All through the opening credit sequences of "Black Zoo", I anticipated to see the typical disclaimer-message "no animals were harmed during the shooting of this film" appear, but it didn't come. Five minutes later, though, I exactly knew why it didn't come. Beautiful big cats, like Siberian tigers and African lions, walk little circles in ridiculously small cages, chimpanzees are dressed up in hideous clothing and forced to inhale cigarette smoke for the sake of "entertainment", and that sort of things. Perhaps these animals weren't physically abused, but they certainly were traumatized for life. But hey, it was the early sixties and organizations like ALF or PETA didn't exist yet, so let's assume we believe Michael Gough's character when he claims his animals love and respect him.
"Black Zoo" is fantastic 60s horror entertainment, with a grotesquely absurd plot and preposterous lead characters! Simply the idea that someone penned down a horror plot in which a tyrannical private zoo owner assumes he can get away with letting animals commit gruesome murders is delightful, or at least in my crazy world it is. Michael Conrad unleashes his mighty lion in arrogant realtors' mansions or sends his grinning gorilla to the garage of female talent agents, and he honestly thinks he's untouchable! It must be said, though, the sequences with the animal attacking are genuinely impressive; - kudos to the trainers.
Gough goes genially over the top once again, just like he did in "Horrors of the Black Museum" and "Konga"; - his previous collaborations with producer Herman Cohen. True horror-fanatics adore Michael Gough. He may not be in the same league as the Vincent Prices, Christopher Lees or Boris Karloffs of this world, but his movies never disappoint!
