Looking for gold in a remote African village, a team of explorers stumble upon a mad doctor working with the natives to create a race of people using black magic to rule the world, and that the first test subject is stalking them in the jungle along their journey.This one here wasn't all that bad of a low-budget voodoo effort. What really gives this one a lot of enjoyable elements here is the fact that it really generates a pretty intriguing atmosphere with the use of the voodoo angle to really help sell this one's connection to the jungle setting here. This one gets that element off to a great start here with the opening voodoo ceremony being performed where the gathered crowd gets whipped into a frenzy as the ritual items placed on her and the enhanced dancing before the transformation makes which for a great start to this, and with the ever-present tribal drumming throughout here as well as the jungle- dwelling atmosphere that really helps to solidify the voodoo-filled atmosphere of this part of the film. As well, this also makes use of one of the strongest and most vital aspects of voodoo about it not being able to force someone to do something they usually wouldn't do, and it really sells this aspect of the religion by forcing a critical plot-point to come from this and to be able to stick to conventions is to be commended. Other fun here comes from the scenes with the voodoo-raised creature as the different resurrections in the bunker are incredibly creepy and the action scenes of it charging into villages and destroying everything are quite fun, though it's the finale that really sells this one. Bringing into play the ceremonial altar deep in the fog-enshrouded jungle, the wild dancing and chanting being quite fun and there's the fine set- pieces of capturing the wife as well as the different battles to be found at the ceremony which is where this one really makes for a great time here. With the fantastic creature design and the low- budget charms on display, this one is enjoyable enough to overcome the few minor flaws here. The main issue against this one is obviously the cheap, low-budget nature of the film which doesn't really make any part of this one look like anything else here except for a cheap cash-in. The sets, the simplicity of the locations and the whole atmosphere is so obviously and easily seen as such it really takes a lot out of the film in that state. Likewise, that continues into the overall length of this as the film takes on barely enough to reach the hour mark and really only gets there with only a few minor set-pieces that stretch that length out with the rather lame scenes of her being kept hidden in her room, the time- wasting scene in the motel room where they get held up from going on their trip and the scenes of them in the jungle wrestling for control with each other are quite lame and really just seem stretched out variations just to get it to a proper running time. These issues, along with the rather cheap look, all lower this one somewhat.Today's Rating/PG: Violence.

The Monster's definitely the "motive" for this kind of movie- which makes one wonder why the filmmakers always insist on keeping the critter off screen as much as possible. (In this case, Paul Blaisdell's She Creature is given a makeover- head only- and relegated to the surrounding foliage throughout the movie.) Tom Conway has that "far away" look in his eyes, as if he's fondly recalling something funny he heard once, and he more or less sleepwalks through his part- but with enough innate acting ability to carry it off; kind of like Basil Rathbone in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN... Marla English is center stage and this goes a LONG way toward making VOODOO WOMAN watchable.

Believing that a tribe deep in the African jungle has gold a ruthless woman by the name of "Marilyn Blanchard" (Marla English) and her boyfriend "Rick Brady" (Lance Fuller) manage to manipulate a guide named "Ted Bronson" (Mike Connors) to take them to this village. What none of them realize is that there is a mad scientist named "Dr. Roland Gerard" (Tom Conway) who has been staying there and learning the black arts which he hopes to combine with western science in order to transform a female into a monster he can control with the power of his mind. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this is clearly a low-budget, grade-B film from days gone by which most people probably won't like or appreciate. However, to suggest that this is one of the worst films ever made is probably a bit of a stretch too. In any case, having grown up with movies like this in my early years I personally didn't think it was that bad and for that reason I have rated it as about average.

"Voodoo Woman" is a super-cheap film from American-International Pictures. Now you know it's cheap as instead of giving the project to Roger Corman (who had a knack for making good films out of nothing), Edward Cahn directs this silly mess of a film.The film is set in voodoo country--a land inhabited by obese people who inexplicably have allowed a totally loony white man (Tom Conway) to live among them with his wife. I say inexplicably because these natives hate outsiders and keep threatening to kill him--then minutes later they're teaching him their deepest secrets! At the same time, an incredibly violent and vicious woman (Marla English) and her male cohort are planning on an expedition to the tribe with whom Conway lives--as the place apparently is loaded with gold. They need a guide, so they convince tough-talking Mike Connors to join them.By the time Connors and his new 'friends' meet up with Conway and his 'friends', it's obvious that bad things will happen. That's because Conway is truly crazy and plans on using his personal voodoo monster to kill (bummer)--all with very predictable results. All the viewer knows is that it's all pretty confusing and messy and you just want them all to die. Fortunately, most of them do! This film is just plain dumb. Often the plot just made little sense so someone would just kill someone of Marla would turn into a monster--the story itself made little difference. Bad acting, horrible writing and awkward direction--there really isn't anything to recommend this film unless you like bad movies. Pretty dumb...and made worse by the omnipresent soundtrack consisting of bongos--lots and lots of bongos! Yuck!