Very well executed

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Shot in South Africa, the location of this film lends a unique air of mystery to am otherwise fairly typical early 70's British thriller. While the story plays it safe, the scenery and camera work shines. the inside of the Bradley house is both chilling and gorgeous, and the beautiful lanscapes create an odd contrast to both the dark mansion, and the frightening plot. While it isn't the most innovative film, I can't help but feel that much of the negative reviews and ratings to cloud this film's online presence are the result of disappointment over the misleading film title.

As I watched this one I felt something was odd about it. While the cast seemed to all be English, the terrain and deep blue sky seemed somewhat foreign, so I was interested to learn afterwards that this is a South African production. It's a pretty rare thing to find a horror movie from that country, and this was probably the most interesting thing about this one. It's another costume horror, of which there were many back at the time this was released. Set in the 19th century, it centres on a young woman who travels to the plantation home of her fiancé, whose family has a grim history. The mother tries to encourage her to leave, while the other brother is an unseen lunatic in the attic. As is so often the way, a series of murders start happening. But are they a result of voodoo? Is it mad science at work? Or is this the work of…a horse!? All, is eventually revealed.The combination of a hokey mad scientist plot-line with traditional voodoo is slightly unusual. As is the way that animals are sometimes presented, with a major character being what can only be described as a so-called devil horse which the locals actually believe could be roaming around in the dead of night committing all the killings. The science bit is covered by the not entirely interesting idea of human soul transferal. So the story has quite a few disparate ideas kicking about and there is undoubtedly some potential in the set-up but the presentation is often quite meandering and uneventful. But it's overall actually not bad really, as there is some atmosphere generated in some of the night scenes depicting strange goings on and there is a quite well executed chase scene involving a hooded villain too. The South African setting adds something new as well which definitely elevates the material by itself. As I say, it doesn't always maximise its ideas and it is a bit messy but it does also have a lively ending to round things off. All things considered, despite a few faults, this one is definitely better than its reputation would suggest.

House of the Living Dead is about a family with a history of mental illness living on the Cape in South Africa. There is the mother and her two sons - Michael, the Master of the house and his brother Breck, the demented mad scientist. Breck, who is deformed and lives shut in a room at the top of the house, believes that the soul is an organic object that can be isolated and contained outside the body.Michael's fiancé comes to marry him, but she's not welcomed at all by his mother. Strange things are going on at the plantation, including murder and some voodoo-like witchcraft being practiced by the natives.At this point, the movie starts to drag. There are a couple of chase scenes and an eerie organ inside the house that seems to be playing on its own. When the local constable begins to investigate things, we begin to get a glimpse into what's really going on.When watching this kind of movie, you hope there will be enough suspense to keep you riveted to the film. If you can't get that, you at least hope you'll get a good ending. I don't want to spoil things, so all I'll say is that this movie at least has a really exciting ending. However, the film leaves you with questions that were never answered and the viewer is left to wonder about certain things.Overall, if this is a genre of movies that you enjoy, I'd say watch it. If the whole "suspense, mad scientist, witchcraft" thing isn't high on your list as to the kind of movies you like, you'll probably be disappointed.Some people who have written reviews think the title of the movie is deceptive because it isn't a zombie movie. There is just cause for the title...if you're paying attention!

"An insane scientist has been experimenting with the transfer of souls between human beings. The crazed doctor has conducted his nefarious deeds upon even his own family members, including the exchange of his own soul into his brother's body. With his soul now inhabiting a new body, the madman believes he can continue his experiments uninterrupted," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.The title "House of the Living Dead" may be more an attempt to cash in on prior successful motion pictures than a reflection of what goes on in this movie. The story might have been above average, with the cast and crew involved; but, the execution is severely flawed. The lugubriously languid production picks up (slightly) in the last quarter. Leading man Mark Burns (as Michael and Breck) tries awfully hard; he maintains an long screaming scene remarkably well. Shirley Anne Field is a welcome attraction. But, the movie doesn't work.