I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

Director: Jacques Tourneur
Stars: Frances Dee, Tom Conway, James Ellison
Runtime: 69 minutes

Synopsis: A nurse is sent to the Caribbeans to take care of the wife of a wealthy plantation owner. 

• Performances: 6/10

Why? Good without being memorable. There were neither weak links nor stand out performances.

• Screenplay: 6/10

Why? The only thing I really loved about the story was its ending. The rest is just uneventful and even at times... boring. Too bad since I personally really liked the way the zombie was presented, which is very different from the modern image we have of the undead monster.

• Costumes/Makeup: 6/10

Why? Nothing mindblowing. Though I did quite enjoy the design of the African community.

• Editing: 8/10

Why? Even though I found the movie to have some pacing issues, I don't believe it's the editing department's fault. In fact, I believe they did an excellent job cutting down the runtime of the film to minimize its dragging and make it a bit more interesting. The scene transitions were great and smooth as well. 

• Cinematography: 7/10

Why? Nothing mindblowing, but nonetheless impressive at times. Tourneur knows how to handle a camera, and proves it once again in that movie.

• Score/Soundtrack: 5/10

Why? I never felt its presence in the movie. Which is disappointing since I believe it could've helped elevate the tension and make the film more interesting.

FINAL GRADE: 6/10