Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Walking Dead Blu-ray Movie Review

It's never too late for a second chance.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III November 6, 2024

Not to be mistaken for the television franchise that just won't die, Michael Curtiz's The Walking Dead offers one of horror icon Boris Karloff's very best lead performances. Already well-known for his turns in Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Mummy, Karloff returns to more hauntingly sympathetic territory with his moving portrayal of a wrongfully executed man given a miraculous second chance at life. Newly restored by Warner Archive from the original nitrate camera negative, The Walking Dead is a near-classic that's ripe for re-evaluation on Blu-ray.

Clocking in at an extremely brisk 66 minutes, The Walking Dead opens in court with a surprisingly guilty verdict for a prominent figure, one whose corrupt connections plan swift retaliation for presiding judge Roger Shaw (Joseph King). Planning to murder Shaw with the help of a patsy, Nolan (Ricardo Cortez) and his men decide to pin it on John Elman (Karloff), who's recently asked them for a job after coincidentally finishing a ten-year prison sentence handed down by Shaw for an accidental death. Their plan almost goes off without a hitch but the setup is witnessed by a young couple named Nancy and Jimmy (Marguerite Churchill and Warren Hull); they also coincidentally work for Dr. Evan Beaumont (Edmund Gwenn), who performs experimental medical procedures that'll soon be put to very good use. Elman is swiftly found guilty and executed for the "crime" only hours after the reluctant witnesses finally decide to step forward. Try as they might to save him, the clock's just struck midnight and its lights have already dimmed.

What follows is predictably a bit of a Frankenstein scenario, one in which Beaumont and company may as well scream "It's alive!" as electricity crackles in the background and the once-dead Elman reawakens. But while the setup of The Walking Dead and established filmography of Karloff might suggest a tale rooted in in science fiction and otherworldly horror, Elman's kinda-sorta revenge plot is played surprisingly straight. Karloff is his typically magnetic and haunting self, living out his second life in a surprisingly static and controlled manner but still seeking out the truth from those who wronged him. He does so with a new and heightened sense of reality as it pertains to the actual guilty parties, many of whom have naturally reinforced his beliefs by showing their own haunted projections of culpability.

It's a strange story indeed, one with inarguable highlights -- Karloff's lead performance, capable direction by Curtiz, outstanding cinematography -- as well as a few lingering elements that hold it back ever-so-slightly, such as a reliance on plot coincidences and unavoidable compromises brought on by newly-enforced Hays Code restrictions. Luckily The Walking Dead survives these speed bumps with energy to spare, coasting by on the strength of its atmosphere and underdog status as a lesser-known entry in Karloff's stacked résumé. Another big reason to celebrate its resurrection is the tireless efforts of Warner Archive, who have put together an extremely well-rounded Blu-ray package that might sneak onto a few Top 10 lists this year. Sourced from a brand-new restoration of original elements and paired with a nice collection of suitable supplements, it's a disc I can endorse for established fans and newcomers too.

The Walking Dead Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative and treated to a round of careful manual cleanup, The Walking Dead fittingly gets another chance at life on home video thanks to Warner Archive's reliable restorative efforts. The silvery sheen of its nitrate source is in full effect here, creating velvety textures that showcase its striking cinematography which deftly mixes haunting close-ups, nicely composed wide shots, and a few welcome touches of German Expressionism just for good measure. The result is an exceedingly clean but purist-friendly presentation with copious amounts of organic film grain, solid black levels, excellent contrast, and only the smallest hints of forgivably remaining source material damage. Given the less-than-impressive appearance of previous discs including WB's own Karloff & Lugosi Horror Classics DVD collection, this 1080p transfer will look like an absolute revelation.

The Walking Dead Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Not to be outdone is the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix, which offers a proportionally clean and crisp presentation of its one-channel source material. Dialogue and background effects rarely fight for attention, there's plenty of room for the original score by Bernhard Kaun (who fittingly provided the music for both Frankenstein and Doctor X), and only trace levels of hiss remain so as not to risk compromising the dynamic range. It's a solid effort, all things considered, and deserves credit for supporting The Walking Dead's haunting atmosphere just as much as its visuals.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, not the extras below.

The Walking Dead Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with striking poster-themed cover artwork and includes a somewhat unexpected but certainly welcome variety of new and vintage bonus features.

• Audio Commentary #1 - Author Greg Mank contributes what one might assume is a legacy track that's predictably dense and entertaining, as his deep knowledge of classic horror cinema and organized presentation style make this a valuable listen. Mank does an excellent job establishing context and keeping things light and breezy while delving in to the film's themes, main performances, cameos, and technical aspects, often taking short breaks to let key scenes play out before jumping back into action. Well worth a listen!

• Audio Commentary #2 - A rare new and exclusive commentary presumably produced by Warner Archive, this track features film historian and author Alan K. Rode and is no less valuable than the previous track. Though a bit slower and dryer overall, there's plenty of great information here and it's delivered capably from start to finish as Rode speaks at length about the cast, crew, context, and even a bit about the new restoration.

• Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You've Never Heard Of (37:20) - If this mid-length documentary sounds familiar, it's because was included on Warner Bros.' 4K release of Casablanca two years ago and originally created for their earlier Ultimate Edition Blu-ray, reviewed by Kenneth Brown a decade earlier.

• Classic Cartoons - A pair of restored Merrie Melodies shorts from the WB vault.

• The Cat Came Back (8:01) - This 1936 cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng follows a warring family of cats and mice who briefly see through their differences before biology kicks in again.
• Let It Be Me (7:54) - Another Freleng-directed short from the same year, this one concerns a group of hens obsessed with popular singer "Mr. Bingo" (Bing Crosby) including Emily the Chicken, whose sweetie Clem spirals into depression when the visiting crooner whisks her away to the big city.

• Theatrical Trailer (1:13) - Taken from a rare 16mm print supplied by a friend of Warner Archive.

The Walking Dead Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's not very often that an actor's name deserves to be the focal point of a movie poster, but Boris Karloff's towering performance in The Walking Dead is clearly the main reason to watch it. Don't get me wrong: this is an effective story well-told thanks to its supporting performances, striking visuals, and of course the excellent direction by Michael Curtiz, but Karloff's turn as a wrongfully executed man who gets a second chance at life is certainly one of his best. Warner Archive's welcome Blu-ray treatment absolutely demolishes past DVD editions with a top-tier 4K-sourced restoration of the original nitrate camera negative, haunting lossless audio, and a nice collection of new and legacy bonus features, it's one of the boutique label's finest releases in a great year and comes Highly Recommended.