Zombie Strains

When evil sorcerer Aderbal (John Drew Barrymore) invokes the power of a sinister three-eyed goddess to raise an invulnerable zombie army, only one man has the courage (and biceps) to stop him: centurion Gaius (Ettore Mani). This sword-and-sandal epic set in ancient Rome has it all: swords! sandals! beautiful women! bare-chested men! And, of course, zombies. Does this zombie army live up to the hype? There's only one way to find out: join the Zombie Strains crew on an odyssey into the Italian peplum genre.SHOW NOTES:Movie poster artist Reynold Brown1961 New York Times article on the art of dubbing in Italian films.With Gorley and Rust episode on Rosemary's Baby, John referenced.Theme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

This week, our bold Zombie Strains investigators chart a course for rural England, where the sinister Dr. Blood (Keiron Moore) is harvesting the still-beating hearts of his victims to empower his insane medical "research." Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they brave the dangers of the Cornish Tin Mines, meet scream-queen legend Hazel Court, face their most gnarly zombie yet... and unravel the mystery Doctor Blood's Coffin.Show Notes:Still of blood donor poster seen in Doctor Blood's Coffin.The Zombie Encyclopedia by Peter DengleZombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn KayHazel Court, 82, Screaming Horror-Film Star, Dies - The New York TimesReview of Hazel Court's autobiography, Horror Queen.Blog post on the matte paintings of Hammer films.Bio for famed matte painter Lew Bowie.Theme music composed by Neil Dube.Additional music by Elarasound.www.pond5.comAdditional voice work by Russell Bentley.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onInstagramFacebook

Who knew there was more than one zombie movie centered on Cornish tin mines? That's the setting of the Hammer Horror classic THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966), which features spooky moors, an arrogant British zombie master, and the most intense (and violent) zombie resurrection we've seen so far. Venture into the mines with John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they excavate a true zombie cinema gem.Show Notes:Medium post on the making of THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIESAndré Morell's biographyJohn Carson obituaryBrook Williams obituaryJacqueline Pearce obituaryDendle, Peter. The Zombie Movie EncyclopediaBritish cinema in the 1960sTheme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Exotic locations! Spy gadgets! Suave secret agents taking down enemy... zombies? With "THE VERY IMPORTANT ZOMBIE AFFAIR", an episode of the hit 1960s TV show THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., the Zombie Strains team ventures into uncharted territory: the satirical superspy genre. Napoleon Solo and his sidekick Ilya go up against a Caribbean dictator whose favorite method of oppression is zombification. Will our heroes take out the villain without becoming zombies themselves? Tune in on your shoe phone or favorite podcast app to find out.Show Notes:Original broadcast date: December 31, 19651956-66 TV ratingsIan Flemings involvement with THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.Gerald Fried obituaryRobert Vaughn obituaryDavid McCallum obituaryIan Fleming's Mr. SoloTheme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Revenge is a dish best served with zombies! At least, that's the plan of mad scientist Dr. Conrad Fisherman, who has brought his own brother back from the dead and sent him on a misogynistic killing spree. Look closely amid all the low-budget terror of DR. ORLOF'S MONSTER and you might just find a few zombie movie firsts, like zombie-killing headshots! Join the Zombie Strains team as John, Andy, and Brad tackle this strangely compelling European gothic tale of madness, betrayal, and the walking dead.SHOW NOTESTheatrical release dates:October 12, 1965 (Spain)Jess Franco obituaryAgnes Spaak InstagramKay, Glenn. Zombie Movies: The Ultimate GuideTheme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Can Hercules (Reg Park) thwart the evil machinations of usurper King Lico (Christopher Lee!) in time to save his beloved Deianira (Leonora Ruffo) from spending the rest of eternity as a ... zombie?! Swords and sandals once again meet the living dead in this 1961 Italian fantasy adventure: Hercules in the Haunted World. Hercules and his "helpful" friends Theseus and Telemaco enter Hades to save Deianara, but will they ever escape? Andy, John, and Producer Brad done their sandals and encounter not one, but two different types of zombies in the movie that inspired Arnold Schwarzenneger to become a body builder.SHOW NOTES:Theatrical release date:November 16, 1961 (Italy)April, 1964 (US)Reg Park official fan siteReg Park ObituaryReg Park's influence on Arnold SchwarzennegerChristopher Lee interviewChristopher Lee obituaryD'Aulaire's Greek MythologyMario Bava's legacyCorti, Roberto. Italian Gothic Horror Films: 1957-1969Theme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

When a lawyer arrives at a gloomy estate to settle a will, he finds that his client is already dead... but his collection of plague-ridden severed limbs is still very much active! Legendary scream queen Barbara Steele dominates this Italian gothic horror film that features a spooky castle, vengeance from beyond the grave, and just maybe a few zombies. Join John, Andy, and Brad as they face off against "Terror-Creatures from the Grave"!SHOW NOTES:Italian release date: June 23, 1965US release date: May 16, 1967AFI Catalog entry for Terror-Creatures from the GraveCurti, Roberto. Italian Gothic Horror Films: 1957-1969.Castello ChigiFlop House episode on Giallo films.Multiplex Overthruster episode on Yor: Hunter from the Future.Theme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Holy propoganda, Batman! Before the iconic Batmobile, before the Shark Repellant, before the showdown against Superman... Batman and Robin were featured in a wartime movie serial where they battled a Japanese spymaster and his zombie minions. Will the Dynamic Duo prevail? Can the Zombie Strains team make it through 3 hours of racist propoganda? John, Andy, and Producer Brad don their cowls and patrol the dark streets of Gotham City to find out.SHOW NOTESThe Batman serial original theatrical release date: July 16, 1943An Evening with Batman and Robin release date: 1965Michael G. Wilson biographyJ. Carol Naish family historyTheme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Following hot on the heels of 28 Years Later, director Nia DaCosta's sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple picks up right where the first film ended. Spike has been saved from the infected by some colorful characters, but are they friends? John and Andy sneak out of the Zombie Strains lab to the movie theater to see new a new film that reflects on humanity, empathy, and torture horror all at the same time. Has a zombie movie ever had this much empathy for the nominal villains of the story? Listen to this spoiler filled episode to find out.SHOW NOTES:US Theatrical release date: January 16, 2026Theme music composed by Neil Dube.Additional music by Elarasound.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

In a quaint English village, the last remnants of humanity have gathered. But what hope does a ragtag band of survivors have against marauding alien robots and their zombie slaves? When John, Andy, and Brad explore The Earth Dies Screaming (1964), they find a low-budget movie that lays a startling amount of groundwork for future zombie apocalypses.SHOW NOTES:US Theatrical release date: October 14, 1964Virginia Field's New York Time's obituaryElizabeth Lutyens obituaryElizabeth Lutyens on SpotifyElizabeth Lutyens on Apple MusicConvair XFY-1 Pogo Theme music composed by Neil Dube.Additional music by Elarasound.www.pond5.comAdditional voice work by Russell Bentley.Contact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Radioactive waste meets teenage rebellion in THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH! Grab your surfboard and hit the sandy beaches of Connecticut with John, Andy, and Brad as they brave a surf-rock nightmare featuring dozens of bikinis, a slumber party massacre, and lots of hip music by the Del-Aires.SHOW NOTESTheatrical Release Date: April, 1964Del Tenney obituaryAlan V. Iselin obituaryErrera, Rob. Becker Comes Alive: A Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer's Touching True Tale of Music, Murder, and Monsters The Horror of Party Beach comic book1965 Academy Award WinnersWeaver, Tom. Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie MakersTheme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

After an experimental weapon devastates Tasmania, Ava Newman (Daisy Ridley) joins a body retrieval unit to find her missing husband. There's just one little catch--and you've probably guessed what it is, since this is a zombie movie podcast. Where does this melancholy tale of loss and regret belong in the evolutionary tree of zombie cinema? John and Andy break into the Zombie Strains lab late at night to put WE BURY THE DEAD (2026) under the microscope. (The first half of this episode is spoiler-free; we clearly state when the spoiler discussion starts.)Theme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

A mysterious planet is hurtling toward Earth. An alien spacecraft with a zombie-creating ray has landed in the Scottish moors. And those might not actually be the villains in this Atomic Age cautionary tale! John, Andy, and Producer Brad head back to 1951 to take stock of THE MAN FROM PLANET X, a zombie film that manages to rise above its shoestring budget and remind us who the real monsters are.Show Notes:Theatrical release date: April 27, 1951AFI Catalog entry1952 Academy Award WinnersLA Time obituary for Robert ClarkeNY Times obituary for Margaret FieldNY Times obituary for Harold GouldNY Time obituary for William SchallertInterviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers, Tom WeaverTheme music composed by Neil Dube.Additional music by Elarasound.www.pond5.comAdditional voice work by Russell Bentley.Contact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco) has a deadly new obsession: an ancient Mayan nerve gas that creates a state of "death in life." When his star pupil Ted Allison (David Bruce) becomes the unwitting guinea pig, he is transformed into a subservient ghoul who requires fresh human hearts to survive. Is this a simple Jekyll-and-Hyde knockoff, or is there a strain of zombie DNA to be found amidst all the heart-harvesting and the love rectangle? John, Andy, and Producer Brad venture back to 1943 to find out whether or not The Mad Ghoul is a vital link in the undead evolutionary chain.SHOW NOTES:Theatrical release date: November 12, 1943AFI Catalog entryEvelyn Anker's New York Time's obituaryGeorge Zucco's New York Time's obituaryTurhan Bey's The Guardian obituaryTCM review of The Mad GhoulJack Pierce's makeup for The Man Who Laughed (1929)Theme music composed by Neil Dube.Additional music by Elarasound.www.pond5.comAdditional voice work by Russell Bentley.Contact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Every day, scientist Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) wakes up to the same routine: scrounge for food. Repair his shelter. Head to town... and kill every vampire he finds there. How did he wind up as The Last Man on Earth(1964)? Is there any hope left for him after the apocalypse? And is it possible that this vampire movie is the biggest evolutionary leap forward in the zombie genre so far? John, Andy, and Producer Brad grab their stakes and garlic and brace for an apocalyptic zombie film that paves the way toward Night of the Living Dead.SHOW NOTES:Theatrical release date: May 6, 1964Cemetery Dance interview with Richard MathesonNew York Times article on Robert Lippert and his troubles with the Screen Actors Guild. 9/9/1965New York Times article announcing Sears and Roebuck's Vincent Price Collection. 6/9/1962.Observer article on The Vincent Price Collection opening in Denver, CO. Talking Heads Remain in Light press kit with bibliography. April 21, 1988 Rolling Stone interview with David Byrne.Rob Zombie and Waxwork Records release The Last Man on Earth soundtrack. TCM podcast The Plot Thickens - Season 6 - CleopatraTheme music composed by Neil Dube.Additional music by Elarasound.www.pond5.comAdditional voice work by Russell Bentley.www.pond5.comAdditional music byContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

When three hep cats visit a sinister fortune teller at the carnival, their future takes a turn for the worse. The mysterious Madam Estrella wants Jerry to join her collection of hypnotized, murderous zombies. Will Harold and Angela save their friend before it's too late? John, Andy and Producer Brad gaze into their crystal ball to try and divine whether there's a good zombie flick to be found amidst all the crazy camerawork and psychedelic madness of this infamous B-horror schlockfest.SHOW NOTES:Theatrical Release Date: February 10, 1964Ray Dennis Steckler 20 Film Boxed SetDark Eyes of London blog posting on Ray Dennis StecklerCarolyn Brandt: Queen of CultCollider: 15 Movies that Have Very, Very, Very Very, Very, Long TitlesThe Golden Turkey Album: The Best Songs from the Worst MoviesTheme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

Three naive young women looking for work. One bitter old crone desperate for eternal life. And one mad scientist creating human/animal hybrids in the basement. Mix these ingredients together and you get a MONSTROSITY (1963) in more ways than one! Will Anita, Bea, and Nina (pronounced NINE-uh) escape this house of horrors? Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they venture into the first zombie movie to give a cat top billing on its poster.SHOW NOTES:Online obit for Erika Brunson (Peters)Sue Dwiggins Variety ObituaryWayne Keyser's short documentary on Ken Strickfaden.Kickstarter campaign for a 4K restoration of Monstrosity.The Atomic Brain musicalCinema Cats - celebrating cats in movies and television.Mystery Science Theater 3000 wiki entry for The Atomic Brain (aka Monstrosity)Theme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

What was the scariest part of living in the 1960s? We'd like to think it was all the zombies, but other little factors like massive societal transformation and the threat of atomic annihilation might be contenders too! Like all good horror monsters, zombies work best when they're exploiting the fears and anxieties of viewers. As the Zombie Strains team ventures into a new decade of zombie film, John and Andy take a special side trek to find out what real-life terrors 1960s zombie films were drawing on, reacting to, critiquing, and amplifying.Theme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

A living decapitated head, a knife-wielding Aztec mummy, and something called the Ring of Death. That's a lot of scary stuff to store in your basement all at once, as a group of gentleman explorers in 1963 Mexico discovers to their peril. How many will die in gruesome Aztec rituals before the curse is ended? Will reincarnated Aztec lovers romantically reunite amidst all these bloody hearts and murdered archaeologists? Do mummies even count as zombies? John, Andy, and Producer Brad return to Mexico to ask the important questions.SHOW NOTES:Theatrical Release Date: March 3, 1963The Golden Age of Mexican Horror Cinema by Paul A J LewisTheme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us onAndy's Substack "Fortress of Regret"InstagramFacebook

A Criterion Collection film? Fantastic editing, camerawork, and direction? Are we sure Carnival of Souls is in the right podcast? After narrowly surviving a car accident, Mary uproots her life to become a church organist in Utah... but death isn't quite done with her. Her mind begins to unravel, and soon she cannot tell reality from her escalating nightmares. Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they scramble to declutter the Zombie Strains lab and break out the fine china for a true rarity: a great zombie film.Show Notes:Premiere date: September 26, 1962AFI Catalog entry for Carnival of Souls.Los Angeles Times 1990 appreciation of Carnival of Souls.Roger Ebert's review of Carnival of Souls. Candace Hilligoss' YouTube channel with several videos about Carnival of Souls.Interview with Candace Hilligoss about sequel efforts.Interviews with director Herk Harvey and writer John Clifford. Video highlights of 1989 cast and crew reunion. "Rembering Sidney Berger" from the University of Houston.History of Saltair from the official state of Utah website.theSaltair.comRobert Altman's first directing credit, "Modern Football."Mike Patton/Jean-Claude Vannier's music video for "A Schoolgirl's Day."Television Academy announcement of Reza Badiyi's death.Theme music composed by Neil Dube.www.pond5.comContact:zombiestrainspodcast@gmail.comwww.zombiestrainspodcast.comFollow us on"Before the Bite: Ten Things You Didn't Know About Zombies"InstagramFacebook