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Horror Cult Classic

Nazi zombies rise from a cursed French lake to terrorize a village haunted by wartime secrets.

ZOMBIE LAKE

God help us if they rise again!

1981 · 1h 27m · NR · Horror · IMDB TMDB

In World War II, in a small village in France vanquished by the German army, a local woman has a love affair with one soldier and they have a daughter, Helena. One day, the German soldiers are ambushed and killed by the French Resistance and their bodies are thrown into a lake. Ten years later, the soldiers become an army of undead attacking the locals. The Mayor, who was part of the resistance, organizes a posse with a flamethrower, to destroy the living dead, and uses the girl Helena to help them.

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Vault Note

Pro tip: always check for Nazi zombies before your lakeside dip.

Programmer's Pick

Zombie Lake delivers undead mayhem with a distinctly Euro-horror flavor—think Nazi zombies, skinnydipping victims, and a mayor who’d rather not get his hands dirty until the bodies pile up. With Jean Rollin at the helm and a plot that ties wartime romance to zombie vengeance, this is lakefront property you probably don’t want to visit.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is Zombie Lake about?

Zombie Lake is a 1981 French horror film directed by Jean Rollin and Julian de Laserna about Nazi soldiers reanimated as zombies who emerge from a lake to attack villagers years after World War II.

Details & Specs
Directors
Jean Rollin, Julian de Laserna
Writers
Julián Esteban Rivera, Jesús Franco
Release
1981
Runtime
1h 27m
Country
France, Spain
Language
French
Genres
Horror
Also Known As
The Lake of the Living Dead, Zombies Lake, El lago de los muertos vivientes

Synopsis

The story opens in a small French village 20 years after World War II. The villagers refer to a small nearby lake known as the "lake of the damned." A group of young women go skinnydipping in the lake and are attacked by zombie Nazi soldiers who drown them. The zombies later leave the lake and attack women within the town. The mayor of the town (Howard Vernon) refuses to take action against the zombie attacks until reporter Katya Moore (Marcia Sharif) arrives to investigate.

After Moore returns a book to the mayor, they discuss the history of the town during the German occupation. His story is about a young Nazi soldier who protected a local woman from enemy gunfire. He was nursed back to health by the woman, who offered him her pendant and had sex with him. Returning to the woman later, the soldier found her dying after giving birth to their daughter Helena. The soldier and his entire platoon were then murdered by a group of townspeople led by the mayor, and their bodies disposed of in the lake.

The mayor says that he believes the zombies are the soldiers returning from the dead. Later, a female basketball team visiting the town is attacked by the zombies. Given the scale of the tragedy, the mayor calls the police, who send two detectives over to investigate. They too are killed by the zombies. The mayor then devises a plan to use the zombie's relationship with Helena by having her lure them into a mill. The zombies enter the mill, which is then destroyed by the villagers using flamethrowers. 

Why Cult

Nazi Zombie Horde

The lake's undead are WWII German soldiers, making for a rare blend of Euro-horror and war trauma.

Rollin-Franco Collaboration

Directed by Jean Rollin with a story co-written by Jesús Franco, this film is a meeting of cult horror minds.

Skinnydipping Gone Wrong

A lakeside swim turns deadly for a group of women, serving up classic exploitation with aquatic horror.

Postwar Revenge Themes

The narrative weaves in French Resistance, wartime romance, and generational guilt as background to the zombie attacks.

Trailer

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

What is Zombie Lake about? +

Zombie Lake follows a small French village plagued by undead Nazi soldiers who rise from a cursed lake to attack locals, blending exploitation horror with postwar drama.

When was Zombie Lake released? +

Zombie Lake was released in 1981.

Who directed Zombie Lake? +

Zombie Lake was directed by Jean Rollin and Julian de Laserna.

How long is Zombie Lake? +

Zombie Lake has a runtime of 87 minutes.

What genre is Zombie Lake? +

Zombie Lake is a horror film.

Where can I watch Zombie Lake? +

Zombie Lake is available to stream on SassyFlix.