The Frozen Dead (1966)

Directed by Herbert J. Leder [Other horror films: It! (1967)]

More than anything, while I wouldn’t say The Frozen Dead was a dry film, or even a bad film, I just didn’t care for the story. It doesn’t help that far more important to the movie than the titular frozen dead is a decapitated head kept alive, and that’s simply not where my interest lies.

Dealing with a Nazi scientiest twenty years following the fall of Nazi Germany attempting to revive frozen Nazi soldiers, there’s some okay Nazi action going on here. Some solid loyalty to the party, some nice German accents, and a scheme to, I guess, get into another war after reviving around 1500 soldiers. I don’t know how exactly they expected that to work, but I guess kudos for the optimism.

Some story elements didn’t seem entirely delved into, such as Dr. Norberg’s (Dana Andrews) connection with Mrs. Smith/Schmidt (Ann Tirard), or what happened with Basil Henson’s character, who just seems to disappear after an attempted murder. I doubt an answer to either one would change my overall perception on this one, but it’s just small things I noticed. Oh, speaking of which, I did enjoy seeing a crew member clearly on screen during one of the final scenes of the film. Looked totes professional.

Related, this was apparently released to American theaters (it’s a British movie) in black-and-white, though the print I saw on TCM was in color. I sort of wonder if perhaps seeing the movie in black-and-white would have increased the atmosphere at all, but at the same time, even if I had seen it in that form, it wouldn’t have made the story here any more enjoyable.

For what his character is, Dana Andrews (Night of the Demon) is fine. I’d have like to see him wrestle between the love of his niece and his loyalty to the Nazi Party, but whateves. Anna Palk (Tower of Evil) was okay, but didn’t strike me as memorable. Honestly, while Basil Henson was fun as a Nazi who likes to inflict pain, and Karel Stepanek made for a decent former Nazi general, that seemed to be all there was to their characters. It may come as little surprise that Alan Tilvern was likewise unspectacular.

At least Philip Gilbert’s character was sort of interesting. True, he was the expected generic love interest of Palk’s, but his character, an American scientist, actually takes an active part in Andrews’ unethical science experiments, and it’s not until things get worse that he decides to take a step back. It’s not much, but it at least added some flavor.

Elsewise, there’s not a whole lot here. I would have likely enjoyed it more if it actually dealt with the frozen dead, but they play very little part in the movie. Even toward the finale, when it seems like their focus could deepen, it doesn’t. The wall of arms (which, by the way, was hella creepy) got more action than the frozen dead, and it’s just a disappointment.

Even so, I don’t think it’s a terrible movie. If it’s the type of horror you’re into, then got for it. I’d never say The Frozen Dead doesn’t have some okay ideas, but generally, I just didn’t enjoy this one, and I doubt that seeing it again in the future will change that.

5/10