MovieChat Forums > King of the Zombies (1941) Discussion > Simply THE best horror-comedy...

Simply THE best horror-comedy...

posted 17 years ago by noirfiend
14 replies | jump to latest

Just my personal taste, but for the very same reasons that everyone praises Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, is why I LOVE this film. Just over an hour B-movie fun at it's best! Mantan dishes out the wisecracks like no other while everyone else in the cast plays it "straight". And on top of all that, you get loads of atmosphere: cheap sets shrouded in fog, darkened hallways, underground lairs where the maids are cooking for the zombies. I love this picture, and became a huge Mantan fanatic after watching this. Anyone have a favorite line? There's so many... I always wonder in Mantan's movies just how much was improvised(I'm thinking more than half). "I don't know, but it sure ain't Gene Krupa!" "I can't, my feet done took to root." For more Mantan madness, I suggest the all-black cast film, Lucky Ghost...

[–] gorilla_horse 17 years ago

Except for the gags relating directly to skin color, pretty much everything Mantan says is priceless. I love the way he describes zombies as "dead folks what’s too lazy to lay down." And the final line is a lovely linguistic knot: "If there's one thing that I wouldn't wanna be twice, zombies is both of 'em."

Why do you think Mantan was improvising more than half, noirfiend? I'm not disagreeing, just curious. I was guessing that, with the long takes, his lines were at least pre-written, because no one was bursting out laughing. I don't know who wrote his jokes, but I'm sure he at least contributed, yes?

[–] bradford-1 17 years ago

From what I've read, Moreland was paid extra by Monogram to contribute extra dialogue and bits of business, not just in films he appeared in, but others as well. Also, directors like Yarborough and Phil Rosen knew enough to keep the cameras rolling after the official end of a scene just in case Morleand came up with something new. In many Monograms, you can see Moreland's fellow actors working hard to keep straight faces.

[–] boomcoach 16 years ago

While it is sad that this was all that was available to a black actor at the time, Moreland is priceless. His lines make the ability to backup a show worth the cost of a DVR. He makes a yawner zombie movie worth the watch.

--
If I was God, I would still be an atheist; I have never had faith in myself.

[–] xylonian-1 16 years ago

Well I wasn't paying attention, and thought this was going to be one of those B (truly) horror movies, of which I had never seen....

Shortly thereafter "What did he just say????"....

Urania to Terpsichore: "You're so quiet. Musing????"

[–] sillyspaghetti 16 years ago

Is this the film with the lines....?
"What are those drums?"
"They are voodoo drums!"

My movies at: http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=34435324

[–] wolfsblood66210 15 years ago

Agree 100%! Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein is a classic. And it's scary too. Same with some of the Three Stooges shorts.

[–] noname1479 13 years ago

Mammy from "Gone With The Wind", Hattie McDaniel's illustrous career was cut short because the black community felt that her portrayals were an insult. The NAACP and other black civil rights organizations, began many letter writing campaigns to protest Hattie. I'm surprised that they didn't go after Mantan Moreland, considering his portrayals were more extreme. I personally feel that these portrayals were high comedy. But then, my people weren't being lynched and generally mistreated.

[–] vawlkee_2000 12 years ago

The NAACP was "PC" before it was in vogue and ruined many careers with their meddling! To me they really serve little purpose anymore.
I suggest you go to you tube and watch some of the Amos 'n Andy programs!
Funnier than Sanford and Son and with the slurs.
Yet the NAACP demanded that the reruns of A'nA be pulled because they deemed it to be offensive.
Ironically the cast took issue with them to no avail.
Check it out.

[–] noname1479 12 years ago

I have several episodes of Amos & Andy on video. Some of their episodes are better than others. Comedy on the level of I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners. Some could argue that those 2 shows make Cubans & obese people look bad, but no one really has.

[–] tali1 11 years ago

Loads of horror-comedies far far better than this

Hey Witchdoctor, give us the magic words.
ooh ee ooh ah ah, ting tang wallawallabingba

[–] strangenstein (683) 3 years ago

The PC snowflake crowd always gets their knickers in a knot over these old movies, but I wish they’d actually stop and WATCH the movie. Mantan Moreland is great, and steals every scene he’s in. He was tremendously funny, and it makes the movie that much better.

The Cancel Culture crowd can kiss my grits.

[–] marktayloruk (2378) a month ago

I thought that Hattie's career was cut short by her death.

[–] billyglenn 11 years ago

Coming up tonight on Macabre Theater with Ivonna Cadaver.

http://doomcheez.com/Graphics/Posters/king-of-the-zombies.jpg

[–] WalterDenton 10 years ago

Moreland is great, and to his critics, and the PC folks, if you look at the films most black actors were in during the 30's and 40's, you will notice one thing about 4 in particular-Ethel Waters, Juano Hernandez, Hattie McDaniel and Mantan Moreland-they all had seemingly more screen time, why-because they had talent, now not to digress, Mr. Moreland held his own in the Frankie Darro and Chan series. Yes, he may seem to be stereotypical scared (then what was Lou Costello or Curley Howard in the same sort of films. Stereotypical whites?)Moreland was funny, and did improvise. He even starred in some of his own comedies, and the Lucky Ghost-where he was the same as he was in the Chan's. Sometimes, Moreland is the smarter one when it all comes to conclusion of some of the Darro films and even the Chan's Doesn't he warn folks to watch out.

Fact is, from the stereotypical Irish sounding cop in the 30's and 40's, to the stereotypical hick in films in the same era, blacks were victimized by the same public misconception. Overall, Moreland is way more intelligent acting wise than say the horrific Stepin Fetchett or Willie Best. Moreland held his own, and basically, carried several of the weaker plot Chan's and this film-King of the Zombies.

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