White Zombie

The movie White Zombie was made in 1932; it was directed by Victor and Edward Halperin. This movie is considered to be the first full length zombie film and has been described by critics as the model of all zombie movies. It had box office success, was very popular. The plot in short is the following. Madeleine Short arrives to Haiti to marry her fiancé Neil Parker. On the way to their friend’s, Charles Beaumont’s house she met an evil voodoo master, Murder Legendre, who, grab Madeleine's scarf.  Charles Beaumont, the friend of the couple, loves Madeleine and asks Murder's supernatural assistance. Murder converts Madeleine to zombie using her scarf and she almost kills Neil being in zombie condition. But when Bruner knocks out Murder, he breaks Murder's mental control over his zombies and Madeleine. She awakens and embraces Nail. Undirected by Murder the zombies topple off the cliff. Charles also falls to his death.

Through the lens of racism – there is only one black character in this movie, the coach, though the story takes place on Haiti. Through the lens of Hegemony theory – it is obviously the product for elite taste. The Castle, where all characters live, its furniture, cloths, servants, etc. – everything is designed according to taste of elite. So the movie itself is a product of pop culture, but made by elite standards and for elite. Through the lens of feminism this movie can’t pass Bechdel test. There is majority of male characters. The only female character has no personality at all; it’s just object to gaze. Madeleine beautiful face is shown by numerous close ups but it is impossible to say anything about her personality. She is an object of three men desires and nothing else.  Female servants are shown briefly, it is impossible to tell anything about them.