100 YEARS OF HORROR #24: I Walked With A Zombie (1943)

When it comes to the most acclaimed films concerning traditional Pre-Romero zombies, I Walked With A Zombie (1943) is usually a large part of the conversation, along with the early Lugosi vehicle White Zombie (1932). I Walked With A Zombie comes from the same team as Cat People (1942), the focus of the previous episode of this series, and features many of that film’s qualities, from a well-crafted atmosphere to noir visuals. The plot follows a nurse, Betsy, who is hired to tend to the wife of a plantation owner overseas in the Caribbean. When she arrives, the peculiar nature of the job comes to light. The wife is unable to speak and is caught in a perpetual sleepwalk, seemingly moving against her own will. Some believe it is a fever, while others suspect a sinister voodoo curse.