In 1966, a little film about staring Dana Andrews as a scientist named Dr. Norberg was released.  He is not just any scientist though, but a former Nazi who is looking to find a way to revive the cryogenically frozen members of the Reich twenty years later.  When he receives a surprise visit from his superiors he must break it to them that even though he can bring their bodies back, he cannot do the same for their minds.  His superiors are not impressed as they need to see results now.  Of the twenty subjects Norberg had, he only has three left and when General Lubeck informs him that they have 1500 high ranking members of the Nazi party on ice, Norberg is genuinely surprised.  Thinking on it, he comes to the conclusion that the only way he can make any progress is with a live brain to experiment on.  When Jean, his daughter comes home from being away at school, and brings a friend, opportunity knocks.

It seems the horrors of World War II, or at least that of Hitler and his Nazis, are no end of fodder for, not only the silver screen, but every form of entertainment as they were and remain, the perfect villain.  Herbert J. Leder, both the writer and director of this film, seemed to have the same idea.  And while such evil should not be glorified, this film was quite good with its idea of suspended animation.  If a country could just wake an army up any time it wanted after putting them on ice for however number of years, the world would be much worse off.

Dana Andrews is great as the lead scientist who takes his craft seriously but has a soft side, not wanting to kill his subjects when things do not work out.  Anna Palk is his beautiful and determined daughter Jean, trying to find out what happened to her friend, never knowing that in a different part of the house, the head of her friend lives on.  They work well together, what limited screen time they share.  Andrews actually does some of his best work in the film with Alan Tilvern who plays his assistant Essen.  Tilvern plays the character expertly, bringing out the subversiveness and crafty nature of the character that we see on the screen, making more of an impact than any of the other characters.

Immortality rears its head as a bit of subtext in the film, particularly from General Lubeck.  Should the revival program work, eternal life is only a step away.  Whether it should be from extending life or raising the dead, you can hear it in his voice and see it on his face that he will go to any lengths to bring back the Reich and to maintain it.  When he gazes upon the youth that the men still retain twenty years after being frozen, the wheels turning in his head are quite audible, especially when he gives voice to his frustration towards Norberg.

Having an effective horror movie, it is a must to cast the right mood and Leder has done so with his tale of Nazi resurgence.  The atmosphere is quiet and quite menacing at times, especially with the murders that take place, the brain-dead soldiers and of course the disembodied head of Jean’s friend that is being experimented on.  The fact that the eyes of the head still move, she can still think and glares at everyone with death in her eyes, gives the film that extra bit of creepy to push it over the edge.

There are many films about Nazis, either coming back from the dead or being cloned or other similar things like The Boys from Brazil, Outpost, Dead Snow, Shockwaves and They Saved Hitler’s Brain.  While some are good and some are extremely bad, this movie falls into the category of being good.  It is not the greatest film ever made and of course it never won any awards, but it will entertain anyone who is a fan of horror.

4 out of 5