Poverty Row Classics Double Feature (King of The Zombies & Miss V From Moscow) - VCI Entertainment (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Dates: USA, 1941 (King of The Zombies), 1942 (Miss V From Moscow)
Directors: Jean Yarbrough (King of The Zombies), Albert Herman (Miss V From Moscow)
Cast: Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury, Mantan Moreland, Henry Victor, John Archer, Patricia Stacey, Guy Usher, Marguerite Whitten, Leigh Whipper, Madame Sul-Te-Wan, James Davis, Laurence Criner (King of The Zombies), Lola Lane, Noel Madison, Howard Banks, Paul Weigel, John Vosper, Anna Demetrio, Wilhelm von Brincken, Juan de la Cruz, Kathryn Sheldon, Victor Kendell, Richard Kipling (Miss V From Moscow)

Release Date: January 21st, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 67 Minutes 5 Seconds (King of The Zombies), 66 Minutes 16 Seconds (Miss V From Moscow)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English (Both Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $19.95

King of The Zombies: "The year is 1941 and World War two is furiously travailing. While flying in the, Caribbean, Pilot, James "Mac" McCarthy (Dick Purcell) finds that his plane has been blown off course by a storm. With radio transmissions nil and his plane dangerously low on fuel, McCarthy has no other recourse but to crash-land on a mysterious, remote island. McCarthy and his passengers, Bill Summers (John Archer) and his valet Jefferson Jackson (Mantan Moreland), take refuge in a mansion owned by Dr. Miklos Sangre (Henry Victor) and his wife Alyce (Patricia Stacey). It's not long till the three men realize something is not quite right with the mansion or the good doctor, when creepy and mysterious events begin taking place." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Miss V From Moscow: "Deep in the throes of World War II, a beautiful Soviet spy named Vera Marova (Lola Lane) impersonates her doppelganger- a dead German spy. Along with her ally, Steve Worth (Howard Banks), who is an American serving in the British armed services, the two work with the Free French underground agents in Paris. Their assignment is to send secret radio messages to Moscow, warning American convoys of potential attacks from German submarines." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3/5 (King of The Zombies), 1/5 (Miss V From Moscow)

King of The Zombies and Miss V From Moscow come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.2 GB

Feature: 19.1 GB (King of The Zombies), 18.6 GB (Miss V From Moscow)

No information was provided about either film’s source; that said, King of The Zombies looks considerably better than Miss V From Moscow. Both films have some mild instances of source-related debris and damage. King of The Zombies’ transfer has strong image clarity, serviceable black levels, and there are no notable compression-related issues. Miss V from Moscow’s transfer looks blurry, image clarity is mediocre, and black levels are never convincing.

Audio: 3/5 (King of The Zombies), 2.5/5 (Miss V From Moscow)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Both films have some mild background hiss; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, range-wise, both audio tracks are satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a newsreel titled The News of the Year 1941 (9 minutes 34 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), a video essay titled Poverty Row Studios: A Brief History Part One (11 minutes 21 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Tom Weaver and Gary D. Rhodes for King of The Zombies.

Included is a DVD that has the same content as the Blu-ray included with this combo release.

Summary:

King of The Zombies: Three men crash-land on a Caribbean island and find refuge in a mansion inhabited by an evil doctor and his zombie minions.

Jean Yarbrough directed King of The Zombies. He is also known for directing The Devil Bat, House of Horrors, She-Wolf of London, The Brute Man, and The Creeper.

Though things start off strong, after their plane crashes, three men find themselves in a spooky graveyard. There is a major tonal shift after they arrive at a mansion, and from there on out there is nothing remotely scary. The general vibe of King of The Zombies is silly, and humor plays a significant role in the story that unfolds. That said, even when it comes to the moments with the zombie, they elicit laughter instead of fright.

Bela Lugosi and Peter Lorre were both considered for the role of Dr. Miklos Sangre, the evil doctor who controls the zombies. Henry Victor (Freaks) would ultimately be cast in the role of Dr. Miklos Sangre, and he delivers a serviceable performance. The most memorable performance is Mantan Moreland’s (One Dark Night) portrayal of a valet named Jefferson "Jeff" Jackson. His character provides the comic relief, and the comedic timing is flawless. That said, no other performance leaves a lasting impression.

Though there are no real surprises, King of The Zombies is a fun B film that does a great job with its limited resources. At 67 minutes, it never overstays its welcome; in fact, the narrative does a superb job building momentum. King of The Zombies must have done well at the box office since two years later it would spawn a sequel, Revenge of the Zombies. Ultimately, King of The Zombies is the type of film that you either embrace for what it is or quickly tune out.

Miss V From Moscow: Needing information about an upcoming attack, a Soviet spy who's a dead ringer for a dead Nazi spy assumes the other woman's identity.

Albert Herman directed Miss V From Moscow. He is also known for directing Sporting Chance, What Price Crime, The Black Coin, and Shake Hands with Murder.

Miss V From Moscow is an espionage film set in World War II behind enemy lines. Though it follows the familiar scenario of characters trying to disrupt the Nazis’ plans, its doppelganger premise requires a huge leap of faith. Another thing that makes the premise difficult to accept is how easily the Nazis accept her as the person she’s pretended to be, since she does no research about the woman.

All of the characters are one-dimensional, and there is no performance that stands out. The most notable cast member is Lola Lane (Murder on a Honeymoon); she portrays the protagonist, a Russian spy named Vera Marova. Lola Lane had four sisters who were actresses; her most famous sibling is Priscilla Lane (Arsenic and Old Lace).

For a film about spies who live in fear of being exposed, tense moments are few and far between. Though the narrative only clocks in at 66 minutes in length, it feels longer than it is. The predictable ending hampers things further, along with lethargic pacing. Ultimately, Miss V From Moscow is a by-the-numbers espionage film that commits the ultimate sin: it's boring.

King of The Zombies and Miss V From Moscow make their way to Blu-ray via underwhelming presentations.

Written by Michael Den Boer