The Living Corpse

I like a good vampire movie now and again, and "Zinda Laash" is easily one of the most fun and bizarre examples of the genre that I've come across.

As other commentators on this site have noted, this is very clearly based on the 1950s British film version of Dracula, which was released in the U.S. as "Horror of Dracula." At times, "Zinda Laash" is almost a scene-for-scene remake of the British film, with even some of the same music cues re-used. (I could less charitably say "stolen!") I didn't mind this derivativeness too much, though; in fact, it was like a wacky bonus sometimes.

Despite being unoriginal in terms of plot, "Zinda Laash" still feels unique because it's got very bizarre (to a U.S. viewer) touches that clearly come from the Pakistani culture. For example, several scenes are suddenly interrupted by great song-and-dance numbers. The song lyrics are often weirdly fascinating, and the dances strangely sexy. I know these musical numbers slow down the plot, but I found them to be great fun nonetheless.

It's also interesting to see a version of Dracula that's largely secular - certainly there's no Christian iconography in evidence, which is logical of course, considering that this was produced for a mostly Muslim audience.

Another weird touch I should note is that some elements come directly from Bram Stoker's novel, not "Horror of Dracula." I don't want to spoil anything, but you might notice these faithful little inclusions during the scene when Dr. Aqil meets Dracula's bride. So, the film-makers obviously read the book in addition to ripping off the British film version! I like a bit of fidelity to the source novel.

Of course, most people would laugh this stuff off the screen today for seeming hokey. But actually, the photography is moody, the locations are well-chosen, and the hokey parts really just enhance the film's charm for me. What can I say? I got a charge out of it...

A vampire flick coming from Pakistan, go figure that one out. Zinda Laash did had a reputation. This flick was supposed to be lost forever but as with so many lost flick suddenly someone popped up with a bad copy. It's now restored and is in fact watchable. On the other hand while being screened at movie theaters a woman got a heart attack so it really became a well sought flick.

It's loosely based on Bram Stoker's story, it do has a girl being bitten by Dracula and it do has the famous sentence about the children of the night but that's it. typical for those kind of flicks it do has a few songs in it were they do dance on. There's no blood to mention, well, maybe one shot where the girl do has blood running from her mouth but it's done really cheesy. It's just added with make-up.

It takes around 100 minutes and that's too long for such a lame flick. If you want to see how Pakistan made a horror then this is a perfect example. You will see how they do things to avoid blood and nudity. And the acting was really unbelievable bad. Just watch the fighting at the end, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad acting. And also see the audio equipment making shadows on the wall. Only for the geeks of bad flicks. But coming from Pakistan worth entering your collection just for the sake to say, I have a Pakistanese flick, although there are better ones.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5

Zinda Laash (The Living Corpse) is the first vampire film produced in Pakistan.

Being based on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, it has similar themes to other Nosferatu-type flicks...mainly the 1950's Dracula film from Britain.

It was considered a lost film, before a degraded copy was discovered, and restored into the version we have today.

The plot revolves around a mad scientist, who is trying to formulate the elixir of life.

When he believe he successfully concocts it, he uses himself as a guinea pig, and consumes it.

But it effectively just renders him a vampire.

Immediately turning his assistant, as well.

Some time later an investigator shows up to see if the house is haunted, like the townsfolk claim.

He is met by the doctor, who instantly becomes infatuated with his girlfriend.

The doctor's assistant, meanwhile, tries to seduce him...and the man ends up being bitten by her.

Now, his brother is trying to figure out what happened to him.

As his girlfriend- who is being kept from his disappearance- starts being courted by the vampire doctor.

Becoming bitten, herself.

Now she too is a vampire.

And the man's brother is left trying to convince the girl's family that this is all the work of such a creature.

However, as a scientific rationalist, her brother finds it all very hard to believe...and, thus, demands explicit evidence.

In fact, he accuses the man's brother of being affected by evil, when he suggests they must pierce her heart, in order to drain the tainted blood, so that they can save her soul.

He remains in denial even after a child is found drained of blood, and his own daughter claims she is being seduced toward oblivion by her thought-to-be dead aunt.

Chocking it all up to his daughter's own wild fantasies.

Fortunately for him, his brother in law intervenes right before he and his daughter are about to be turned. themselves.

Now, no longer your typical doubting thomas...he is a true believer.

And the two men set off, together, in order to try and kill the doctor, so as to break the curse, and save humanity.

But while they're out hunting...the doctor get's to his wife.

So, the mission becomes an extra urgent matter.

As they must not only survive long enough to outwit the demonic doctor...but do so before he get's the opportunity to turn his wife into a vampire, as well.

The ending is actually a lot more action packed than I was expecting it to be.

Though the conclusion is pretty standard.

What stands out the most, is the soundtrack...in the most hilariously awesome way.

It goes from what you'd typically find in a Hollywood flick, to more traditional Pakistani pop tunes (that transition, at times, into modern swing), to old time songs you'd expect to hear in a slapstick film, to tribal African rhythms, epic orchestral pieces, and even some 8-bit funk music that seems like it would be more at home in an NES game.

I'm not sure if some of this was added during the restoration, for the tv broadcast...or if it's actually part of the original soundtrack.

But, damn, is it ever all over the place.

Some of it is clearly out of place- and seems to have been overlaid after the fact.

As you can imagine, on top of being a mystery-thriller horror, the film does have a bunch of musical segments, as well.

They act like interjected music videos- that don't do much for the plot- rather than they do pander to an audience that might not have been interested in the film otherwise.

Although these sequences are drawn out, they are spaced out far enough, so as to not become overbearing on the pace of the film.

When all is said and done, it's pretty basic in it's production values, though it has an appropriate atmosphere and manages to keep your attention throughout.

And, honestly, it's nice to see something like this coming from a culture you wouldn't generally expect it from.

5 out of 10.

Here is an oddity if ever there was one: A 'Dracula' film from Pakistan, one of the few horror films ever attempted in the country, and certainly the first and most famous. In this variation on Stoker's novel, the count is actually a scientist (quasi-mad, perhaps) seeking the elixir of life, a potion that would defy death. But from here on, all similarities to The Fountain end, when the good doc (Professor Tabani to you, dear) not only succeeds in making the life-up soda, he proceeds to drink it himself (Hugh Jackman should have sought this guy's help)! No terminally ill wife to bother with, in fact no family or servants either, except for a full-figured lady assistant, who discovers the professor's inert body behind a sofa. For whatever improbable reason, the scientist had left a note saying that if he was to be found dead, his body should be put into the coffin down in the basement of his isolated mansion. And so it goes. Interestingly, the word Dracula is never used in the film, and people refer to the vampire as "khabees rooh", which literally translates as "evil spirit".

This was not a big-budget affair, and it is therefore quite heartening to see how much they managed to pull off on meager resources. The film retains a lot of Stoker's original plot, despite a contemporary setting, and the inclusion of some silly musical interludes. Some of the direction is…er…wooden, as is some of the acting. But there are also eerie, suspenseful scenes, and good lighting and set design, evoking a Gothic and creepy atmosphere (in black and white).

There are a couple of odd 'fade-outs' at the most inappropriate moments, but I suspect this was done at the behest of the censor board, who were initially aghast at the mere idea of a local horror film. They only passed the film after the producer-hero and director promised that they'd never ever make such a film again. And sure enough, they never did, despite the film becoming an unexpected hit. Even more surprising is that for an industry steeped in plagiarism, nobody else jumped on the bandwagon, either.

Not really scary (but not suitable for young children, either), the film is nonetheless reasonably engrossing and one of the more unique takes on the familiar tale. Horror and cult fans should definitely check it out.

This Isn't as Bad As i thought it would be,But the fact that it's only a Pakistani version of Bram stoker's novel:Dracula,Rehan Pulls off an Amazing Performance,Though i thought it could've been better by editing out all the shocking stuff people refer to.

I don't Really Know Why Everybody Says:It's A Rip-off,Give It a chance,This Might Be because It was banned ON it's very first Premier,The first time i saw it was back in Pakistan,which I even thought It Would be awful,Due to the way how people Reacted to it in 1967,Overall,The fighting Sequences Needed to be Improved A little bit Back then.....