White Zombie

Gary D. Rhodes, a documentary filmmaker, is a professor at the Queen’s University, Belfast.

“exhaustive...[a] massively documented work...deserves to be emulated as a model for single-film scholarship in the future”—C&RL News; “this text represents one of the most important contributions that this publisher often provides to the academic world...a fascinating wealth of thoroughly researched evidence”—Film Quarterly; “detailed…superb…penned with enthusiasm and complete authority…benefits from some exceptionally rare stills and promotional items…fascinating...impossible to imagine how this could be bettered”—Film Review; “exhaustively researched, filled with new information about the film, it’s star, and it’s director. Every aspect of the film is dissected. The book is nothing less than a history lesson. Rhodes’ research is so amazing...[he] should be applauded for giving White Zombie, it’s star, and it’s director the recognition they all so richly deserve. Thanks to [him] generations to come will be able to study Bela Lugosi’s life and work with a detail never before seen in the annals of film history”—Filmfax; “explor[es] every aspect of the film...entertaining...an incredible appendix...fascinating facts and materials...a horror maven’s heaven!! A one-of-a-kind book that leaves you...hypnotized! Rhodes has filled a gap in movie history...magnificent...stunning”—Classic Images; “an exhaustive account...most impressive in its tireless research and impeccable scholarship...the book quickly wins over the reader with its wealth of fascinating information...really comes to life with its biography of director Halperin interwoven with a meticulous reconstruction of his unique but little documented career...it’s a winner”—Little Shoppe of Horrors; “exhaustive detail...a wealth of information”—Pop Matters; “exhaustive...audio commentary is exemplary”—Big Reel; “massive...excellent...loaded with rare stills and illustrations...fascinating reading”—Scarlet Street; “everything you ever wanted to know about White Zombie...is all here and then some...exhaustive...profusely illustrated...the most thorough treatment ever lavished upon a single low-budget genre film...read the book”—VideoScope; “a joy to have and hold…a classic book”—Cult Movies; “outstanding…meticulously research[ed]…delivers everything you’d ever want to know about this cult-classic…an astounding piece of work”—Shock Cinema; “exhaustive...a very fine job”—Science Fiction Chronicle; “definitive”—Interzone; “exhaustive...worthwhile”—The Intelligencer Record.

• Table of ContentsForeword by George E. Turner      Introduction      ChapterAnalyzing the Texts and Contexts: White Zombie Under Scrutiny      ChapterCasting the Mold: The Pre-Halperin World of Voodoo and Zombies      Chapter ThreeBringing an Independent Film to Life: White Zombie in Production      Chapter FourExhibiting the Land of the Living Dead: White Zombie on First Release      Chapter FiveContinuing the Tradition: More Voodoo, More Zombies      ChapterCreeping Back from the Grave: White Zombie's Modern Cultural Impact      Chapter SevenPreserving the History: The Restoration of White Zombie      Chapter EightRe-examining the Reputation: White Zombie Under Modern Critical Scrutiny      Chapter NineReviewing the Literature: White Zombie in Print      ChapterReconstructing a Director: The Life and Career of Victor Hugo Halperin      Appendix A: Reviews of The Magic Island      Appendix B: Zombie Program Information      Appendix C: Reviews of Zombie      Appendix D: White Zombie Cast and Credits      Appendix E: White Zombie Pressbook Information      Appendix F: Additional White Zombie Ballyhoo      Appendix G: Reviews of White Zombie      Appendix H: White Zombie Theater Grosses      Appendix I: White Zombie British Pressbook Information      Appendix J: White Zombie Videocassette Releases      Appendix K: Subsequent Careers of White Zombie's Cast, Crew, and Auxiliaries      Appendix L: Revolt of the Zombies Pressbook Information      Appendix M: Victor Halperin Family Scrapbook Photographs      Appendix N: Cast and Credits for Other Victor Halperin Films      Appendix O: Strange Lands and Seven Seas      Appendix P: White Zombie Shot List      Chapter Notes      Index