Diamonds, deep-sea divers, and the undead clash on Africa’s voodoo-haunted coast.
ZOMBIES OF MORA TAU
Zombies of the African Voodoo coast!
Zombie-like, dead crewmen of a sunken ship have always prevented salvagers from claiming the wreck's legendary box of diamonds, but will a new group of treasure hunters succeed?
Quick Answer
Zombies of Mora Tau is a 1957 American adventure, fantasy, and horror film directed by Edward L. Cahn about treasure hunters who face undead guardians while attempting to salvage diamonds off the coast of Africa.
Programmer's Pick
Where else do you get diamond fever, voodoo curses, and zombies patrolling the ocean floor? Zombies of Mora Tau delivers B-movie chills and aquatic undead with a straight face, making it a delight for fans of seafaring horror oddities.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Why This Matters
Produced by Sam Katzman and distributed by Columbia Pictures, this 1957 zombie horror film was released on a double bill with The Man Who Turned to Stone, highlighting the era's studio-backed genre double features.
Cast & Crew
View all →
Why Cult
The film features cursed, undead sailors haunting a shipwreck to protect its diamond treasure from intruders.
Set off the coast of Africa on the eerie, voodoo-haunted Mora Tau, the locale adds atmospheric menace to the adventure.
Human ambition collides with supernatural retribution as treasure hunters confront both each other and relentless undead.
Low budget inventiveness, stock footage, and orchestral cues give this film its unmistakable mid-century genre flavor.
Scene Gallery
Threat File
Salvagers seeking the sunken diamonds
Undead crewmen guarding the treasure
Attack or thwart treasure hunters
Coast of Africa, shipwreck and surrounding waters
Questions from the Vault
When was Zombies of Mora Tau released? +
Zombies of Mora Tau was released in 1957.
Who directed Zombies of Mora Tau? +
Zombies of Mora Tau was directed by Edward L. Cahn.
How long is Zombies of Mora Tau? +
Zombies of Mora Tau has a runtime of 70 minutes.
What genre is Zombies of Mora Tau? +
Zombies of Mora Tau is an adventure, fantasy, and horror film.
Why are the zombies guarding the diamonds on Mora Tau? +
The zombies are the undead crew of a sunken ship, cursed to protect the diamonds from any who attempt to salvage them until the treasure is left undisturbed.
