The Undead (1957)

A beautiful woman is sent back in time via hypnosis to the Middle Ages where she finds she is suspected of being a witch, and subject to being executed.

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Charles B. Griffith (screenplay) (as Charles Griffith), Mark Hanna (screenplay)

Stars:

Pamela Duncan, Richard Garland, Allison Hayes

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Pamela Duncan	...	Diana Love / Helene
Richard Garland	...	Pendragon
Allison Hayes	...	Livia, witch
Val Dufour	...	Quintus Ratcliff
Mel Welles	...	Smolkin, the gravedigger
Dorothy Neumann	...	Meg Maud, witch
Billy Barty	...	The Imp
Bruno VeSota	...	Scroop, the innkeeper (as Bruno Ve Sota)
Richard Devon	...	Satan
Maurice Manson	...	Prof. Ulbrecht Olinger
Aaron Saxon	...	Gobbo, the Jailer
Don Garrett	...	The Knight (as Don Garret)
Dick Miller	...	The Leper (as Richard Miller)

Storyline

Two psychical researchers procure the services of a lady of the night and send her back in time under hypnosis. She finds herself in the body of a past existence - a woman in medieval times waiting to be beheaded as a witch. By avoiding this fate she unwittingly starts to alter history.

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Plot Keywords:

devil | 1950s | middle ages | altering history | witch | 

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Taglines:

Terror... that screams from the grave!

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

15 March 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Trance of Diana Love

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Balboa Productions, Roger Corman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

71 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Featured as the movie in the 6th episode of the 8th season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, when the episode aired on the Sci-Fi network

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Goofs

Lydia's dress sports a zipper in the back.

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Quotes

Livia, witch: No one has ever called me a witch!
Meg Maud, witch: And lived to see another witch?

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Horror: Witches (1996)

User Reviews

overt sexuality and rebellion: a good witchcraft film

I like MST3K, but this movie really does deserve more credit than they gave it. The premise is pretty daring for 1957, and like the earlier film I Married a Witch, this movie forces males in the audience (and probably a few of the women) to feel physical attraction to, and thereby sympathy for, a witch. The actress is really very extraordinary to see. Sympathy in the 1950s audience is also created for a prostitute, another "bad" person, not only by emphasizing her looks but by making her (or, rather, her French incarnation) the most noble character on the screen. The people who sell their souls to Satan, and celebrate a forbidden mass, also come across as basically sympathetic figures, because of their miserable fortunes in a difficult, repressive society. And The Undead is almost aggressively feminist, even, with the bad witch appearing as a much stronger figure than Satan, and the male doctor who manipulates the poor prostitute ultimately looking quite awful. Apart from all this anti-social artistry, the atmosphere is evoked well, and the evocation of lawlessness and life-beyond-respectability is very effective.

I admire The Undead and encourage people to see the film without robots in the way.