Edward Dein

A clever, thoughtful and nicely-realised vampire western that sees landowner Buffer (Bruce Gordon) muscling in on his neighbours land including that of the pretty Dolores (Kathleen Crowley). When gaunt, black leather-clad gunslinger named Drake Robey (Michael Pate) arrives in town Dolores hires him. Unfortunately the stranger's arrival coincides with a number of mysterious deaths. "Curse of the Undead" is a moody film that is nicely shot in high contrast black-and-white. Director Edward Dein and cinematographer Ellis W. Carter's approach is subtle and eerie with some great graveyard shots, some other-worldly sequences and a great shadow-haunted climax. Irving Gertz contributes an effectively strange score while Michael Pate makes for a creepy "villain" with a tragic backstory. This is a good wee film and a surprisingly well conceived western / horror mashup.… (more)