Zinda Laash (1967)

Director:

Khwaja Sarfraz

Writers:

Naseem Rizwani (dialogue)
Khwaja Sarfraz (writer)

Genre:

Crime | Horror

Tagline:

Dracula in Pakistan!

Plot Keywords:

Investigation | Controversy | Dracula | Lollywood | Death

Cast

Ala-Ud-In	...	Parvez
Asad Bukhari	...	Dr. Aqil Harker (as Asad)
Cham Cham
Latif Charlie
Deeba	...	Shabnam
Habib	...	Aqil's Brother
Baby Najmi
Nasreen	...	Vampire bride
Rehan	...	Professor Tabani / Dracula
Sheela
Yasmine	...	Shirin
Munwar Zarif

Also Known As:

Dracula in Pakistan (USA)
The Living Corpse (International: English title)

Runtime:

USA:103 min

Country:

Pakistan

Language:

Urdu

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.44 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated (DVD rating)

Trivia:

Was almost banned from its original release because of the censors felt that the movie was too vulgar.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Zibahkhana (2007)

Singing, dancing, oh and vampires too!

Historically this was Pakistan's first venture into the terror film genre and we came mighty close to losing this film before it was discovered (in some "rusty old cans", according to the brave film buff who found it) in a vault.

The plot borrows heavily from Hammer's HORROR OF Dracula, in fact there are times when the music even has a noticeable similarity to James Bernard's score. There are some classical themes thrown in as well, notice "The Barber of Seville" playing during the car chase scene) and some other cues which are . . .well . . . eccentric to say the least. Early in the film when someone is driving to the vampires mansion you can recognise strains of "La Cucaracha" on the soundtrack. The lighting and the sets reminded me more of the vampire films coming out of Mexico in the late 50's. The vampire's vast home might have suited Count Frankenhausen or Count Lavud quite well. This time though the vampire is created via scientific means. A doctor who believes he has discovered the elixir of eternal life takes one swallow and turns into a vampire! Well, that is eternal life of a sort, right?

Oh and there are songs in the film too, in fact it was beginning to remind me of the Mexican film CRY OF THE BEWITCHED (1965) with the plot stopping . . .er . . ."dead" in its tracks so characters could sing. This is not to say the characterisations were not believable, they certainly are. The hero, our Van Helsing character, has a very hard time convincing anyone there is a vampire stalking victims until our bloodsucking villain strikes very close to home, claiming the sister of a man who refused to believe vampires were real.

Okay, now remember this film was done in Pakistan in the mid-60's so don't expect gore or nudity or anything like that; although there is a great man vs. vampire fight scene near the end. By all means do not miss an opportunity to see this film.