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Horror Cult Classic

World War II-era nerve gas unleashes undead soldiers in the Bavarian Alps decades later.

NIGHT OF THE ZOMBIES

1981 · 1h 28m · R · Horror / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB
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Quick Answer
What is Night of the Zombies about?

Night of the Zombies is a 1981 American horror and science fiction film directed by Joel M. Reed about a CIA agent investigating an experimental nerve gas that has kept Nazi and American soldiers undead in the Bavarian Alps for decades.

Details & Specs
Director
Joel M. Reed
Writer
Joel M. Reed
Release
1981
Runtime
1h 28m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Also Known As
Gamma 693, Sister of Death, Night of the Zombies II, Battalion of the Living Dead, Night of the Wehrmacht Zombies, The Chilling

Overview

Set against a shadowy backdrop of Cold War intrigue and buried WWII secrets, Night of the Zombies follows Special Agent Nick Monroe as he is dispatched by the CIA to the Bavarian Alps. Thirty years after an American chemical warfare battalion and a Nazi SS unit vanished mysteriously in wartime, rumors spread of the missing soldiers returning as zombies. When investigators searching for the bodies meet grisly ends, Monroe is tasked with unraveling the fate of the long-lost units. The investigation soon points to a top-secret nerve gas whose effects have lingered for decades, keeping the horrors of war literally alive. It's a cocktail of undead menace, military conspiracy, and chilling chemical warfare.

Why Cult

Undead WWII Battalions

The film pits vanished Nazi and U.S. army units against the ticking clock of reanimation—decades after the war ended.

Nerve Gas Gone Awry

A fictional nerve agent, Gamma 693, is the plot's rotten heart, keeping soldiers alive (and hungry) far past their expiration date.

CIA vs Zombies

Special Agent Nick Monroe is dispatched to hunt for deserters, but the real prey is more undead than unaccounted for.

Bavarian Alps Setting

The film’s snowy, isolated mountain backdrop cranks up both the claustrophobia and the chills.

Threat File

Trigger

Use of top-secret nerve gas during WWII

Threat

Undead soldiers kept alive by nerve agent

Effect

Flesh-eating attacks and deaths among investigators

Setting

Bavarian Alps, Germany

Questions from the Vault

What is Night of the Zombies about? +

Night of the Zombies is a 1981 American horror and science fiction film directed by Joel M. Reed about a CIA agent investigating an experimental nerve gas that has kept Nazi and American soldiers undead in the Bavarian Alps for decades.

When was Night of the Zombies released? +

Night of the Zombies was released in 1981.

Who directed Night of the Zombies? +

Night of the Zombies was directed by Joel M. Reed.

How long is Night of the Zombies? +

Night of the Zombies has a runtime of 88 minutes.

What genre is Night of the Zombies? +

Night of the Zombies is a horror and science fiction film.

Where can I watch Night of the Zombies? +

Night of the Zombies is available to stream on SassyFlix.

How do the World War II soldiers become zombies? +

A top-secret nerve gas called Gamma 693 was created to keep wounded soldiers alive, but it ends up maintaining a battalion of flesh-eating, undead soldiers for decades after the war.

Why does the CIA get involved in the investigation? +

The CIA sends Special Agent Nick Monroe after several investigators searching for the missing bodies are found dead, suspecting deserters from the missing Chemical Warfare unit may be involved.