White Zombie is regarded as the first real zombie movie ever made.It was filmed in 1932, mostly on the Universal back lot, using borrowed sets and props in less then 11 days. Oh how times have changed.
Now for me reviewing this film poses a few problems.

1. Most copies of this film are bad transfers from film to VHS, and then VHS to DVD. It is of course in black and white, the contest is blown out and all over the place.
2. 1932 script writing, acting, filming, music and general film making is very different to what we are used to seeing in today's age.Back in 1932 there where no rules, no rights and wrongs of film making, they where still figuring it out. Most 'Players'  came from silent movies, or if you were lucky from stage shows.
3. Probably the biggest problem a lot of zombie fans will have. It not got real zombies in it...! There is no chasing people, there is no biting people, and defiantly no eating brains. How come? I hear you ask. Well because it's based on real zombies, not 'zombies'.

Let me explain.

Madeleine Short is reunited with her fiance Neil Parker,they plan to marry.
Monsieur Beaumont convinces them to get married on his Haitian plantation, on the way to his villa they pass the evil Voodoo master Murder Legendre and his horde of zombies. 
Once at the villa it turns out that Beaumont has other reasons for suggesting they wed there. Whenever Neil back is turned he tries to convince the beautiful young Madeleine to leave Neil and run away with him. 
After several failed attempts Beaumont turns to the Legendre who give him a “Zombie making potion” to turn her into a zombie. The love crazed Beaumont slips her the poison and shortly after her wedding she dies.

Neil is sad,  so Neil gets drunk. In a drunken stupor Neil see apparitions of his late wife which lead him to her tomb, this of course turns out to be empty, she has risen as a zombie. Not knowing anyone else on the island he heads to the local missionary, Dr Bruner who explains about Murder and his zombie slaves.

Even though Madeleine has come to him Beaumont is unhappy, apparently being a zombie turns you into an emotionless being, he can not love her like that and he wants to change her back. Legendre refuses and instead he starts the  zombiefacation process on Beaumont, when you’re an evil zombie master you can never have too many zombies. 

This all leads to Neil going up to Murders castle to get his girl back. There’s a  big old scuffle, ending in Murders death and a happy ever after...

So after taking all the above into account, how will I review it. Well the same as we also do, base it on what we can see. It's still a film, an old film, but a film none the less. Most people reading this site like zombies that eat people, they like gore, with fear or comedy. Sometimes both at the same time.

If you want to see where it all started you must watch this film.
If you are a true Zombie fan then you must watch this film.
But be warned, this film is slow, the acting is bad, there are no "Zombies", blood or gore.

• First Zombie appears - 3 mins 24 secs  
• First Bite -  Not Applicable 
• Zombie Bite Count - Not Applicable 
• First Zombie Kill - Not Applicable 
• Zombie Kill Count - Not Applicable 
• Slow Zombies

Best Line - How can any line be better then the mighty eyebrows of Lugosi?

Best Weapon - A Cliff Top...

Director
Victor Halperin
Writer
Garnett Weston

Starring
Bela Lugosi
Madge Bellamy
Joseph Cawthorn

More at IMDB