Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974)
Directed by Jorge Grau
Written by Juan Cobos and Sandro Continenza

Stylish and moody zombie flick that manages to be neither silly nor boring, yet it's not exactly scary either. Far from the Fulcian bloodfest you might expect from a 1974 Italian production, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie has a lot more in common with those later-era Hammer horror movies – thick atmosphere, stunning photography, and characters who yell a lot.

The plot concerns two strangers (Ray Lovelock and Cristina Galbó) who find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery which seems to involve zombies bringing themselves and each other back to life because of some pesticide being used in a nearby experimental farm. Unfortunately, the anti-Hippie police chief (Arthur Kennedy) believes none of this, instead firm in his belief that Lovelock is the killer.

A gratuitous female streaking scene early in the film promises sexual deviance that never arrives, but Corpses still has plenty going for it – its mystery is well-plotted, the acting is believable, and the zombies are surprisingly well-done. Although the same plot has been done better (28 Days Later) and gorier (Cabin Fever), Let Sleeping Corpses Lie is still one of the better zombie flicks out there. Its subtleties are refreshing, and visually it gives off the same cool vibe as almost any early-70s Brasilian pop album cover … it may be a period piece, but what a period.

Things start dragging pretty heavy past the 70-minute mark, and the film could surely have used some music (the soundtrack consists almost entirely of dialogue and wheezy zombie-breathing … after awhile it feels like watching a horror movie with an asthmatic). But the ending makes up for the boring stretches, and you have to give some props to a zombie movie with a vaguely ecological message.

Review by Lottie Holloway