King of the Zombies (Monogram) (1941)

Novel! Lurid! Terrifying! Sock it Over and You'll Pack ‘Em In For Big Dough! Here’s a “once ina lifetime’ exploitation natural that fairly screams for a sensational campaign. Step out and really SELL ‘King of the Zombies” and we'll guarantee YOU'LL get a thrill when you start counting the receipts. There’s plenty to sell, too! First, you have a socko terror angle—a story about the living dead, creatures whose bodies have been reclaimed from the grave by an evil master of voodooism and whose soulless beings carry out the horrible commands of their ruler. Then there’s a terrific selling angle to get the ticket-buyers who like their films on the “torrid” side. Just paint the picture of a lovely white girl enslaved by this zombie doctor, carrying out his mad desires—tortured and forced to join in the weird rites of the natives. Tell them it’s the strangest fate that ever befell any girl—experiences that are beyond description. Additionally, the film is loaded with hilarious comedy relief. It’s an amazing fact that, despite the creepy theme, it’s one of the funniest pictures of the season. Youcan sell it for a big shriek and howl show along the lines of “The Ghost Breakers,”” the Bob Hope mystery-comedy that also treated the subject of zombies in a light manner. To top it all off, you’ve got a great title! ‘“King of the Zombies’ has the sound of unique entertainment—give it a ‘different’’ campaign. Take off the wraps and really go to town with the wildest selling you've ever done. There’s a gold rush ahead for smart showmen! Pepsi-Cola Tie-Up! The distributors of Pepsi-Cola shot this still of Joan Woodbury and Dick Purcell on the set of “King of the Zombies” for use in their extensive advertising campaign. The product is sold at almost every food store and soda fountain in the country—an easy opening for you to get numerous counter and window displays featuring the photo with picture credit and playdate. There’s also a swell opportunity to promote some giveaways. During the summer you might be able to induce your local distributor to provide enough to serve small paper cups of the drink in the foyer of your theatre. Use the credit line: Cool off with Pepsi-Cola G44 and the chills you'll get from ‘King of the Zombies Order special Pepsi-Cola still from Monogram Exploitation Dept., 4376 Sunset Drive, Hollywood. Distribute Magic Amulets RAVE REVIEW! You can put over the “fear” angle by distributing amulets which are supposed to protect the wearer from the “King of the Zombies.” These can The hardboiled critic of Daily Variety caught the first sneak preview and here’s the result: “Monogram’s ‘King of the Zombies’ is a well-contrived chiller, sure to evoke It should more than return its investment from L : squeals of delighted horror. that market for which it is aimed. John Archer easily takes the acting honors among the sympathetic characters, and Henry Victor is a thoroughly reprehensible heavy. Mantan Moreland and Marguerite Whitten supply most of the numerous laughs, with the Negro’s traditional fear of ghosts being well exploited by the story. Dick Purcell and Joan Woodbury give a good account of themselves. eT EVIL Spirits BEWARE! be little tags bearing the inscription: Let evil spirits beware—this charm protects me from the “King of the Zombies.” On the reverse side, of course, you print your theatre name and playdate. If you want to use the stunt strictly as a teaser, instead of the theatre and date run these brief ‘directions’: Carry this amulet whenever you go out at night and in crowds. Leave it near your window while sleeping. |f you want to ‘‘gag-up” the directions and give them something to talk about, try this: If you don’t know any zombies, this amulet will protect you from chiselers, borrowers and tax collectors! These tags can be printed locally or you can get lowest prices by ordering in lots of 500 and up from: ECONOMY NOVELTY AND PRINTING CO. 225 West 39th St., New York City Book-Dealers Co-operative Plug! Hook-up with your local book dealers and circulation libraries for win The dimly-lit scenes, gloomy cavernous interiors and the tense excitement in many of the situations rate Producer Lindsley Parsons a bouquet!” dow and counter displays of mystery, thrill and adventure novels in conjunction with plenty of the sensational stills from “King of the Zombies.” You can co-operate to the extent of giving them a display card in your foyer recommending the best of this type of fiction as a ‘’tune-up” for your nerves preparatory to seeing “Zombies.” In return ask them to slip a throwaway plugging the film into all thrill books sold or rented for at least a week preceding the run of the picture.