World (1961)

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:00:14 +0000

Can Hercules (Reg Park) thwart the evil machinations of usurper King Lico (Christopher Lee!) in time to save his beloved Deianira (Leonora Ruffo) from spending the rest of eternity as a ... zombie?! Swords and sandals once again meet the living dead in this 1961 Italian fantasy adventure: Hercules in the Haunted World. Hercules and his "helpful" friends Theseus and Telemaco enter Hades to save Deianara, but will they ever escape? Andy, John, and Producer Brad done their sandals and encounter not one, but two different types of zombies in the movie that inspired Arnold Schwarzenneger to become a body builder.

SHOW NOTES:

Theatrical release date:

November 16, 1961 (Italy)

April, 1964 (US)

Reg Park Obituary

Reg Park's influence on Arnold Schwarzenneger

Christopher Lee interview

Christopher Lee obituary

D'Aulaire's Greek Mythology

Mario Bava's legacy

Corti, Roberto. Italian Gothic Horror Films: 1957-1969

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

AFI Catalog entry for Terror-Creatures from the Grave

Terror-Creatures from the Grave (1965)

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:00:02 +0000

When a lawyer arrives at a gloomy estate to settle a will, he finds that his client is already dead... but his collection of plague-ridden severed limbs is still very much active! Legendary scream queen Barbara Steele dominates this Italian gothic horror film that features a spooky castle, vengeance from beyond the grave, and just maybe a few zombies. Join John, Andy, and Brad as they face off against "Terror-Creatures from the Grave"!

SHOW NOTES:

Italian release date: June 23, 1965

US release date: May 16, 1967

Curti, Roberto. Italian Gothic Horror Films: 1957-1969.

Castello Chigi

Flop House episode on Giallo films.

Multiplex Overthruster episode on Yor: Hunter from the Future.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Michael G. Wilson biography

An Evening with Batman and Robin (1965)

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:00:54 +0000

Holy propoganda, Batman! Before the iconic Batmobile, before the Shark Repellant, before the showdown against Superman... Batman and Robin were featured in a wartime movie serial where they battled a Japanese spymaster and his zombie minions. Will the Dynamic Duo prevail? Can the Zombie Strains team make it through 3 hours of racist propoganda? John, Andy, and Producer Brad don their cowls and patrol the dark streets of Gotham City to find out.

SHOW NOTES

The Batman serial original theatrical release date: July 16, 1943

An Evening with Batman and Robin release date: 1965

J. Carol Naish family history

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026)

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:05:10 +0000

Following hot on the heels of 28 Years Later, director Nia DaCosta's sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple picks up right where the first film ended. Spike has been saved from the infected by some colorful characters, but are they friends? John and Andy sneak out of the Zombie Strains lab to the movie theater to see new a new film that reflects on humanity, empathy, and torture horror all at the same time. Has a zombie movie ever had this much empathy for the nominal villains of the story? Listen to this spoiler filled episode to find out.

SHOW NOTES:

US Theatrical release date: January 16, 2026

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Contact:

Virginia Field's New York Time's obituary

The Earth Dies Screaming (1964)

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:05 +0000

In a quaint English village, the last remnants of humanity have gathered. But what hope does a ragtag band of survivors have against marauding alien robots and their zombie slaves? When John, Andy, and Brad explore The Earth Dies Screaming (1964), they find a low-budget movie that lays a startling amount of groundwork for future zombie apocalypses.

SHOW NOTES:

US Theatrical release date: October 14, 1964

Elizabeth Lutyens obituary

Elizabeth Lutyens on Spotify

Elizabeth Lutyens on Apple Music

Convair XFY-1 Pogo

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Contact:

Errera, Rob. Becker Comes Alive: A Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer's Touching True Tale of Music, Murder, and Monsters

The Horror of Party Beach (1964)

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:00:29 +0000

Radioactive waste meets teenage rebellion in THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH! Grab your surfboard and hit the sandy beaches of Connecticut with John, Andy, and Brad as they brave a surf-rock nightmare featuring dozens of bikinis, a slumber party massacre, and lots of hip music by the Del-Aires.

SHOW NOTES

Theatrical Release Date: April, 1964

Del Tenney obituary

Alan V. Iselin obituary

The Horror of Party Beach comic book

1965 Academy Award Winners

Weaver, Tom. Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

We Bury the Dead (2026)

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:00:35 +0000

After an experimental weapon devastates Tasmania, Ava Newman (Daisy Ridley) joins a body retrieval unit to find her missing husband. There's just one little catch--and you've probably guessed what it is, since this is a zombie movie podcast. Where does this melancholy tale of loss and regret belong in the evolutionary tree of zombie cinema? John and Andy break into the Zombie Strains lab late at night to put WE BURY THE DEAD (2026) under the microscope. (The first half of this episode is spoiler-free; we clearly state when the spoiler discussion starts.)

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

1952 Academy Award Winners

The Man from Planet X (1951)

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:00:03 +0000

A mysterious planet is hurtling toward Earth. An alien spacecraft with a zombie-creating ray has landed in the Scottish moors. And those might not actually be the villains in this Atomic Age cautionary tale! John, Andy, and Producer Brad head back to 1951 to take stock of THE MAN FROM PLANET X, a zombie film that manages to rise above its shoestring budget and remind us who the real monsters are.

Show Notes:

Theatrical release date: April 27, 1951

AFI Catalog entry

LA Time obituary for Robert Clarke

NY Times obituary for Margaret Field

NY Times obituary for Harold Gould

NY Time obituary for William Schallert

Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, Tom Weaver

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Contact:

Evelyn Anker's New York Time's obituary

The Mad Ghoul (1943)

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:00:46 +0000

Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco) has a deadly new obsession: an ancient Mayan nerve gas that creates a state of "death in life." When his star pupil Ted Allison (David Bruce) becomes the unwitting guinea pig, he is transformed into a subservient ghoul who requires fresh human hearts to survive. Is this a simple Jekyll-and-Hyde knockoff, or is there a strain of zombie DNA to be found amidst all the heart-harvesting and the love rectangle? John, Andy, and Producer Brad venture back to 1943 to find out whether or not The Mad Ghoul is a vital link in the undead evolutionary chain.

SHOW NOTES:

Theatrical release date: November 12, 1943

AFI Catalog entry

George Zucco's New York Time's obituary

Turhan Bey's The Guardian obituary

TCM review of The Mad Ghoul

Jack Pierce's makeup for The Man Who Laughed (1929)

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Contact:

Cemetery Dance interview with Richard Matheson

The Last Man on Earth (1964)

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:24:47 +0000

Every day, scientist Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) wakes up to the same routine: scrounge for food. Repair his shelter. Head to town... and kill every vampire he finds there. How did he wind up as The Last Man on Earth(1964)? Is there any hope left for him after the apocalypse? And is it possible that this vampire movie is the biggest evolutionary leap forward in the zombie genre so far? John, Andy, and Producer Brad grab their stakes and garlic and brace for an apocalyptic zombie film that paves the way toward Night of the Living Dead.

SHOW NOTES:

Theatrical release date: May 6, 1964

New York Times article on Robert Lippert and his troubles with the Screen Actors Guild. 9/9/1965

New York Times article announcing Sears and Roebuck's Vincent Price Collection. 6/9/1962.

Observer article on The Vincent Price Collection opening in Denver, CO.

Talking Heads Remain in Light press kit with bibliography.

April 21, 1988 Rolling Stone interview with David Byrne.

Rob Zombie and Waxwork Records release The Last Man on Earth soundtrack.

TCM podcast The Plot Thickens - Season 6 - Cleopatra

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Additional music by

Contact:

Movie poster artist Reynold Brown

War of the Zombies (1964)

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:00:35 +0000

When evil sorcerer Aderbal (John Drew Barrymore) invokes the power of a sinister three-eyed goddess to raise an invulnerable zombie army, only one man has the courage (and biceps) to stop him: centurion Gaius (Ettore Mani). This sword-and-sandal epic set in ancient Rome has it all: swords! sandals! beautiful women! bare-chested men! And, of course, zombies. Does this zombie army live up to the hype? There's only one way to find out: join the Zombie Strains crew on an odyssey into the Italian peplum genre.

SHOW NOTES:

1961 New York Times article on the art of dubbing in Italian films.

With Gorley and Rust episode on Rosemary's Baby, John referenced.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Ray Dennis Steckler 20 Film Boxed Set

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1964)

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:13:40 +0000

When three hep cats visit a sinister fortune teller at the carnival, their future takes a turn for the worse. The mysterious Madam Estrella wants Jerry to join her collection of hypnotized, murderous zombies. Will Harold and Angela save their friend before it's too late? John, Andy and Producer Brad gaze into their crystal ball to try and divine whether there's a good zombie flick to be found amidst all the crazy camerawork and psychedelic madness of this infamous B-horror schlockfest.

SHOW NOTES:

Theatrical Release Date: February 10, 1964

Dark Eyes of London blog posting on Ray Dennis Steckler

Carolyn Brandt: Queen of Cult

Collider: 15 Movies that Have Very, Very, Very Very, Very, Long Titles

The Golden Turkey Album: The Best Songs from the Worst Movies

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Online obit for Erika Brunson (Peters)

Monstrosity (1963)

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:00:49 +0000

Three naive young women looking for work. One bitter old crone desperate for eternal life. And one mad scientist creating human/animal hybrids in the basement. Mix these ingredients together and you get a MONSTROSITY (1963) in more ways than one! Will Anita, Bea, and Nina (pronounced NINE-uh) escape this house of horrors? Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they venture into the first zombie movie to give a cat top billing on its poster.

SHOW NOTES:

Sue Dwiggins Variety Obituary

Wayne Keyser's short documentary on Ken Strickfaden.

Kickstarter campaign for a 4K restoration of Monstrosity.

The Atomic Brain musical

Cinema Cats - celebrating cats in movies and television.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 wiki entry for The Atomic Brain (aka Monstrosity)

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

What's So Scary About the 1960s?

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:00:21 +0000

What was the scariest part of living in the 1960s? We'd like to think it was all the zombies, but other little factors like massive societal transformation and the threat of atomic annihilation might be contenders too! Like all good horror monsters, zombies work best when they're exploiting the fears and anxieties of viewers. As the Zombie Strains team ventures into a new decade of zombie film, John and Andy take a special side trek to find out what real-life terrors 1960s zombie films were drawing on, reacting to, critiquing, and amplifying.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

The Golden Age of Mexican Horror Cinema by Paul A J Lewis

The Living Head (1963)

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:00:23 +0000

A living decapitated head, a knife-wielding Aztec mummy, and something called the Ring of Death. That's a lot of scary stuff to store in your basement all at once, as a group of gentleman explorers in 1963 Mexico discovers to their peril. How many will die in gruesome Aztec rituals before the curse is ended? Will reincarnated Aztec lovers romantically reunite amidst all these bloody hearts and murdered archaeologists? Do mummies even count as zombies? John, Andy, and Producer Brad return to Mexico to ask the important questions.

SHOW NOTES:

Theatrical Release Date: March 3, 1963

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

AFI Catalog entry for Carnival of Souls.

Carnival of Souls (1962)

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 11:00:30 +0000

A Criterion Collection film? Fantastic editing, camerawork, and direction? Are we sure Carnival of Souls is in the right podcast? After narrowly surviving a car accident, Mary uproots her life to become a church organist in Utah... but death isn't quite done with her. Her mind begins to unravel, and soon she cannot tell reality from her escalating nightmares. Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they scramble to declutter the Zombie Strains lab and break out the fine china for a true rarity: a great zombie film.

Show Notes:

Premiere date: September 26, 1962

Los Angeles Times 1990 appreciation of Carnival of Souls.

Roger Ebert's review of Carnival of Souls.

Candace Hilligoss' YouTube channel with several videos about Carnival of Souls.

Interview with Candace Hilligoss about sequel efforts.

Interviews with director Herk Harvey and writer John Clifford.

Video highlights of 1989 cast and crew reunion.

"Rembering Sidney Berger" from the University of Houston.

History of Saltair from the official state of Utah website.

theSaltair.com

Robert Altman's first directing credit, "Modern Football."

Mike Patton/Jean-Claude Vannier's music video for "A Schoolgirl's Day."

Television Academy announcement of Reza Badiyi's death.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

"Before the Bite: Ten Things You Didn't Know About Zombies"

AFI Catalog entry for Tales of Terror.

Tales of Terror (1962)

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:00:47 +0000

What happens when film's most legendary B-horror director turns his unsubtle eye to the zombie genre? You get Tales of Terror, one of many Roger Corman films loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe stories. This anthology film (written by the iconic horror and scifi writer Richard Matheson) is packed with three separate creepy stories, and one of them features a gruesome strain of zombie that doesn't easily fit into our zombie categories! Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they dissect their first, but probably not last, Corman zombie film.

Show Notes:

New York Times review of Tales of Terror and Burn, Witch, Burn double bill.

Entertainment Weekly interview with Neal Moritz about dealing with Roger Corman to get permission for the title The Fast and the Furious.

Film Snob short on American International Pictures from Vanity Fair.

Library of Congress bulletin on Confucius with mention of his family tree.

Debra Paget's Snake Dance from The Indian Tomb (1959).

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Newspaper clipping detaling Armando Silvestre's attempt at a bullfighting career.

Santo vs The Zombies (1961)

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:00:56 +0000

When zombies are after you, only the world's greatest hero can save you. And who is that? It's El Santo, elite luchador and Mexican cultural phenomenon! After a professor vanishes and a sinister masked man unleashes a horde of zombies on a local orphanage, the police know that only the legendary luchador Santo can save the city. John, Andy, and Producer Brad watch in awe as Santo takes on the undead both within and outside the wrestling ring--and they wrestle with a few of their preconceived notions about zombie films.

Show Notes:

The cars seen in Santo vs the Zombies.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Marilyn Monroe visits Xavier Loyá in Mexico.

The Curse of the Doll People (1961)

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 11:00:38 +0000

What's scarier than a zombie trying to kill you? A zombie teaming up with possessed dolls to kill you! In the Mexican zombie flick The Curse of the Doll People (Muñecos infernales), foolish adventurers steal a voodoo idol and face a fate is worse than death--unless the courageous Karina (Elvira Quintana) can stop a sinister voodoo master, his zombie assistant, and his horde of murderous dolls. Andy, John, and Producer Brad head to Mexico to investigate the many questions this film raises, such as whether dolls invested with the spirits of their own victims count as zombies.

Show Notes:

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay

Mexican Film Bulletin listing Alfredo Salazar's Frankenstein, el vampiro y compañía

Trailer for The Bat Woman (1968)

MPAA article on Gaz Alazraki's Father of the Bride

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Still of blood donor poster seen in Doctor Blood's Coffin.

Doctor Blood's Coffin (1961)

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 11:00:02 +0000

This week, our bold Zombie Strains investigators chart a course for rural England, where the sinister Dr. Blood (Keiron Moore) is harvesting the still-beating hearts of his victims to empower his insane medical "research." Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they brave the dangers of the Cornish Tin Mines, meet scream-queen legend Hazel Court, face their most gnarly zombie yet... and unravel the mystery Doctor Blood's Coffin.

Show Notes:

The Zombie Encyclopedia by Peter Dengle

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay

Hazel Court, 82, Screaming Horror-Film Star, Dies - The New York Times

Review of Hazel Court's autobiography, Horror Queen.

Blog post on the matte paintings of Hammer films.

Bio for famed matte painter Lew Bowie.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

www.pond5.com

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Contact:

AFI Catalog entry for The Dead One.

Weapons (2025)

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 23:01:41 +0000

Everybody's talking about Weapons, an unsettling 2025 horror film about a community in shock after a classroom of grade-school children vanishes overnight. Always on the hunt for modern films with connections to their favorite horror genre, John and Andy take a road trip to American suburbia to investigate for themselves. Don't tell Producer Brad that they recorded this without him. Please note that this is a spoiler-heavy discussion of Weapons.

The Dead One (1961)

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:00:34 +0000

Our first color zombie films is also a throwback to the 1930s! Newlyweds John and Linda (John McKay and Linda Ormond) inherit an old plantation outside of New Orleans, only to discover that their bitter cousin Monica (Monica Davis) has angry, zombie-related plans for them. Will Monica's voodoo magic spell a gruesome end to their honeymoon bliss? John, Andy, and Producer Brad venture into the swamps to find out--and to learn why this is the first zombie movie to be set in New Orleans.

Show Notes:

Movie poster

Barry Mahon paid death notice in the New York Times.

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay

Santa's Christmas Elf Named Calvin directed by Barry Mahon

The Wonderful Land of Oz directed by Barry Mahon

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

Contact:

Teenage Zombies Movie Poster

Teenage Zombies (1959)

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:00:30 +0000

We've been dreading their appearance ever since we started watching 1950s zombie films, and they're finally here: teenagers! That's right, 1959's Teenage Zombies is not only our first zombie film starring teenagers, but it's also a clear forerunner of the modern teenage-slasher flick. Can this crew of plucky '50s teens foil a foreign plot to turn the entire population of the U.S. into mindless, docile zombies? And more importantly, can Teenage Zombies make Plan 9 from Outer Space look like a masterpiece of cinema? Andy, John, and Producer Brad descent into a terrifying world of poodle skirts, malt shakes, and zombie gorillas in Teenage Zombies.

Show Notes:

Jerry Warren's Mystery Science Theater 3000 riffed movies.

Brianne Murphy obituary

American Society of Cinematographer profile on Brianne Murphy.

Chuck Nile's obituary.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Plan 9 From Outer Space Movie Poster

Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:00:15 +0000

Plan 9 is often called the worst movie ever made. But could there be a zombie gem buried beneath the hilariously bad sets, abysmal acting, and tortured script? John, Andy, and Producer Brad venture into this legendary fiasco and come face to face with a sexy vampire, a gigantic Swedish wrestler, Bela Lugosi’s last performance, arrogant space aliens, and of course the infamous Plan 9 itself.

Show Notes:

Movie Posters by Tom Jung, here and here.

New York Times 1993 article on Plan 9 From Outer Space.

Variety obituary for actor Paul Marco.

Los Angeles Times obituary for the Amazing Criswell.

Hollywood Reporter obituary for Maila Nurmi.

Tor Johnson Halloween mask.

Plan 9 From Outer Space filming locations.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Invisible Invaders movie poster

Invisible Invaders (1959)

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:00:10 +0000

The Zombie Strains crew have hit the motherlode of zombie firsts! Invisible Invaders brings together all kinds of famous and familiar zombie tropes in one film: a zombie-created apocalypse, heroes taking refuge in a science bunker, convincing zombie make-up, and a truly compelling tough moral choice.

The story follows a sequence that will be familiar to any fan of modern zombie movies, as a small group of survivors hunkers down in a shelter to figure out how to stop a global zombie menace (that was instigated by invaders from space). Tensions run high, and one of our party snaps under the pressure. Join John, Andy, and Brad as they push the Zombie Strains lab equipment to its limit as they break down all the zombie firsts in this movie.

Show Notes:

National Geographic article on the American "uranium gold rush."

MIT Press Article on Uranium Rush, a game encouraging families to prospect for uranium.

History of Detectron, the company that made the geiger counter seen in Invisible Invaders.

List of movies with underground bunkers.

Hear Emmy-winning writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach discuss renting caves for tv shows on the Sword and the Sorcerer episode of Multiplex Overthruster.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (1959)

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 11:00:51 +0000

Jonathan Drake suffers under an ancient curse! His cruel colonial forbears massacred a South American tribe, and the immortal zombie survivors will not rest until Jonathan is dead. And by dead, we mean injected with an ancient poison, decapitated, and his head shrunken in the lab of the scenery-chewing villain Dr. Emil Zurich (Henry Daniell). Will Jonathan, his daughter Allison, and Lt. Rowan stop the zombies before the curse strikes again? Join John, Andy, and Brad as they encounter two unique zombies, surprisingly gruesome special effects, and more semi-competent police work in The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake.

Show Notes:

AFI Catalog entry for The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake

Eduard Franz obituary

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Italian style haircuts of the 1950s.

Womaneater (1958)

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 11:00:04 +0000

Sally (Vera Day) is living day to day, just trying to get by. But things take a turn for the sinister when she crosses paths with mad scientist Dr. Moran (George Coulouris). Dr. Moran has plans for the women in his life—plans that involve feeding them to a carnivorous Amazonian plant in order to steal their life essence, extract a serum from the devil tree, and use that serum to bring the dead back to life! Will he succeed? Will Sally agree to marry a jerk she just met the previous day? Does the Devil Tree's diet truly consist of women only, or is that a decision Dr. Moran is making for it? At least some of these questions get answered when Andy, John, and Producer Brad grab their Pulsometers and come face to face with 1958’s Womaneater.

Show Notes:

Marpessa Dawn obituary from the New York Times

James Bond forum trying to ID the Spectre agents in Thunderball, including the one played by Patrick Forbes-Robertson.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Zombies of Mora Tau movie poster

Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 11:00:27 +0000

Some treasures are best left undisturbed—especially when they're guarded by ancient curses. But if the treasure hunters in Zombies of Mora Tau were smart, we wouldn't get a horde of underwater zombies, a band of backstabbing scoundrels, the world's toughest grandma, and the legendary Allison Hayes (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) as a scheming femme fatale. Don your deep sea diving suit and join John, Andy, and Producer Brad off the coast of Africa, where we discover a horror film that moves the zombie genre forward in surprising ways.

US Theatrical Release Date: February 19, 1957

AFI Catalog entry for Zombies of Mora Tau

Variety obituary for screenwriter Bernard Gordon

WGA post on corrected Hollywood Blacklist credits.

Consumer's Guide to Dietary Supplements and Alternative Medicines by W. Marvin Davis with introduction about Allison Hayes.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Voodoo Island movie poster

Voodoo Island (1957)

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:00:34 +0000

Who could possibly survive an expedition to “the weird jungle of cobra plants that feed on women... and rip men apart”? Boris Karloff plays a skeptical scientist who journeys into the heart of darkness alongside a brooding '50s adventurer, a shifty gangster, a plucky assistant, and a zombie. Grab your pith helmet and machete and join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they brave the unknown terrors of Voodoo Island.

Show Notes:

US Theatrical Release Date: February, 1957

AFI Catalog entry for Voodoo Island

History of the theremin as told by Andrew Hickey on his podcast A History of Rock in 500 Songs

Queer Cinema Archive article on Voodoo Island and the queer-coded character played by Jean Engstrom.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Mommie Dearest boardroom scene with S. John Launer (Captain Dave Harris in Creature with the Atom Brain).

Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 11:00:15 +0000

Creature with the Atom Brain takes the science of zombie film to a whole new level. This movie is packed with exciting zombie firsts: atomic-powered zombies, rampaging zombie hordes (finally!), a city put under martial law to contain the zombie threat, and very cheap zombie make-up. Andy, John, and Producer Brad have their hands full sorting through all the zombie goodness on this sci-fi horror B movie.

Show Notes:

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

"Where to begin with Mexican Macabre cinema" BFI article

The Revived Monster (1953)

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 11:00:31 +0000

The Zombie Strains crew stumbles across an unexpected delight in 1953’s El Monstruo Resucitado (The Revived Monster), the first Mexican zombie film! Set in Czechoslovakia and dripping with atmosphere, this film tells the story of a resourceful journalist (Miroslava) who finds herself tangled up in the hopes and hatreds of a hideously deformed mad scientist with a chip on his shoulder, a brain-transference device in his basement, and a fresh corpse ready to be revived as a murderous zombie. The lights will be on all night in the Zombie Strains Lab as we dissect this thoughtful thriller.

Show notes:

Notable horror films of 1953

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

List of films remade by the original director.

Scared Stiff (1953)

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:00:22 +0000

The Zombie Strains crew comes up against Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in this remake of the delightful The Ghost Breakers (1940). George Marshal directed both the original and this 1950s update. The team was eager to explore the new horrors Marshall would concoct this time around, but we were unprepared for the terror of... Jerry Lewis’s performance. Scared Stiff may feature the least impressive zombie we've seen yet, but the Zombie Strains crew found a few gems--including the possible inspiration for the title of a 1980s horror-comedy favorite.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Correspondence between JRR Tolkien and relatives of Zombies of the Stratosphere cast member Wilson Wood.

Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952)

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:00:30 +0000

The Zombie Strains team is in for some serious culture shock as they burst into the 1950s. Voodoo masters? mesmerism? mad scientists? All gone! Instead we find aliens, atom bombs, and rocket ships. This is going to take some serious experimentation in the Zombie Strains lab to figure out what is going on in this crazy decade.

Release date: July, 1952

Movie poster

List of 1952 movies

1952 Academy Awards

Wilson Wood's stage recreation of the famous JRR Tolkien photo.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

28 Years Later and Last of Us Season 2

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:47:32 +0000

While Producer Brad is away on special assignment, John and Andy continue to break the rules by talking about zombie movies out of order. In this episode we talk about the biggest zombie events of 2025 - The Last of Us Season 2 (SPOILERS!) and 28 Years Later (NO spoilers). Plus, Andy reports on his participation in an actual voodoo ceremony.

The 1950s: Rockets, Red Scares, and Rock & Roll

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:23:43 +0000

Season 2 of Zombie Strains is almost upon us. In this special episode, John and Andy dissect the terrors and anxieties of the 1950s in the Zombie Strains lab. Our goal is to predict how the next wave of zombie movies will exploit the hidden fears of this most paranoid of decades. Join us as we brace for a brand new decade of horror!

Multiplex Overthruster: Poltergeist

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Multiplex Overthruster is a podcast dedicated to the summer movie's of the 80s. It is hosted by Javier Grillo-Marxuach (writer of Lost, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Witcher, and creator of The Middleman), Paul Alvarado-Dykstra (co-founder of Fantastic Fest, the leading genre film festival in the US), and produced by Zombie Strain's Producer Brad. Enjoy this episode on Poltergeist, the 1982 film directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg. This ingenious phantasmagoria features beautiful analog VFX wizardry by ILM, a refreshingly functional family, and one of the greatest expository monologues in genre cinema.

You can follow Mulitplex Overthruster here.

Season 1 Wrap Up

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

We made it! We survived the first three decades of zombies--22 movies in all. What did we learn? And what's coming next? In this special season 1 wrap-up episode, John, Andy, and Producer Brad answer listener feedback, take a surprise zombie trivia quiz, reflect on the journey so far... and prepare for the horror to come as we strike out into the world of 1950s zombies.

The Devil's Daughter (1939)

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

John, Andy, and Producer Brad have time for one last trip to the Caribbean to see a movie they missed the first time around; 1938’s The Devil’s Daughter. In this loose remake of team favorite Ouanga the action moves from Haiti to Jamaica, and from voodoo to obeah. How does this film stand up to the original? Join us in the lab as we break it down.

US Theatrical Release Date: December 7, 1939

UCLA Archives article on race films

Horror Movies of 1939

1940 Academy Awards

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

The Walking Dead (1936)

Wed, 28 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Let's welcome a brand new horror legend to the zombie genre: Boris Karloff, playing a wrongly-executed man brought back to life by mad science. You'll be as surprised as we were by this somber, atmospheric tale of justice from beyond the grave. Whether this is truly a zombie movie is a matter of debate (and we do debate it!), but you won't regret taking a stroll with John, Andy, Producer Brad, and The Walking Dead (no, not that Walking Dead).

US Theatrical Release Date: March 14, 1936

Films with actor's names in title

New York Times Review

1936 Horror Movies

1937 Academy Awards

National Film Registry

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

J'accuse (1919)

Wed, 21 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The Zombie Strains team goes waaaay back to 1919 and the dawn of cinema to watch J'accuse, a French zombie movie. Don’t worry, it is not as bad as that sounds. Actually, it is really good! The team skipped this one initially, but now that we have circled back to watch it… Is this the zombie horde John, Andy, and Producer Brad have been looking for all this time?!

French Release Date: April 25, 1919

US Release Date: October 9, 1921

1921 New York Times review

Horror Films of 1919

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

US Theatrical Release Poster

Valley of the Zombies (1946)

Wed, 14 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

So much awaits us in the Valley of the Zombies: an undead mortician with very specific medical needs! A desperate car chase centered around a malfunctioning radio! And best of all, a chilling new zombie master (Ian Keith) who just might rival the great Bela Lugosi with his scenery-chewing menace. Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they explore a fascinating off-shoot of the zombie genre that pulls in elements of vampire horror.

US Release Date: May 24, 1946

1946 US Domestic Box Office

1947 Academy Awards

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

Wed, 07 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Legendary comedy duo Abbott and Costello bravely (?) stumble into a monster mash in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein! This movie may not feature a zombie, but it's too important a genre influence to not investigate--and after Zombies on Broadway, it's time to see horror comedy done right. Zombie Strains hall-of-famer Bela Lugosi is joined by Frankenstein's monster (Glenn Strange) and the Wolfman (Lon Chaney Jr.) with an "invisible" cameo by Vincent Price. Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad for our most monstrous episode yet.

US Theatrical Release Date: June 15, 1948

Abbott & Costello US War Bonds Tour

1949 Academy Awards

Bela Lugosi Bio

Boris Karloff NYT Obit

NYTimes Admits Karloff Error

Kickstarter Score Campaign

National Registry Of Films

In Memoriam - Robert Lees

LATimes article on Robert Lees Murder

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Zombies on Broadway (1945)

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

PR men Jerry and Mike have to find a “genuine zombie” before the opening of the hot new nightclub, the Zombie Hut. If they don’t, the mobster who hired them is going to put them on ice. It's a tough job. But is it as tough as sitting through Zombies on Broadway? John, Andy, and Producer Brad aim to find out.

US Theatrical Release Date: May 1,1945

1945 Domestic Box Office

1946 Academy Awards

1945 Horror Films

AFI Archives

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Voodoo Man (1944)

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Our old friend Bela Lugosi makes his return to the Zombie Strains laboratory… this time with a laboratory of his own! He’s concocting a desperate plan to bring his beloved wife back from the dead by stealing the life essence of innocent young women. Can he be stopped?! And more importantly, is there a new strain of zombie here? Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they enter the tangled web of the Voodoo Man!

US release date: February 21, 1944

Horror movies from 1944

1945 Academy Awards

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

US Theatrical movie poster.

The Frozen Dead (1966) AND The Last of Us (S2E1)

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

More Nazi zombies! The elite of the German army have been on ice since the end of WWII. Doctor Norberg must perfect his technique of reanimating his zombicles before his plans are foiled by his… niece? Join the Zombie Strains crew as they encounter animated body parts! Talking severed heads! Attempted murder by potted plant! Can they survive The Frozen Dead? BONUS: Stay tuned to the end where John and Andy sneak into the sub-sub-sub cellar of the Zombies Strains Lab to analyze The Last of Us.

US Theatrical release date: November 15, 1967

1966 Box Office

1967 Academy Awards

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Revenge of the Zombies (1943)

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

John, Andy, and Producer Brad travel deep into the swamps of Louisiana hot on the trail of a new zombie strain: The Nazi Super Soldier! Revenge of the Zombies has it all - Mad science, German spies, switched identities, and (best of all) podcast favorite Mantan Moreland. But there’s more! If you listen closely you’ll hear the first cinematic instance of brains being the key to a zombie’s existence.

Pack a snack and join us on our journey to uncover the next step in zombie evolution.

SHOW NOTES:

US Theatrical release date: September 17, 1943

Poster

1943 Box office results

1943 Horror films

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

2002 US horror box office

Ritual (2002)

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

After the cinematic high of I Walked with a Zombie it was inevitable that the pendulum would swing in the opposite direction. Specifically in the direction of 2002's Ritual, a loose remake of I Walked with a Zombie that stars Tim Curry, Jennifer Grey, and... the Crypt Keeper. How do the nuanced themes of the 1943 original interact with the salacious direct-to-DVD horror of this Tales from the Crypt production? Your intrepid zombie reporters John, Andy, and Brad are on the scene.

US Home theater release date: May 2, 2006

Movie poster

2002 US box office

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Based on Charlotte Bronte’s lyrical Jane Eyre and directed by legendary French director Jaques Tourneur, I Walked with a Zombie is a beautifully shot melodrama about… Wait what the hell is going on here?! Have John and Andy stumbled into the wrong podcast?! Or have they stumbled into… a good movie? Join us to discover what it is like when an auteur enters the zombie-verse!

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

AFI Archive's file on I Walked with a Zombie

US theatrical poster

1943 US Box Office

Inez Wallace original I Met A Zombie article

Article on Val Lewton

Bowery at Midnight (1942)

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

What is this? Bowery at Midnight stars Bela Lugosi as a kindly man running a soup kitchen for the down-and-out residents of the Bowery? Can you believe it !? Haha, no. We couldn't believe it either. As Bela builds his crimal empire, one of his henchmen secretly introduces one of the most critical Zombie Strains yet! Join John and Andy as they analyze the movie and share the startling results.

US theatrical release date: October 30, 1942

US theatrical release poster

1942 US box office

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

1942 Academy Award winners (for movies released in 1941)

King of the Zombies (1941)

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

King of the Zombies is the next mini-boss for our intrepid zombie adventurers, John and Andy. This film has the increasingly familiar mad scientist mixed with voodoo mash-up. But King of the Zombies adds a twist…Not just a mad scientist, but a Nazi mad scientist... using his zombies to uncover American military secrets. Will his foul plan succeed?! Or will he become a victim of his own machinations? Tune in to find out!

US theatrical release date: May 14, 1941

US theatrical poster

AFI Archive

Horror movies released in 1941

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

The Gorge (2025)

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 19:15:00 +0000

John and Andy get reckless and jump all the way to the present with The Gorge (2025) starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller. It is an action movie! And a love story! But is it a zombie movie? Join us as we try to figure out what The Gorge is trying to tell us about zombies today.

2024 US Domestic Box Office

2024 US Horror Films Box Office

Interview with writer Zach Dean

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Original U.S. one sheet poster

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 23:50:00 +0000

Last episode, John and Andy watched the first zombie comedy, The Ghost Breakers (1940). This episode John and Andy watch the best zombie comedy. Like an oasis from the future in the desert of the 1940s, Shaun of the Dead arrives to remind us why we fell in love with zombie movies in the first place.

2004 Box Office

2004 Horror Box Office

Edgar Wright's early influences

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Dan Ackroyd cites The Ghost Breakers as inspiration.

The Ghost Breakers (1940)

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

We have a new Strain of zombie movie! Our first zombie comedy, starring Bob Hope(!?), Paulette Goddard, and Willie Best. Released in 1940, it is one of the first horror comedies. Dan Akroyd even cites it as a huge influence on Ghostbusters! Join Andy and John in the lab to analyze all of these new zombie developments. Producer Brad tells the tale of how he met Bob Hope decades ago. Don’t miss it!

US Theatrical Release Date: October 30, 1942

Poster

Top Grossing films of 1940

AFI Archive

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Dean Jagger in Game of Death

Revolt of the Zombies (1936)

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Revolt of the Zombies (1936) is our fourth and final zombie film from the 1930s. Set in Cambodia during World War I, it was intended to be a sequel to White Zombie (1932). It trades Haitian voodoo zombies for ancient Asian zombies. It starts off with a collection of generals fearful that zombies will disrupt the balance of world power. In the end, this is another love story about a boy, standing in front a girl, asking her to love him, and using his zombie powers to make it come true.

US Theatrical Release Date: June 4, 1936

1947 Re-release Poster

AFI Archives

Movies released in 1936

Tere Shimado as Osato

History of Yamashiro restaurant

Rhodes, Gary D. White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland, 2006

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Link to view restored version with discussion hosted by UCLA.

Ouanga (1936)

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

After watching Maniac (1934), John and Andy are praying that the next zombie movie on their list, Ouanga (1936), is a return to the horror movies they love. What looked like another run-of-the-mill “voodoo” zombie movie contained an unexpectedly amazing performance. What other secrets does Ouanga hold?! Listen on your podcast app!

US Theatrical Release Date: 1942

Ouanga poster

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

@zombie_strains

Maniac (1934)

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

John and Andy take an unexpected turn on their zombie journey and stumble into Maniac (1934), an early exploitation flick. The film’s poster promises “dynamic sex lectures” and “strange loves exposed”, but the movie delivers mad scientists, murder, a cat named Satan and maybe one zombie.

US Theatrical Release Date: September 11, 1934

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

White Zombie (1932)

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

John and Andy go back 93 years to the dawn of zombie films to watch White Zombie (1932), the very first zombie movie. Horror movie legend Bela Lugosi stars as a sinister zombie master, just one year after he terrified audiences as Dracula. What connections to modern zombie strains will John and Andy find?

US Theatrical Release Date: August 4, 1932

AFI Archive

Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America "Dos and Don'ts page 5

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Read less

The Girl with All the Gifts (2017)

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

It’s Andy’s turn to present his baseline zombie film. His choice, The Girl with All the Gifts (2017), is strikingly different than John’s. Fast zombies? Check. Fast transmission? Check. Hordes of children who turn into zombies at the scent of humans? That’s new! Andy and John discuss this thought-provoking movie as they take another step on their zombie journey.

US Theatrical Release Date: February 24, 2017

Box Office for February 24, 2017

The Girl with All the Gifts Box Office

Top grossing horror films of 2017

New York Times Review

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact:

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

John and Andy begin their zombie journey with Zach Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead (2004). John goes big with his choice for the ideal zombie movie. Fast zombie hordes with quick transmission rates forcing moral choices as the world ends is John’s zombie jam.

US Theatrical Release: March 19, 2004

Opening Weekend Box Office, March 19, 2014

2004 Box Office

Dawn of the Dead Box Office

Top grossing horror films of 2004

New York Times review

Roger Ebert review

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Contact: