The City of the Dead

The City of the Dead

Year: 1960

Runtime: 78 mins

Language: English

Director: John Llewellyn Moxey

HorrorMysteryHorror the undead and monster classicsTerrifying haunted and supernatural horrorCreepy chilling and terrifying horror

Visiting a quiet Massachusetts town to study witchcraft, a college student checks into a foreboding inn. She discovers the residents are a hidden community of 300‑year‑old beings who survive by feeding on human blood, granting them unnatural immortality. The truth forces her to confront the chilling secret lurking beneath the town’s calm facade.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The City of the Dead (1960)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The City of the Dead (1960). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1692 and early 1960s

The story toggles between the 1692 witch-burning and the present-day investigation of Nan Barlow in the early 1960s. In 1692, Elizabeth Selwyn and Jethrow Keane forged a pact with Lucifer for immortality in exchange for yearly sacrifices on Candlemas Eve. In the modern timeline, Nan's visit to Whitewood unleashes a sequence of abductions and ritual confrontations that threaten everyone she loves, culminating in a climactic struggle against the coven.

Location

Whitewood, Massachusetts, The Raven's Inn, Whitewood Graveyard

Whitewood is a fictional Massachusetts town whose quiet facade hides a dark supernatural history. The Raven's Inn serves as Nan's lodging and the coven's base of operations, a seemingly ordinary place with a sinister underside. The town's graveyard and surrounding sites anchor the centuries-old horror to the present, creating a continuous thread between past and present.

🏚 Haunted town 🕯 Witchcraft 🗺 Mystery

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:18

Main Characters – The City of the Dead (1960)

Meet the key characters of The City of the Dead (1960), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Nan Barlow (Venetia Stevenson)

A curious history student who travels to Whitewood to study its occult past. Her interest makes her a target for the coven, and she becomes the catalyst for the town's unraveling. Despite fear, Nan shows resolve as she uncovers the truth behind the inn and the coven.

🎓 Scholar 🧭 Curious 🕯️ Courage

Prof. Alan Driscoll (Christopher Lee)

A university history professor who guides Nan toward Whitewood while concealing his own allegiance to the coven. His calm, authoritative demeanor masks a deeper involvement with occult power. His dual role drives the tension between knowledge and hidden influence.

🎩 Professor 🕯️ Secretive 🗝️ Manipulative

Elizabeth Selwyn / Mrs. Newless (Patricia Jessel)

The witch behind the 1692 pact who reappears in modern times as Mrs. Newless to lure Nan into the coven’s rituals. Charismatic and dangerous, she wields manipulation and fear to maintain control over Whitewood. Her presence ties the two time periods together as the main antagonist.

🧙‍♀️ Witch 🗡️ Deceptive 🕯️ Ruthless

Patricia Russell (Betta St. John)

A seemingly normal local who assists Nan and becomes entangled in the coven’s schemes. Patricia represents the town’s moral ambiguity and the danger of trusting appearances. Her involvement deepens the sense that Whitewood’s secrets touch everyone who stays there.

🌸 Local 🕰️ Ambiguous 🧭 Helpful

Richard Barlow (Dennis Lotis)

Nan's brother, who travels to Whitewood in concern for Nan’s disappearance. He embodies familial loyalty and courage as he navigates the eerie town and joins in the effort to rescue Nan. His actions propel the chase through Whitewood’s dangerous landscape.

👨‍👦 Brother 🛡️ Protective 🗺️ Determined

Bill Maitland (Tom Naylor)

Nan’s fiancé who reaches Whitewood to help uncover the truth and save Nan. He demonstrates bravery in confrontations with the coven and plays a crucial role in turning the tide against the ritual’s power. His sacrifice culminates in a dramatic final stand.

💍 Fiancé 🗡️ Brave 🛡️ Protector

Jethrow Keane (Valentine Dyall)

Elizabeth Selwyn’s accomplice who shares the coven’s appetite for immortality. His presence underscores the coven’s organized resistance to outsiders and strengthens the sense of an enduring, malevolent network. He participates in the ritual’s grim machinery.

🗡️ Co-conspirator 🕯️ Coven member 🗝️ Cunning

Rev. Russell (Norman MacOwan)

The town’s Reverend who reveals Whitewood’s rule by Selwyn’s coven. He represents the moral tension within the community and contributes key knowledge about the coven’s hold on the town. His guidance helps orient the protagonists toward a potential solution.

⛪ Cleric 🧭 Insightful 🛡️ Cautionary

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:18

Major Themes – The City of the Dead (1960)

Explore the central themes of The City of the Dead (1960), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Occult vs Reason

The film pits belief, ritual, and magic against rational inquiry. Covens and ancient pacts exert a tangible influence over the town, challenging the idea that history and superstition are merely old legends. Nan's curiosity pulls her into a web of ritual that science-backed skepticism cannot easily dispel.

🏚️ Haunted Town

Whitewood functions as more than a backdrop; it embodies a secret history that exerts control over its residents. The Raven's Inn and the graveyard symbolize how ordinary spaces can harbor occult power. The town’s veneer of normalcy hides a dangerous underworld that resurfaces to threaten outsiders.

⚔️ Sacrifice and Survival

Central to the plot is the idea of ritual sacrifice as a means to gain power and immortality. The coven’s demand for victims drives tension and fear, while acts of courage, like Bill Maitland’s intervention, challenge the inevitability of the ritual. The climactic confrontation reframes sacrifice as something humans can confront and overcome.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:18

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The City of the Dead Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The City of the Dead, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The City of the Dead Summary

The City of the Dead Timeline

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The City of the Dead Timeline

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The City of the Dead (1960) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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