The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue aka Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, 1974
Edna (Christina Galbo) meets George (Ray Lovelock) when she accidentally backs her car into his motorcycle. Agreeing to give him a lift to his destination, the two end up investigating a strange mystery when Edna's sister, Katie (Jeannine Mestre) becomes the suspect in the gruesome murder of her husband. Edna witnessed a man at the site of the murder, but there's something very strange about him. And how is it all connected to a new radioactive technology being used to treat crop fields in the area . . . ?
Alright, so this is pretty good. While I would say that it doesn't quite cross that line into greatness, there's always something interesting happening whether it's a character moment, some humor, or an arresting visual.
Overall the main characters are likable, if only because they are pitted against a police inspector (Arthur Kennedy) who is so closed-minded and frustrating that you can't help but root for them. But George is a lot to take at times. While I liked him more as the film went on--if only because he was one of the only things standing between order and chaos--things get off to a rough start. After Edna smashes his bike, he guilts her into giving him a ride. Which, okay, fair. But then he demands to be the one who drives. And
then when she lights a cigarette to help her stay awake (gosh, wonder why she didn't want to fall asleep in a car with a stranger who just bullied his way into her vehicle), he takes the cigarette out of her mouth for himself.
Thankfully, George's self-righteousness and aggressive behavior finds a more appropriate target as the film goes on. He quickly makes the connection between strange happenings and the new radioactive machinery being used in the nearby fields.
Probably my favorite thing about this film is the way that Edna and George get pinned between the arrogance of the scientists and the buffoonery of the police. The scientists refuse to concede that there might be anything wrong with their invention, despite the fact that all of a sudden babies born nearby are exhibiting strange behaviors. And the police are quick to decide that George and Edna must be Satanists, committing these grisly murders as part of a terror spree or dark mass.
There are also some really strong visuals at times. I think every horror fan, whether they know where it's from or not, is familiar with the infamous "naked corpse" (but it's a guy so . . . not naked) with the autopsy stitching down his body and wrapped head. In certain sequences, the film really captures the zombie dread of "slow and steady." The special effects are also enjoyable bloody and visceral.
As for the reanimated corpses themselves, the film is a bit more hit and miss here. This is one of those movies where the monsters are just as fast or strong or smart as they need to be for a certain scene to work. So when a random nurse is being killed, they gut her like a fish in about 30 seconds. When the main characters is being attacked, they slowly make their way toward her and then gently paw at her so that George can come to the rescue.
I do give this one a lot of credit for its conclusion. Horror movies can often faceplant at the very end, and this one really nails it. It's a strong, unexpected ending to the story and one that is both satisfying and charged.