Zombies

The Zombies are coming! They're ugly, they're hungry, and they're very motivated to that one and only purpose of consuming human brains. Zombies have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, and are favorites among horror movie fans, and even some who aren't into horror movies. Zombies have an amazing way of becoming popular even with individuals who are otherwise not horror movie fans. This craze is only getting hotter, and a good search for great zombie movies on Amazon.com gives an amazing array of options. If you're a fan, you'll like this page.

So this lens is ALL about zombies, so enjoy!

Because too many film producers are breaking the rules of how to make a zombie film

Zombie Movies are among the most widely popular sub-genre of horror movies out there, if not the most popular. One thing that big zombie fans will tell you is that there are rules for making zombie movies.

So screw you 28 Days Later, Resident Evil Apocalypse, and Return of the Living Dead (see rule #2). Good, bad, or otherwise (and that's exactly how I feel about those movies, one good, one bad, one eh), they break the basic rules of zombie movies.

ZOMBIE MOVIE RULES:

1) Zombies have to be dead before becoming zombies. Coming back from the dead is mandatory, none of this instantaneous infection stuff, or animals becoming zombies by eating zombie flesh. Dead, then living dead. That's a zombie.

2) Zombies can only be killed by damaging the brain, and they ALWAYS die by damaging the brain. None of this re-animated skeleton stuff.

3) Zombies are not very smart or coordinated (this one can be altered a little bit on the coordination level since there are running zombies, but they shouldn't be able to scale ten ladders, fit through a crawl space, and leap down on unsuspecting victims).

4) To be a zombie movie, the main focus has to be zombies vs. the living.

Because of the above rules, I'm disqualifying "Return of the Living Dead," (I don't care if it's a satire, a zombie with a pick through its brain should die, see #2) "Return of the Living Dead II" (see #2 again), "Evil Dead" (#4-demon possession doesn't count), and "28 Days Later" (see #2-there is a very active argument over whether they are even zombies or not).

With those movies and other similar ones disqualified, let's move on to the list of top zombie movies.

Max Brooks wants you to survive, so why won't you listen??

Maybe the best zombie movie ever - also known as "Brain-Dead" in the United States

Dead Alive (1992). Believe it or not, this movie was made by the same Peter Jackson who directed "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

This movie also bragged about being the bloodiest in the history of cinema. The final scene was said to take over 300 liters of fake blood - still a record.

This film is gory on such a level that no one has managed to match it. In fact, the gore factor is so high that this movie remains banned in some countries, and was originally banned in Germany and Korea, only being released in a heavily edited version.

The movie starts fast and then doesn't let up. While the special effects are amazing, what really makes this a winner is the large doses of humor and weirdness in this film are what will remain with you.

Some of the things you will learn about zombies in this film include:

1) Zombies can get it on...and zombie dads do have to worry about child support (because apparantly they can have zombie babies)

2) Priests are awesome at totally kicking zombie ass because apparantly in their shady past they were all kung fu masters

3) Lawnmowers make great weapons against zombies (also something you learned if you played the video game Dead Rising

4) Zombies like to party, too. They throw one hell of a keggar.

This film is darkly funny, if not outright hilarious, and there are tons of quotable lines that will stay with you long after watching the film, and the final scene had fake blood pumping at over 5 gallons a second.

This gore, with the incredibly dark humor, and expert direction from Peter Jackson makes this arguably the best pure zombie movie of all time.

Arguments will surely remain, but if you take away the "legacy" value of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, then "Dead Alive" clearly comes out as king of them all, and deserves its rightful place on top of the throne.

"Dead Alive" was directed by Peter Jackson - That's right, the same Peter Jackson who directed The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

George Romero's vision comes to full light in this zombie movie

Night of the Living Dead (1968) is the original black and white zombie film by George Romero.

This was a pivotal film that changed how zombie movies would be filmed forever afterwards. Though not very scary by today's standards, you can still admire the skill of directing and acting (minus the ever screaming Barbara) in this film.

This also started the tradition of horror films that made major social commentary, and this is one of the earliest movies to have an African-American as the main star. This movie is the first in the Romero trilogy (I refuse to accept "Land of the Dead"), and is the beginning of the entire zombie infestation.

Every modern version of a zombie owes itself to this black and white film, which also shows how a quality movie can be made on a limited budget. In fact, the choice to shoot in black and white was in part to save money, and also because he found that in black and white, Hershey's chocolate syrup looked just like blood.

That's right - all the blood in the original classic is actually Hershey's cholcolate syrup. That's how the gore of zombie movies was born.

The zombie movie that set the bar for all other zombie movies

Dawn of the Dead (1978).

This horror film was George Romero's finest zombie movie and one that completely re-defined both the horror and the zombie genre (again).

This film paved the way for the great zombie movies to follow. "Dawn of the Dead," is the second part of the trilogy and begins with the zombie infestation being fought, but mass hysteria and the continuing spread shows that it is a losing effort. No matter how much the police, military, and beer drinking hillbillies try, the zombies keep multiplying.

A few heroes get together with a helicopter pilot, and land on a mall for supplies, only to find it has all they ever need. All they have to do is barricade it.

So they block it off from the outside, exterminate the zombies inside, and settle into a normal life, though one dies while trying to block off the outside doors with semi trucks.

The one day a biker gang shows up. Then, as with any good zombie movie, all hell breaks loose. The gore in this film set a new level for what was "allowed" in films, and helped to create the term "splatter film."

This movie is very political, epitomizing the mindless consumerism of America that "makes zombies" of us all, and of the always present danger of living humans not able to cooperate in a world where this is mandatory for survival, a theme that Romero loves to hit home with in every one of his movies.

I thought this was a good movie either way you cut it, but the argument continues...

Is 28 Days Later Really a Zombie Movie?

Dawn of the Dead remake - also a classic zombie movie

Dawn of the Dead (2004).

I know that 99 out of 100 times it is blasphemy to even compare a re-make to being as good as the original, but this is a great movie with what you would call "motivated zombies."

No agile side stepping and accurate close range shooting is going to help you here. In fact, unless you’re a track star, you mine as well call yourself lunch because you can’t outrun any of these zombies. This re-make is not a complete re-make, since the beginning and ending are different, the zombies are fast, strong, and true predators.

This is a terrifying film that brings fear of zombies to an entirely new level where it hadn’t gone before—to the forefront of a modern horror fan’s mind. It’s one thing to have ten zombies shuffling awkwardly towards the house when you have a hand gun.

It’s something else completely to have ten zombies running at you full speed that would have a Marine Sniper screwed. The gore in this film is extremely realistic, and the opening sequences of the zombie attack are fantastic.

The acting is great, and this is what can happen when a zombie flick finally gets a big budget. This film may not be as sharp as the original, but it still has had the effect of transforming the modern zombie genre by taking it to terrifying new places—just like Romero’s original visions.

Besides, for a can’t miss memorable moment: “Jay Leno.” If you’ve seen the movie, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If not, it's a nice light moment in a scary and depressing film.

As an interesting side note, this film's dark ending is more similar to what Romero wanted to do in the original "Dawn of the Dead," which initially had an ending where Peter shoots himself and Fran pushes her face into the back rotor of the helicopter.

Shaun of the Dead, a great zombie comedy

Shaun of the Dead (2004). I can hear the screams and hate mail now, but quite frankly, this is a great zombie movie.

This zombie movie makes fun of the genre while still paying heed to the blood and gore that makes up a zombie film. In addition, it makes reference or pays homage to virtually every major zombie movie before it, takes a hilarious swing at "28 Days Later" at the end, and addresses the fact that early on no one believes in zombies, so no one realizes what's going on.

"Shaun of the Dead" is a great zombie movie that is enjoyed by both long time fans of the genre, and also by many movie fans who aren't usually horror movie fans.

This is a top notch comedy, but it also takes the zombies seriously and there is a lot of blood and a lot of death. Despite this (or because of this) the humor works through out the movie.

This is a very unique film that serves as a great bridge to get new fans to zombie movies. If you have a friend who wants to get into zombie movies, but has never seen one, no question this should be first on the list to bridge the gap.

Judging zombie movies can be very difficult, but which one is your favorite?

Unfortunately YouTube (or the creators) removed my favorite homemade zombie movies, there were some great ones, so enjoy this list

Who would win: zombie or shark?

Zombi 2 (1980). A great Italian zombie film, this Lucio Fulci film is known for the gory effects. The degree of gore in this film keeps it from being for those with weak stomachs, and has helped to catapult this movie to most zombie lovers’ top five list.

The zombies that come out of these graves actually look like decomposing corpses that should be staying in their graves, as opposed to normal bloodied people.

Much of the action takes place on an island, focusing on a doctor who wants to be "logical" and wants to refute all voodoo.

But the walking dead aren't cooperating, and while he tries to find a cure, the walking dead continue to increase. In addition, this movie has the classic mixes of a beautiful woman, a doctor in completely over his head, and the gore that comes with zombie movies.

Also there is a pretty famous scene with a zombie taking on an irritated shark.

"Zombies Ate My Neighbors," video game for the SNES system is reveiwed by The Irate Gamer in this hilarious review.

"Cemetery Man" (1994). This is an Italian movie that was released in the United States under the title "Cemetery Man." This is an extremely strange and romantically dark film.

The caretaker of the cemetery finds himself in an intense sitation as he struggles every single Sunday because the dead keep waking up and prepare to attack the living. So he takes it upon himself every week to kill the zombies in order to prevent them from assaulting the town.

This movie the caretaker is constantly trying to find love, and his first time falling in love is with the widow at a funeral. They decide to show their new found love for each other by "coming together" over the grave of her former husband.

He has an issue with this, as he comes back as a zombie and kills her. Amazingly enough, this scene is not even the weirdest part of the movie.

This film was very popular in Italy, but with only a small cult following in the United States. This movie is one of the most overlooked and underrated zombie films out there, but as a warning if you have kids who like horror movies: this film does have an awful lot of sex scenes, so be aware of everyone in the room before viewing.

One of the least known classic zombie films.

All the Zombie info you could want!

The 3rd movie of the George Romero Trilogy

Day of the Dead (1985). How could a zombie movie website exist without all three movies of the Romero Dead Trilogy (once again, keep in mind I refuse to acknowledge the existance of Land of the Dead because it was too over the top political and don't get me started on zombies and tools).

"Day of the Dead" is the third of the original zombie trilogy by George A. Romero, all three movies of which make this list. The beginning wastes no time in revealing that zombies outnumber humans 400,000 to 1 (basically us breathers are screwed).

This movie introduces the most famous single zombie, "Bub," who is being experimented on in an underground bunker. The head scientist ends up being off his rocker, and after a horrifying discovery of him feeding dead soldiers to his "pet zombie," the military takes over and all hell breaks loose.

The end result is that the zombies overrun the compound and the few survivors having to flee for their lives. Filled with gore, guts, and a nearly heart attack causing opening scene (truly one of the best opening scenes in a horror movie ever), this film is well deserving of its place among the hearts of zombie fans.

Zombie costumes? Zombie movies? Zombie survival guides? They're all for sale on eBay!

Shows what some creativity by independent film directors can do

Re-Animator (1985). This movie is very loosely based on an H.P. Lovecraft story, and while most translations of a Lovecraft story have been terrible. This one may have been one of the best.

"Re-Animator" is a very unconventional horror movie that opens with a strange and gory scene and keeps on punching all the way through. This is a great movie that succeeds with horror fans by still fulfilling all the conventions of a good horror flick, even while showing some hilarious scenes that are unconventional.

Herbert West is a young med student who creates a serum that re-animates the dead when you inject it into their brains. He uses this to make zombies, and even after a few people are murdered, he’ll sometimes re-animate the heads, separate from the bodies.

This type of bizarreness leads to an original story that is utterly strange, and full of the gratuitous violence, and yes, nudity, that many "classic" horror movies are known for.

This is a one of a kind film that will always have its fans, and often times is often liked even more than the later movies in Romero's trilogy.

There were 2 seqels made to "The Re-Animator"

Though not nearly as good as the first Re-Animator zombie movie, there are two sequels that weren't nearly as bad as one might suspect.

Bride of the Re-Animator was made in 1990 and follows the main doctors who were experimenting with the undead in the original movie, and managed to survive. This is a pretty good movie, and is the direct sequel to the first movie.

Beyond Re-Animator was made in 2003 and is a comedy/horror flick that continues along the same lines as the first two.

How can you have a zombie website without the famous dancing zombies from Michael Jackson's original video to "Thriller?" Nice work from the Flint Zombie Walk adding the sign language - I think that's really cool stuff.

The zombie apocalypse is going to happen, let no one kid you...

We should all thank Max Brooks for the great service he is doing humanity. Not only is he collecting the stories of World War Z so we don't forget the time humanity almost perished, but he published the best selling Zombie Survival Guide.

These are well written books, going over the gambit of important details from avoiding zombies in travel, to good and bad close quarter weapons, to the important details like why not to use a fire or wear a pony tail. A large section of recorded zombie attacks teaches you to be weary and ever vigilant.

If you want to be prepared to survive the oncoming onslaught, these books are must reads!

Survive the zombies, read Max Brooks.

Did I get everything? What am I missing? What else do you want to see?