The Frozen Dead

• Written, Produced and Directed by Herbert J. Leder
• July 23, 1967 (UK) / November 15, 1967 (US)

A Nazi scientist is working to revive frozen Nazi soldiers at his English estate so that the Third Reich can rise again 20 years after World War II.

When I first heard of this, I thought The Frozen Dead was something along the lines of Dead Snow. Not that I was disappointed realizing it involved cryogenics rather than the undead. I am game for a good Nazi super science story. And this is good even if dated in a few spots.

There is something that I must bring up first because I really hate it. It NEVER works and is a sin committed often in older films and still somewhat to this day in cheaper productions. It is the use of night filter. The more movies I watch the more I am against it. This engages in that very wrong quite liberally in the beginning. How tough is it to film at night or rewrite the scene to happen in the daylight? Just get creative in some way.

Dr. Norberg (Dana Andrews) is working on a way to successfully revive a few frozen Nazis dangling in a freezer which will be the basis for thawing out another 1500 elsewhere around the world presumably also hanging like sides of beef in a meat locker. Norberg does all of his work in a very inconspicuous castle outside of London with in uniform Nazi-sicles hanging around. Really? Super science and Nazis go hand-in-hand so you can pretty much toss in anything when you toss it Nazis but in modern times the execution here has some humor.

Officer Nordberg, er, Dr. Norberg is living in a castle with his niece Jean (Anna Palk) whose father was a test subject that is not quite right after being revived just like all the rest. Why not just make the character his daughter? She can still be ignunt of his work with her reaction to the truth coming off the same.

The Frozen Dead is more mystery than terror. When her friend Elsa (Kathleen Breck) disappears from the castle while on a visit from school, Jean becomes obsessed with figuring out what happened. There is plenty of visual weirdness and general weirdness like a woman who puts on a fake face name Smith (Ann Tirard) whose real name is Scmidt and is the wife of Norberg’s assistant. She has a cool Bond-esque gimmick, but it is just a plot device to stretch things out.

Norberg reveals to visiting American scientist Dr. Roberts (Philip Gilbert) that Elsa is now a semi-living severed head that he’s studying to figure out how to get the brain working right after freezing and the guy is all cool with it. It is weird how something like this could happen in the movie and the guy comes off as okay by the time of the credits. He is even Jean’s love interest though like so many other older films I have no idea where it began.

Somehow inexplicably the disembodied head develops a level of psychic powers. She’s able to at the minimum generate fear or discomfort among those around her. There’s also the ability of her to project thoughts into the dreams and mind of Jean. You just go with it because once you are okay with everything else THAT is not too much at all. You quickly become game for anything.

The disembodied arms have a little bit of shock. The Frozen Dead works much better on its atmosphere though. Despite only ever encountering six significant characters (and three or so smaller ones) Herbert J. Leder got a lot of mileage out of the plot. Without access to the freedom of modern gore, the method of death is overly dramatic strangulation. I understand it took less imagination and creativity to do that than to imply someone getting shot or disemboweled but looking constipated while hands are wrapped around a throat does not drama make.

This is British horror and I like that the townsfolk have thick local accents rather than something prim and proper. They are more chimney sweep than aristocrat. I want somebody that sounds like they go down to the pub once a week or know someone that does.

Between the evil plot and the acting this is immensely watchable. You couldn’t present this film identically today because if it were made today as it is now you would be bothered by all the things that work here because it was made during the 60s. From the Nazis dangling in the freezer to disembodied arms kept alive by a few tubes while attached to a board and the head kept alive in a similar fashion. It’s silly but while you’re watching you take it pretty seriously. There is a certain kind of magic that cannot be replicated today.

The Frozen Dead is a good movie. It has some atmosphere and a better than it deserves script. If you like old school British horror, then I think this will appeal to you.