Zombie movies have a long cinematic tradition and have offered us some of the best must-see films in the history of cinema. The zombie subgenre is probably the most prolific genre of the genre horror film: it has produced several hundred titles over time. But how did the zombie movie?
Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel I Am Legend, although classified as a vampire story, had a formidable influence on the zombie category through George A. Romero. The novel and its 1964 film adaptation, The Last Man on Earth, shows a single human survivor waging war on a vampire world, by Romero’s own admission significantly influenced his 1968 low-budget film. Night of the Living Dead, a work that was more adherent to the zombie principle than any previous cinematographic or literary work.
Origin of Zombies
The term zombie originates from Haitian folklore, where a zombie is a corpse reanimated through different approaches, most of which are often magical like voodoo. Zombies are dead individuals resurrected by the magical act of a bokor, a sorcerer or a witch. The bokor is opposed by the houngan (priest) and the mambo (priestess) of the official voodoo faith. A zombie remains under the control of the bokor as an individual servant, with no will of its own.
The Haitian custom also consists of a incorporeal type of zombie, the “celestial zombie”, which belongs to the human soul. A bokor can capture a celestial zombie to enhance its spiritual power. Similarly, a heavenly zombie can be sealed inside a specially embellished bottle by a bokor and offered to a customer to bring healing, companionship, or luck to success. The two types of zombies show duality of the soul, a Haitian voodoo belief.
The zombie belief has its roots in the customs given to Haiti by enslaved Africans and their subsequent experiences in the New World. It was believed that the divine voodoo being, Baron Samedi, would collect them from their grave to take them to a divine afterlife in Africa, unless they angered him in some way, in which case they would be permanently enslaved after death. , like zombies. The modern idea of zombies was heavily influenced by Haitian slavery. Plantation slave drivers, who were normally themselves servants and in some cases voodoo priests, used zombification to dissuade servants from suicide.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, although not a zombie, foreshadows many 20th-century concepts about zombies because the resurrection of the dead is depicted as a scientific rather than magical procedure in which the reanimated dead are more violent than the living. Frankenstein, published in 1818, has its roots in European folklore, whose tales of the cruel undead followed the pattern of the modern vampire concept. Later, significant 19th-century stories about the undead were Ambrose Bierce’s “The Death of Halpin Frayser” and in several tales of Gothic Romanticism by Edgar Allan Poe.
In the 1920s and early 1930s, Lovecraft wrote numerous short stories about the undead. “Cool Air”, “In the Vault” and “The Outsider” all tell the undead, however Lovecraft’s “Herbert West – Reanimator” (1921) helped better identify zombies in pop culture. This series of narratives included Herbert West, a mad researcher, who tries to reanimate human corpses. The reanimated dead are uncontrollable, mostly mute, very violent and primitive; although they are not described as zombies, their portrayal was anticipatory.
The Zombie in Western Culture
The English word “zombie” was first recorded on tape in 1819, in a history of Brazil by the poet Robert Southey. A 1903 Kimbundu-Portuguese dictionary defines the associated word nzumbi as soul, while a later Kimbundu dictionary specifies it as a “spirit that must roam the earth to torture the living.” Among the very first books to expose Western culture to the idea voodoo zombie was WB Seabrook’s The Magic Island (1929), the tale of a writer who stumbles upon voodoo cults in Haiti and their reanimated slaves.
Modern media depictions of resuscitation of the dead generally do not include magic. , but rather the techniques of science such as substances, radiation, mental illnesses, vectors, pathogens, parasites, clinical accidents, etc. An advancement of the zombie archetype characterized computer games in the late 1990s, with their more action-oriented genre and their introduction of fast-paced zombies, causing a resurgence of zombies in pop culture. These video games were followed by a wave of fi Low-budget Asian zombie lms such as Bio Zombie (1998) and the action film Versus (2000), and later a new era of popular Western zombie films in the early 2000s, consisting of films that include lightning-fast zombies, such as 28 days later (2002), the films Resident Evil and House of the Dead and the 2004 remake Shaun of the Living Dead. The “zombie armageddon” principle, in which the civilized world is destroyed by a worldwide invasion of zombies, has actually become a staple of modern popular art.
The late 2000s and 2010s saw the humanization and romanticization of the zombie archetype, with zombies significantly represented as human-like friends and interests. Significant examples of the latter are the films Warm Bodies and Zombies, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods books, Daniel Waters’ Generation Dead and John Meaney’s Bone Song. In this context, zombies are generally seen as discriminated groups who have a hard time achieving equality, and the romantic man-zombie relationship is interpreted as a metaphor for free love and breaking taboos.
Must-see Zombie Movies
Here’s a long list of must-see zombie movies – some not to be missed, others worth checking out.
J’accuse (1919)
J’accuse is a French silent film directed by Abel Gance. It is a pacifist and anti-war film that juxtaposes a romantic drama with the background of the horrors of World War I.
The first zombie film in history. When J’accuse was first shown on screen in France in April 1919, it was a fantastic success with the general public, whose mood in the aftermath of the war seemed to be sensitive to the themes of the film. Its success continued when it was exhibited in London in May 1920, at the Philharmonic Hall with a 40-piece choir and orchestra.
In a Provençal town in the south of France, the villagers call for war with Germany in 1914. Among them is François Laurin, a man with a violent and envious character, who he is married to Édith, the daughter of a veteran soldier. François thinks that Édith is having an affair with the poet Jean Diaz who resides in the city with her mother, and sends Édith to stay with her parents in Lorraine, where she is raped by German soldiers.
In the end, from the graves of the dead, the soldiers emerge and gather in a large cohort that marches back to their homes. Jean challenges the villagers to say if they have been worthy of the sacrifices of men, and they watch in horror as their dead family and friends appear in the doorway.
White Zombie (1932)
White Zombie (1932) is a pre-Code American horror film directed by Victor Halperin and starring Bela Lugosi, Joseph Cawthorn, and Madge Bellamy. It is the first feature-length zombie film ever made, and it is considered to be one of the most influential films in the zombie genre.
The film tells the story of Neil Parker (Cawthorn), a young American man who is traveling to Haiti with his fiancée, Madeleine Short (Bellamy), to get married. However, Madeleine is kidnapped by a voodoo master named Murder Legendre (Lugosi), who turns her into a zombie.
White Zombie was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and it has since become a cult classic. The film is notable for its atmospheric cinematography, its iconic imagery, and its performance by Lugosi, who is considered to be one of the greatest horror actors of all time.
The film has been praised for its realistic depiction of Haitian voodoo culture, and it is credited with popularizing the zombie genre in American cinema. White Zombie has also been cited as an influence on many other films, including Night of the Living Dead (1968), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), and I Walked with a Zombie (1943).
White Zombie is a landmark film in the horror genre, and it remains a must-see for fans of zombies, voodoo, and Bela Lugosi. White Zombie was the first zombie horror film and the first real popularization of the Hollywood idea of Haitian voodoo zombies, years before George Romero’s modern evil spirits. After White Zombie, voodoo zombie films appeared in Hollywood for many years.
Maniac (1934)
Maniac (1934) is an American horror film directed by Dwain Esper and starring Edward Van Sloan, Bill Woods, and June Storey. The film is about a former vaudeville actor who becomes the assistant to a mad scientist who is trying to reanimate the dead. When the scientist is killed, the actor takes over his work and begins to experiment himself.
The film is notable for its lurid subject matter and its explicit scenes of violence and gore. It was also one of the first films to depict a zombie-like creature.
The film was released in 1934 and was met with mixed reviews. Some critics praised the film for its originality and its suspenseful atmosphere, while others criticized it for its violence and its lack of taste.
Despite its mixed critical reception, Maniac (1934) has since become a cult classic. It is considered to be one of the most influential early horror films, and it has been cited as an influence on many other films, including The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and American Psycho (2000).
Plot
Don Maxwell (Van Sloan) is a former vaudeville actor who is now working as the assistant to Dr. Meirschultz (Woods), a mad scientist who is trying to reanimate the dead. Dr. Meirschultz is a cruel and sadistic man, and he often tortures his subjects.
One day, Don witnesses Dr. Meirschultz kill a woman. Don is horrified, but he is also intrigued by the doctor’s work. He begins to experiment with reanimating the dead himself.
When Dr. Meirschultz is killed, Don takes over his work. He begins to reanimate corpses and use them to commit crimes. Don also begins to develop a split personality, and he becomes increasingly violent and dangerous.
In the end, Don is defeated by his estranged wife, Alice (Storey). Alice kills Don and destroys his laboratory.
An ugly and fantastic film at the same time, Maniac is a true trashy work of art. A delusional film, mainly recorded in a basement, some say is the worst film ever made. A film so bad that it is somehow unmissable.
Ouanga (1936)
Ouanga (1936) is a 1936 American drama-horror film directed by George Terwilliger and starring Fredi Washington, Sheldon Leonard, and Busby Berkeley. It is one of the earliest films to feature black actors in leading roles, and it is also one of the earliest films to deal with the subject of voodoo.
Plot
Klili Gordon, a beautiful black woman, lives on a plantation in Haiti. She is in love with Adam Cartwright, a white man who owns the neighboring plantation. However, Adam is engaged to Marie La Tour, a white woman.
When Adam rejects her, Klili is heartbroken. She seeks help from a voodoo priestess, who casts a spell on Adam. The spell makes Adam fall in love with Klili, and he breaks off his engagement with Marie.
Adam’s family is furious when they learn of his relationship with Klili. They try to break up the couple, but they are unsuccessful. Adam and Klili eventually get married, but their happiness is short-lived.
Marie’s father, Pierre La Tour, is a powerful man who is determined to get revenge on Klili. He hires a group of men to kidnap Klili and take her to his plantation.
On the plantation, Pierre tortures Klili and tries to force her to break up with Adam. However, Klili refuses. Adam eventually comes to Klili’s rescue, but it is too late. Klili has been poisoned by Pierre and dies.
Themes
Ouanga explores a number of themes, including:
- Forbidden love
- Revenge
- The power of voodoo
- Legacy
Ouanga is an important film in cinema history. It is one of the first films to feature black actors in leading roles, and it is also one of the first films to deal with the subject of voodoo.
The film has been praised for its innovative portrayal of black characters, but it has also been criticized for its stereotypical portrayal of voodoo.
Revolt of the Zombie (1936)
Revolt of the zombies is a horror film directed by Victor Halperin, produced by Edward Halperin and starring Dean Jagger and Dorothy Stone.
One of the first zombie films, it was initially conceived as a large sequel to the director’s moderately successful White Zombie (1932). Though uncredited, Bela Lugosi’s eyes appear in Revolt whenever zombifying powers are used; it is the same image of Lugosi’s eyes used in White.
On the Franco-Austrian border during World War I, a priest is sentenced to life in prison because he has the power to turn kids into zombies. In his prison cell, the priest prepares to burn a scroll of the secret formula.
General Mazovia (Roy D’Arcy) eliminates the priest and takes the partially burned parchment. After the war, an exploration of agents from allied nations with colonial interests is sent to Cambodia to discover and permanently damage the so-called “Secret of the Zombies”.
Revolt of the Zombies was one of the first films to feature zombies as the main antagonists. The film was also one of the first films to be set in Haiti and to explore the Haitian culture of voodoo.
The film was not a critical or commercial success when it was first released. However, it has since become a cult classic.
The Ghost Breakers (1940)
The Ghost Breakers (1940) is a supernatural comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. The film is a remake of the 1922 film of the same name, which was based on the 1909 play by Paul Dickey and Charles Goddard.
This film ushers in the legendary formula to make audiences scream with laughter and fear at the same time, fun and loud entertainment. One of the best ghost stories ever produced in those years: the amalgamation of farce and horror was very successful.
Plot
The film opens in 1940 in Manhattan during a violent night thunderstorm. From the studio of a radio network, broadcaster Larry Lawrence exposes the criminal activities of Frenchy Duval. In her hotel suite, while listening to Lawrence on the radio, Mary Carter is met by Mr. Parada, a sinister Cuban lawyer. He provides her with the deed of inheritance: a plantation and an estate in Cuba.
Despite Parada’s objections, Mary chooses to take a ship trip there to check out the property. During the trip, Larry and Mary start a flirt. Later, they meet an acquaintance of Mary’s, Geoff Montgomery, a young intellectual who entertains them with stories of Caribbean superstitions, especially voodoo, ghosts and zombies.
Reception
The Ghost Breakers was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film is praised for its humor, its special effects, and its performances, particularly those of Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard.
The film is also notable for its depiction of African Americans. Willie Best, who plays Alex, is given a significant role in the film, and he is treated with respect and dignity. This is unusual for a film made in 1940, when African Americans were often portrayed in stereotypical roles.
The Ghost Breakers is a classic supernatural comedy that is still enjoyed by audiences today. It is a fun and exciting film with a heartwarming message about forgiveness and redemption.
King of the Zombies (1941)
King of the Zombies is a funny 1941 American zombie movie directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring Dick Purcell, Joan Woodbury and Mantan Moreland. The film was produced by Monogram Pictures. Along with the flight scenes, the use of bizarre characters and the slapstick scenes were overlaid with stories of spies and zombies.
Plot
In 1941, a Capelis XC-12 transport plane piloted by James “Mac” McCarthy (Dick Purcell) flying between Cuba and Puerto Rico runs out of fuel and is blown off course by a storm. McCarthy, unable to receive any radio broadcasts over the Caribbean, hears a faint radio signal.
After a crash landing on a remote island, his host Bill Summers (John Archer) and his black valet, Jefferson Jackson (Mantan Moreland) take refuge on an estate owned by Dr. Miklos Sangre (Henry Victor) and his wife Alyce (Patrizia Stacey).
Reception
King of the Zombies is a low-budget horror film, but it is considered to be a classic of the genre. The film is notable for its special effects, which were groundbreaking for the time. The film is also notable for its depiction of voodoo, which is relatively realistic for a film of its era.
The film has been praised for its atmosphere, its suspenseful plot, and its campy humor. It has also been criticized for its racial stereotypes and its violence. However, despite its flaws, King of the Zombies remains a cult classic and is still enjoyed by horror fans today.
Bowery at Midnight (1942)
Bowery at Midnight (1942) is a horror film directed by Wallace Fox and starring Bela Lugosi and John Archer. The film tells the story of Karl Wagner (Lugosi), a psychology professor who runs a soup kitchen for the homeless in New York City’s Bowery district. However, Wagner is secretly the head of a criminal gang, and he uses his soup kitchen as a front to recruit new members.
Plot
One of Wagner’s gang members is Mike Ward (Archer), a former boxer who has fallen on hard times. Ward is desperate for money, so he agrees to help Wagner with his criminal activities. However, Ward soon realizes that he is in over his head, and he tries to escape from Wagner’s gang.
Wagner is furious when he learns that Ward is trying to leave the gang. He sends his henchmen after Ward, and they eventually catch up to him. However, Ward is able to fight off the henchmen and escape.
Ward goes to the police and tells them about Wagner’s criminal activities. The police investigate Wagner’s soup kitchen and discover that he is the head of a criminal gang. Wagner is arrested and charged with murder and other crimes.
In the end, Wagner is found guilty and sentenced to death in the electric chair. Ward is hailed as a hero for helping to bring Wagner to justice.
Themes
Bowery at Midnight explores a number of themes, including:
- The duality of human nature: The film shows how even the most seemingly good people can have a dark side. Wagner is a perfect example of this. He is a respected professor who runs a soup kitchen for the homeless, but he is also the leader of a criminal gang.
- The dangers of temptation: The film shows how temptation can lead people to make bad choices. Ward is a good person, but he is tempted by the money that Wagner offers him. He eventually realizes that he has made a mistake, but it is too late.
- The importance of redemption: The film shows that it is possible to redeem oneself, even after making bad choices. Ward is able to redeem himself by helping to bring Wagner to justice.
Reception
Bowery at Midnight was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its suspenseful plot, its dark atmosphere, and its performances, particularly those of Bela Lugosi and John Archer.
The film is also notable for its depiction of the Bowery district in New York City. The Bowery was a notorious slum in the early 20th century, and the film provides a realistic look at the poverty and crime that were rampant in the area.
Bowery at Midnight is considered to be one of the best horror films of the 1940s. It is a classic film that is still enjoyed by audiences today.
I Walked With a Zombie (1943)
I Walked with a Zombie is a 1943 American horror film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring James Ellison, Frances Dee, Tom Conway, and Edith Barrett. The film is based on the 1939 novel The Zombie by Curt Siodmak.
Plot
The film tells the story of Betsy Connell (Frances Dee), a young woman who is sent to Haiti to care for her sister-in-law, Jessica Holland (Edith Barrett), who has been bitten by a zombie and is now in a state of trance.
Betsy is accompanied by her new husband, Paul Holland (Tom Conway), and Dr. Beaumont (James Ellison), an expert on voodoo. Dr. Beaumont believes that Jessica can be saved, but only if he can find out the identity of the zombie that bit her.
Dr. Beaumont and Betsy begin to investigate and discover that Jessica was in love with a Haitian peasant named Carrefour (Darby Jones). Carrefour was killed by Jessica’s father, who did not approve of their relationship.
Reception
I Walked with a Zombie is a classic horror film that has been praised for its eerie atmosphere, its evocative imagery, and its performances. The film is considered to be one of the best horror films of the 1940s and has influenced many other films in the genre.
I Walked With a Zombie is the second film supervised at RKO by producer Val Lawton, who in the early 1940s produced a stunning series of artistic but low-budget horror films similar to Cat People and The Ghost Ship.
Less eccentric than White Zombie, this film is a prime example of the improvement of the Hollywood system from the early 1930s to the early 1940s, even on the low budget.
Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)
Creature with the Atom Brain is a 1955 American science fiction horror film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Richard Denning. The film tells the story of an exiled mobster and a German scientist who reanimate the recently deceased with atom rays, and control them to take revenge on those who once testified against the mobster.
The film begins with Frank Buchanan (Michael Granger), an exiled American mobster, who is living in exile in Mexico. Buchanan is planning to return to the United States and take revenge on those who testified against him.
To help him with his plan, Buchanan recruits Dr. Wilhelm Steigg (S. John Launer), a German scientist who has developed a way to reanimate the recently deceased using atom rays. Steigg agrees to help Buchanan, and they begin to create an army of zombies.
Creature with the Atom Brain is a low-budget film, but it is considered to be a classic of the science fiction horror genre. The film is notable for its special effects, which were groundbreaking for the time. The film is also notable for its depiction of zombies, which is relatively realistic for a film of its era.
Reception
Creature with the Atom Brain was not a critical or commercial success when it was first released. However, the film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best science fiction horror films of the 1950s.
The film has been praised for its special effects, its atmosphere, and its performances. The film has also been praised for its exploration of the dangers of science and the importance of justice.
Creature with the Atom Brain is a classic science fiction horror film that is still enjoyed by audiences today.
The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (1959)
The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (1959) is an American horror film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Henry Daniell, Valerie French, and Grant Richards. The film is about a family curse that causes the heads of the male members of the Drake family to shrink and disappear after their death.
Plot
The film begins with Jonathan Drake (Grant Richards) attending his brother’s funeral. He is shocked to discover that his brother’s head is missing. When his brother’s skull shows up later in a locked cabinet, Drake realizes that the ancient curse placed upon his grandfather is still in effect and that he himself is the probable next victim.
Drake sets out to break the curse before it’s too late. He travels to Ecuador to investigate the origins of the curse, which he believes is linked to a Jivaro tribe. He meets a woman named Carla (Valerie French) who helps him on his quest.
Drake discovers that the curse was placed on his grandfather by a Jivaro shaman after he killed a member of the tribe. The shaman warned Drake’s grandfather that his descendants would suffer the same fate if they ever returned to Ecuador.
The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake is a low-budget film, but it is considered to be a cult classic. The film is notable for its atmosphere, its suspenseful plot, and its special effects, which were groundbreaking for the time.
Reception
The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake was not a critical or commercial success when it was first released. However, the film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best horror films of the 1950s.
The film has been praised for its atmosphere, its suspenseful plot, and its special effects. The film has also been praised for its exploration of the power of curses, the importance of family, and the power of love.
Plague of the Zombies (1966)
Plague of the Zombies (1966) is a British horror film directed by John Gilling and starring André Morell, Diane Clare, and Brook Williams. The film tells the story of a group of people who discover a plague of zombies in a remote Cornish village.
Plot
The film begins with Dr. Peter Tompson (André Morell) and his assistant, Alice Martin (Diane Clare), arriving in the village of Mogrove to investigate a series of mysterious deaths. They soon discover that the villagers are being infected with a plague that turns them into zombies.
Tompson and Martin try to find a way to stop the plague, but they are hampered by the superstitious villagers and the fact that they are outnumbered by the zombies. They are eventually able to find a cure for the plague, but not before many of the villagers have been infected.
Reception
Plague of the Zombies is considered to be a classic of the British horror genre. The film is notable for its atmospheric cinematography, its suspenseful plot, and its iconic zombie makeup.
Revival of Universal’s traditional monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy) were Hammer Horror’s main specialty, however the British studio also took care of producing a formidable and prominent zombie film that is remained invisible in the years of its release.
Plague of the Zombies works with voodoo zombies, however they’re not quite like those early black and white examples – they look like a real bridge to Romero’s evil spirit, and the visual impact of Night of the Living Dead is quite evident.
With exceptional production design and a scary story about a city that is gradually disappearing due to zombies, it’s a zombie movie worthy of a considerably wider audience. With its stunning Technicolor imagery, it easily matches Terence Fisher’s best known classic Hammers. You can also include aesthetically comparable films like Vincent Price’s The Last Man on Earth.
Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972)
Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972), also known as La noche del terror ciego (The Night of the Blind Terror), is a Spanish horror film directed by Amando de Ossorio. The film is about a group of medieval knights who are executed for black magic and return from the dead as zombies to terrorize a group of vacationing college students.
Plot
The film begins with a group of college students who arrive at a remote country house for a vacation. The house is located on the site of a medieval castle where a group of knights were executed for black magic centuries ago.
The students soon discover that the spirits of the dead knights have been awakened and are now roaming the surrounding countryside as zombies. The students are forced to fight for their lives against the undead knights.
Tombs of the Blind Dead is a classic of the Spanish horror genre. The film is notable for its atmospheric cinematography, its suspenseful plot, and its iconic zombie makeup.
Reception
Tombs of the Blind Dead was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its atmosphere, its suspenseful plot, and its iconic zombie makeup.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best Spanish horror films of all time. Tombs of the Blind Dead is a classic horror film that is still enjoyed by audiences today.
Fun fact: The film was inspired by a real-life event. In the 15th century, a group of knights in Galicia, Spain were executed for black magic. Their bodies were buried in a nearby cemetery, but their spirits were said to have returned from the dead to terrorize the living.
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974)
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974), also known as No profanar el sueño de los muertos (Do Not Profane the Sleep of the Dead) or The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, is a Spanish-Italian science fiction horror film written and directed by Jorge Grau and starring Ray Lovelock, Arthur Kennedy and Cristina Galbó.
The film begins with a group of British scientists who are conducting experiments on the dead in an old morgue in Manchester, England. Their experiments accidentally create a new breed of zombies that are more intelligent and aggressive than traditional zombies.
The zombies escape from the morgue and begin to terrorize the city. A group of survivors, including a reporter, a police officer, and a nurse, must find a way to stop the zombies before they can spread to the rest of the world.
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie is a classic of the zombie horror genre. The film is notable for its realistic depiction of zombies, its atmospheric cinematography, and its suspenseful plot.
Reception
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its realistic depiction of zombies, its atmospheric cinematography, and its suspenseful plot.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best zombie horror films of all time. Let Sleeping Corpses Lie is a classic horror film that is still enjoyed by audiences today.
Fun fact: The film was originally intended to be a sequel to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968), but Romero refused to give his permission. As a result, the film was rewritten to be a standalone story.
Shock Waves (1977)
Shock Waves is a 1977 Italian horror film directed by Ken Wiederhorn and starring John Carradine, Jack Davidson, Brooke Adams, Luke Halpin, Peter Cushing, Fred Buch, D.J. Sidney, Don Stroud, Clarence Thomas. The film is a thriller set in the Bermuda Triangle, in which a group of people are attacked by a group of Nazi zombie soldiers.
The film begins with a group of marine salvage enthusiasts who set sail on a ship to search for a Nazi wreck. Due to a malfunction on their vessel, the group is forced to abandon it and take refuge on a nearby island.
The captain reveals that during World War II, the German army was trying to create a perfect weapon: a super soldier capable of fighting in any type of environment and weather conditions. The zombie soldiers are the result of this experiment, and they are capable of killing anyone in their path.
Reception
Shock Waves was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its suspense, its pacing, and its action scenes.
This film took some time to gain cultural awareness before a wave of American zombie films flourished in the late 1970s and especially in the 1980s. Shock Waves may very well be the first “Nazi zombie” movie.
Nightmare City (1980)
Nightmare City (1980) is an Italian horror film directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Hugo Stiglitz, Laura Trotter, and Mel Ferrer. The film is set in a nameless European city that has been overrun by zombies after a plane carrying radioactive material crashes nearby.
The film follows a TV reporter named Dean Miller (Stiglitz) as he tries to escape the city with his pregnant wife, Anna (Trotter). Along the way, they encounter a variety of survivors, including a group of soldiers, a group of civilians, and a mad scientist who is responsible for the zombie outbreak.
Nightmare City is a classic of the Italian horror genre. The film is notable for its over-the-top gore, its suspenseful plot, and its iconic zombie makeup.
Fun fact: The film was originally titled “Incubo sulla città contaminata” (Nightmare in the Contaminated City). The title was changed to “Nightmare City” for the international release.
If you like crazy Italian zombie movies, Nightmare City is the top of the category. It’s a comedy movie: Its zombies have pizza faces with outrageous makeup and an obsession with consuming blood as if they were vampires, due to the fact that the radiation is damaging their own red blood cells.
They are different from zombies in that they maintain a certain awareness, enough to pretend they are not infected until they are within a group of individuals to kill. These zombies are equipped to the teeth with knives, axes and even machine guns.
This movie includes shooting zombies, priest zombies, medical zombies, and even zombies that landed a large military airplane.
Dead & Buried (1981)
Dead & Buried (1981) is a Canadian horror film directed by Gary Sherman and starring Jack Albertson, Melody Anderson, and Robert Hays. The film is set in a small town where the residents are being murdered by zombies that are reanimated by a local mortician.
Plot
The film begins with a couple named Dan and Janet Miller (Hays and Anderson) arriving in the small town of Potter’s Bluff. Dan is a police officer who has been transferred to the town.
Shortly after their arrival, the Millers learn that the town is being plagued by a series of mysterious deaths. The police are unable to solve the murders, and the townspeople are living in fear.
Dead & Buried is a classic of the Canadian horror genre. The film is notable for its suspenseful plot, its iconic zombie makeup, and its shocking twist ending.
Fun fact: The film was originally titled “The Body Snatchers”. The title was changed to “Dead & Buried” to avoid confusion with the 1956 film of the same name.
The zombies here are varied in their autonomy and ability to act alone and pass for humans. The film is partly a mystery, partly a cult story and partly a zombie movie, and includes special effects and blood scenes from the famous Stan Winston. It’s simply a film with a feel of its own and meaningful to some uncommon casting options: Robert Englund as one of the possibly zombified town residents and, in a significant role, Jack Albertson as the town’s eccentric coroner, dominating every scene he is in. To be re-evaluated.
Zeder (1983)
Zeder (1983) is an Italian horror film directed by Pupi Avati and starring Gabriele Lavia, Anne Canovas, and Paola Tanziani. The film is about a young novelist’s discovery of the writings of a late scientist who had found a means of reviving the dead.
Plot
The film begins with Stefano (Lavia), a young novelist, buying an old typewriter at a flea market. When he takes the typewriter home, he discovers that it contains the writings of a late scientist named Paolo Zeder. Zeder’s writings describe his experiments with reviving the dead, and they also contain a map to a secret laboratory where Zeder conducted his research.
Stefano also discovers that the scientists have created a number of zombies, and that they are planning to use the zombies for their own nefarious purposes. Stefano must now race against time to stop the scientists and prevent them from unleashing the zombies on the world.
Zeder is a slow-burning horror film with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and suspense. The film is also notable for its thought-provoking exploration of the ethical implications of scientific experimentation.
Themes
- The dangers of science: Zeder explores the dangers of scientific experimentation, particularly when it comes to experimenting with life and death. The film shows how such experimentation can have unintended and horrific consequences.
- The undead: Zeder is a film about the undead, and it explores the themes of fear, death, and resurrection. The film also shows how the undead can be used as a symbol for the darkness that exists within all of us.
- The power of the human mind: Zeder also explores the power of the human mind. The film shows how the mind can be used to create both good and evil, and it also shows how the mind can be manipulated by others.
Reception
Zeder was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its atmosphere, its suspense, and its thought-provoking exploration of ethical themes.
Zeder has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best Italian horror films of all time. The film is still enjoyed by audiences today for its slow-burning suspense, its thought-provoking themes, and its iconic imagery.
Night of a Comet (1984)
Night of the Comet (1984) is an American science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by Thom Eberhardt. It stars Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney as survivors of a comet that has turned most people into either dust or zombies.
Plot
The film begins with Regina (Stewart) and Samantha (Maroney), two Valley Girls, going to a party on the night that a comet is passing by Earth. The next morning, they wake up to find that everyone else in Los Angeles is dead or turned into a zombie.
Regina and Samantha soon discover that they are immune to the comet’s effects, and they must now find a way to survive in a world full of zombies. They eventually join forces with a group of other survivors, including Hector (Beltran), a former gang member.
Reception
Night of the Comet was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its strong female characters, its sense of humor, and its over-the-top gore.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best science fiction horror comedies of all time. Night of the Comet is still enjoyed by audiences today for its fun and campy tone, its strong female characters, and its iconic imagery.
Night of the Creeps (1986)
Night of the Creeps (1986) is an American science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by Fred Dekker in his feature directorial debut, starring Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow, and Tom Atkins. The film is an homage to the genre, with elements of classic horror films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Thing, and The Blob.
The film begins in 1959, when a group of college students accidentally thaw out a cryogenically frozen alien creature that was buried in the Arctic during World War II. The creature, which resembles a slug, enters the body of one of the students and begins to take over his mind and body.
The creature then begins to reproduce, and its offspring infect other students on the campus. The infected students become mindless zombies, and they begin to attack the other students and faculty.
A group of students, led by Chris Romero (Lively) and Cynthia Cronenberg (Whitlow), must find a way to stop the alien creatures before they can infect the entire world.
Reception
Night of the Creeps was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its over-the-top gore, its sense of humor, and its loving homage to classic horror films.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best science fiction horror comedies of all time. Night of the Creeps is still enjoyed by audiences today for its fun and campy tone, its over-the-top gore, and its iconic imagery.
The plot revolves around the existence of aliens and an alleged plot to take over the world. In this way, it is as if the zombies were used to make a B-movie with a 50s design that otherwise would have been a movie about aliens. They took the zombies and replaced them for the aliens, with a topping of sex and rock ‘n’ roll, and a cult classic.
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
The Serpent and the Rainbow is a 1988 American horror film directed by Wes Craven and starring Bill Pullman, Cathy Tyson, and Paul Winfield. The film is based on the book “The Serpent and the Rainbow” by Wade Davis, which tells the story of an anthropologist who travels to Haiti to investigate a purported voodoo ritual that brings the dead back to life.
Plot
The film begins with Dennis Alan (Pullman), an anthropologist at Harvard University, who travels to Haiti to investigate the mysterious death of a university researcher. Dennis discovers that the researcher had been power-hungry and was trying to steal a powerful voodoo ritual that would have brought him back to life.
Dennis meets Marielle Celine (Tyson), a Haitian psychiatrist who helps him to understand voodoo culture. Marielle reveals to Dennis that the ritual that the researcher was trying to steal is called “zombification.” Zombification is a process in which a person is transformed into a zombie, a mindless and will-less being that is controlled by another individual.
Dennis and Marielle discover that the zombification ritual is real and is still being practiced in Haiti. The two team up to stop a group of voodoo witches who are using the ritual to create an army of zombies.
Themes
The Serpent and the Rainbow explores a number of themes, including:
- The nature of death and resurrection: The film explores the concept of death and resurrection, both in a physical and spiritual sense. The zombification ritual is a form of resurrection, but it is a distorted and horrific resurrection.
- The power of magic and voodoo: The film explores the power of magic and voodoo. Voodoo is a religion and a form of spirituality that is often associated with evil and black magic. The film shows how voodoo can be used for good or for evil.
- The corruption of power: The film explores the corruption of power. The university researcher is a power-hungry man who is willing to sacrifice anything, even his life, to get what he wants.
Reception
The Serpent and the Rainbow was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its strong imagery, its exploration of Haitian cultures and beliefs, and its performance by Bill Pullman.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered one of the best horror films of all time. The Serpent and the Rainbow is still enjoyed by audiences today for its disturbing atmosphere, its strong imagery, and its exploration of important themes.
There are some amazing images: hairy beasts, victims buried alive, voodoo magic that brings out scorpions in your throat; the scrotum of a boy being nailed to a chair. The Snake and the Rainbow is a reliable hint as to why movies like I Walked With a Zombie scared people off with so much success over 40 years ago, and evidence that it’s most likely still possible to make a voodoo zombie movie. .
The Dead Next Door (1989)
The Dead Next Door (1989) is an American zombie horror film written, produced, and directed by J.R. Bookwalter. The film stars Michael Tolochko Jr., Bogdan Pecic, Pete Ferry, Michael Grossi, Jolie Jackunas, Robert Kokai, Floyd Ewing Jr., Roger Graham, Maria Markovic, Jon Killough, and Scott Spiege.
Plot
The film is set in a near future where the world has fallen victim to a plague of violent carnivorous undead humans. A black-ops elite team of soldiers, nicknamed the “Zombie Squad”, has been enlisted by the government as exterminators to control the growing epidemic.
The film begins with the Zombie Squad being called in to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in a small town. The squad soon discovers that the town is overrun by zombies, and they must fight their way through the undead hordes to stop the plague from spreading.
Along the way, the squad teams up with a group of survivors, including a young woman named Sarah (Jackunas) and her father, Dr. John Stone (Kokai). Dr. Stone is working on a cure for the zombie virus, and the squad must protect him and his research from the zombies.
The Dead Next Door is a low-budget but effective zombie horror film. The film is known for its over-the-top gore and its practical effects. The film also features a number of creative zombie kills, such as a zombie being decapitated by a helicopter blade and a zombie being crushed by a garbage truck.
Reception
The Dead Next Door was released on VHS in 1989 and received mixed reviews from critics. Some critics praised the film for its over-the-top gore and its creative zombie kills, while others criticized the film for its low budget and its lack of originality.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best low-budget zombie horror films ever made. The Dead Next Door is still enjoyed by audiences today for its over-the-top gore, its creative zombie kills, and its campy tone.
The story behind The Dead Next Door is perhaps among those most fascinating cases of the film itself: it was produced by Sam Raimi, using a portion of the profits he had made on Evil Dead II, to allow his friend JR Bookwalter to direct the low-budget zombie movie of his dreams. The Dead Next Door has an atmosphere of dreamy unreality due to the fact that the film was shot in super 8.
What’s in The Dead Next Door is something special about it too. category: a rough, low-budget zombie action flick, which includes a mix of amateur acting and touches of unexpected professionalism. A zombie film that very few have seen, with a strange low-budget beauty.
Night of the Living Dead (1990)
Night of the Living Dead (1990) is a 1990 American remake of George A. Romero’s 1968 film of the same name. The film is directed by Tom Savini and stars Tony Todd, Patricia Tallman, Tom Towles, Betsy Palmer, and Ken Foree.
Plot
The film begins with Ben (Todd), a young man who travels to a small rural town in Pennsylvania to visit his girlfriend Barbara (Tallman). The two get lost in the woods and find themselves in an abandoned farmhouse, where they take refuge from a group of zombies.
Ben and Barbara are forced to defend themselves from the zombies, which are quickly spreading throughout the town. The two join a group of survivors, including the farmhouse owner, Harry Cooper (Towles), and his daughter, Sarah (Palmer).
Night of the Living Dead (1990) is a classic horror film that helped to define the genre. The film is known for its realistic violence and its unsettling atmosphere.
Reception
Night of the Living Dead (1990) was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film was praised for its realistic violence, its unsettling atmosphere, and its homage to the original film.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered one of the greatest horror films of all time. Night of the Living Dead (1990) is still enjoyed by audiences today for its realistic violence, its unsettling atmosphere, and its exploration of important themes.
The 1990 remake of Tom Savini never seems to get the attention or recognition it should have. It’s easy to understand on one level: being the remake of a famous movie, it’s truly a faithful remake that didn’t attempt to transform anything in particular from the initial movie. Rather, this remake simply takes the traditional story and transplants it precisely into a slightly more futuristic setting with a larger budget.
Savini’s remake includes some high-impact scenes, providing a much more visceral variation of the same story, although sadly the gory stuff has been cut by censorship, which can make this film feel. sometimes strangely neutered. If the title weren’t Night of the Living Dead it would be a classic of the zombie movie genre: it remains underrated.
Dead Alive (1992)
Dead Alive (1992) is a New Zealand horror comedy film directed by Peter Jackson and starring Timothy Balme, Diana Peñalver, and Ian Watkin.
Plot
The film follows Lionel Cosgrove (Balme), a mild-mannered man whose mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat monkey, turning her into a flesh-eating zombie. Lionel must then fight to protect himself and his loved ones from the growing horde of zombies.
Dead Alive is known for its over-the-top gore and its campy tone. The film features a number of creative and gruesome zombie deaths, such as a zombie having its head blown off by a lawnmower and a zombie being impaled on a garden gnome.
Dead Alive was a critical and commercial success when it was first released. The film is now considered to be one of the greatest horror comedies of all time. It is still enjoyed by audiences today for its over-the-top gore, its campy tone, and its exploration of important themes.
This is not a film for the squeamish, although blood is used to make people laugh. Launched in its hometown as Braindead and as Dead Alive in the US, this can be considered one of the trashy zombie comedy masterpieces. The results are truly unsightly, slimy or bloody, particularly in the awesome ultimate fight between the hero, a zombie-filled space and an extremely blood-resistant lawnmower.
Cemetery Man (1994)
Cemetery Man (1994), also known by its Italian title Dellamorte Dellamore, is a 1994 Italian-French horror comedy film directed by Michele Soavi and starring Rupert Everett, François Hadji-Lazaro, and Anna Falchi. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Tiziano Sclavi.
Plot
The film follows Francesco Dellamorte (Everett), the caretaker of a cemetery in a small Italian town. Dellamorte’s job is to kill the dead who rise from their graves as zombies each night. He is assisted by his mentally disabled assistant, Gnaghi (Hadji-Lazaro).
Dellamorte is a lonely and disillusioned man. He has no friends or family, and his only companions are the dead and the living dead. He is also haunted by the memory of his dead girlfriend, Anna (Falchi), who was killed by a zombie.
One day, Dellamorte meets a beautiful woman named Valentina (Falchi) who looks exactly like his dead girlfriend. Dellamorte falls in love with Valentina, but he soon realizes that she is a zombie.
Zombies, and actually the horror category in general, went through something of a lull in the 1990s, beyond genre offerings like Scream. In Europe, however, non-traditional zombie films still appeared from time to time, of which Cemetery Man is the most significant.
The structure itself looks scary and old-school – a cemetery caretaker confronts his Igor-like assistant and takes out the zombies that rise from their graves after being buried for 7 days.
Actually the film is basically one comedy , a dreamy, partly plotless film about the main character who wanders his life aimlessly and wonders why he has trouble doing his job. He pines for a woman who loses due to zombification, in the despondency and lack of identity he has to deal with.
It has the creative style and pictorial quality of Italian horror films. It is a film that attempts to do many things at the same time and deserves to be seen to reflect on the symbolic meaning of zombies: from simple meat eaters to symbols of entropy and nihilism.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Dawn of the Dead (2004) is a remake of the 1978 film of the same name directed by Zack Snyder and starring Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber.
The film is set in Wisconsin during a zombie apocalypse, and follows a group of survivors who take refuge in a shopping mall.
The film was a critical and commercial success, and is now considered to be one of the best zombie films of all time. It is praised for its realistic violence, its suspenseful atmosphere, and its well-developed characters.
Reception
Dawn of the Dead (2004) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its realistic violence, its suspenseful atmosphere, and its well-developed characters. It was also a box office success, grossing over $103 million worldwide.
Snyder approached the genre quite enthusiastically. Unlike Savini’s Night of the Living Dead, this is not a homage and a tribute that constantly tries to find the spirit of the initial film. Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead is completely different, it’s a more action-packed and macabre contemporary zombie tale.
The fast zombies are a sign of the film’s energy and vigor, immediately kicking into action with one of the best opening scenes in the history of zombie cinema. This is truly a world that totally goes to hell overnight, as Sarah Polley’s character Ana falls asleep and gets up early in the morning, discovering that all of civilization is collapsing in an orgy of blood.
Mall survivors are well chosen, especially guard CJ, who is the human villain at first but then begins to redeem himself over time.
Land of the Dead (2005)
Land of the Dead (2005) is a zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero and starring Dennis Hopper, Simon Baker, Asia Argento, and John Leguizamo.
Plot
The film is set in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, and follows a group of survivors who live in a fortified city. The city is divided into two classes: the wealthy elite who live in luxury high-rises, and the working class who live in squalor.
The film was a critical and commercial success, and is now considered to be one of the best zombie films of all time. It is praised for its social commentary, its realistic violence, and its well-developed characters.
Reception
Land of the Dead (2005) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its social commentary, its realistic violence, and its well-developed characters. It was also a box office success, grossing over $46 million worldwide.
Land of the Dead is the latest film in George Romero’s zombie series. This is not to say that his later Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead are bad films but Romero is no longer the same as the previous films and the zombie category has become more competitive.
The director was no longer able to use a vital and unique point of view. Chronologically, it’s the latest Of the Dead movie and reveals the outermost level of zombie advancement in Romero’s eyes.
While in Day of the Dead we discovered that particular zombies could be trained, here we basically see really sentient zombies in executive positions, leading the attack on the city of Pittsburgh. In Romero, there is always a certain degree of social criticism, and here it definitely has to do with wealth and social class. The film is excellent and includes Romero’s taunts, although it is not on the same level as his first 3 films.
Slither (2006)
Slither (2006) is a science fiction horror-comedy film written and directed by James Gunn in his directorial debut. The film stars Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Gregg Henry, Jenna Fischer, and Michael Rooker.
Plot
The film follows Grant Grant (Fillion), a sheriff in a small town who is infected by an alien parasite. The parasite takes over Grant’s body and begins to transform him into a monstrous creature. Grant’s wife, Starla (Banks), and his friends must work together to stop the parasite and save the town.
Reception
Slither (2006) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its humor, its gore, and its social commentary. It was also a box office success, grossing over $12 million worldwide.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best horror-comedies of all time. It is still enjoyed by audiences today for its humor, its gore, and its exploration of important themes.
It’s funny to believe that the director of a blockbuster like Guardians of the Galaxy started with a zombie / alien homage from a B movie, however that’s what James Gunn did with Slither in 2006.
Casting is among the best things about this zombie movie, with Firefly’s Nathan Fillion in a hero role and Jenna Fischer as well. Equally fun, gory and extremely slimy, Slither is no more than decent entertainment.
Ah! Zombie! (2007)
Ah! Zombie! (2007) is a French horror comedy film directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Frédéric Forestier, and starring Manu Payet, Fred Testot, and Kad Merad. The film follows a group of friends who go on a camping trip, only to find themselves stranded in a forest infested with zombies.
Reception
Ah! Zombie! (2007) was a critical and commercial success in France. The film was praised for its humor, its gore, and its social commentary. It was also a box office success, grossing over $15 million in France.
Some indie zombie movies are awful, however periodically you come across one like Aaah! Zombies! which is a pleasant surprise. The film uses a creative and comic style: zombies are unaware that they are zombies. Rather, a group of loafer friends think they actually ended up being soldiers thanks to military personnel who were similarly zombified.
This is achieved through different points of view: when we see things from the point of view of the zombies, the film is colorful and their dialogue is audible. When we see things from the point of view of the human characters, the film is black and white and the zombies are clumsy and uncoordinated.
Our zombies, therefore, are something like unreliable storytellers: we see mostly from their point of view, however we are quickly warned that their point of view is incorrect, which is the main source of humor.
Planet Terror (2007)
Planet Terror (2007) is a 2007 American exploitation horror film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It is the first film in Rodriguez’s Grindhouse double feature, alongside Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof. The film stars Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, and Naveen Andrews.
Plot
The film follows Cherry Darling (McGowan), a go-go dancer who loses a leg after being attacked by a group of infected soldiers. She is equipped with a machine gun for a prosthetic leg and sets out to avenge herself on the soldiers. Along the way, she teams up with El Wray (Rodriguez), a mysterious stranger, and other survivors to fight off the infected and escape the town.
Planet Terror is a homage to the exploitation films of the 1970s, such as Zombi 2 and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It is known for its over-the-top violence, gore, and humor.
Reception
Planet Terror was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its over-the-top violence, gore, and humor, as well as its strong female lead character. The film was also a box office success, grossing over $25 million worldwide.
Planet Terror is what happens when someone sits Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino at a table and says: “Make a zombie movie. Make it silly. No plot. The budget plan is not a problem. Have fun.”
So we got this movie, Grindhouse, a story of zombies/mutants developed from a biological weapon to terrorize the southwestern countryside. Subtext? Social commentary? World Terror is simply unbridled fun, and it’s really good at being that kind of movie.
It has a vibrant cast, from Rose McGowan as the go-go dancer who ends up with a prosthetic leg, to the brave Mexican wanderer, to Josh Brolin as a fierce doctor struggling with the explosion, to Terminator’s Michael Biehn and a brief cameo by Bruce Willis.
The movie quickly degenerates into a full-scale shootout with explosions and guts, although the violence is funny and you’re not being asked to take it seriously. The movie is simply a parody of low-budget zombie movies, paradoxically equipped with more resources than any other movie it’s parodying.
Deadgirl (2008)
Deadgirl (2008) is a Canadian horror film written and directed by Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel, and starring Shiloh Fernandez, Noah Segan, and Akasha Villalobos.
The film follows a group of teenagers who discover a zombie girl locked in a basement. They decide to take her home and have fun with her, but things soon take a dark turn when the zombie girl comes to life.
Reception
Deadgirl (2008) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its originality, its suspense, and its social commentary. It was also a box office success, grossing over $1 million worldwide.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best horror films of the 2000s. It is still enjoyed by audiences today for its originality, its suspense, and its social commentary.
The 2000s were years when taboos fell, however sex with zombies is most likely still a little too much for a lot of audiences. Still, that’s pretty much Deadgirl’s entire core style, certainly among the most extreme zombie movies that have actually come about. No one had really prepared an entire film about undead sexuality before this one.
The character of the “dead girl” in question is discovered by a few teenagers, most of whom spend their time arguing over who will rape her next.
The film is disgusting and actually creepy, as you can imagine, and it stands out simply for choosing a zombie theme that has never been dealt with so thoroughly. Sex with zombies in the future will be synonymous with Deadgirl in some ways.
Dead Snow (2009)
Dead Snow (2009) is a Norwegian horror film directed by Tommy Wirkola and starring Vegar Hoel, Stig Frode Henriksen, Charlotte Frogner, and Lasse Valdal.
The film follows a group of medical students who go on a ski vacation in a remote cabin in the mountains. However, their vacation turns into a nightmare when they are attacked by a group of Nazi zombies.
Reception
Dead Snow (2009) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its originality, its humor, and its gore. It was also a box office success, grossing over $6 million worldwide.
You’d simply be amazed at the number of Nazi zombie movies out there – Shock Waves may have been the first ever, however they never stopped producing them.
The first Dead Snow, while not a masterpiece, is the best film as at least in part it attempts to strike audiences with true horror instead of delivering a horror comedy.
The humor and characterization are scarce but the special effects and action work are first class for a indie film, with awesome zombie costumes and a great deal of explosive bloodshed.
The Horde (2010)
The Horde (2010) (French title: La Horde) is a 2010 French horror film directed by Yannick Dahan and Benjamin Rocher, and starring Claude Perron, Jean-Pierre Martins, Eriq Ebouaney, and Aurélien Recoing. The film follows a group of four corrupt police officers who are trapped in a dilapidated apartment building infested with zombies after their revenge mission against a drug dealer goes wrong.
Reception
The Horde (2010) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its claustrophobic atmosphere, its realistic portrayal of zombie violence, and its well-developed characters. It was also a box office success, grossing over $1 million in France.
The film has since become a cult classic and is now considered to be one of the best French horror films of all time. It is still enjoyed by audiences today for its claustrophobic atmosphere, its realistic portrayal of zombie violence, and its well-developed characters.
Zombieland (2009)
Zombieland (2009) is a 2009 American post-apocalyptic zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer in his directorial debut, and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.
The film follows a group of four survivors of a zombie apocalypse as they travel across the country in search of a safe place to live.
Reception
Zombieland (2009) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its humor, action, and realistic portrayal of zombies. It was also a box office success, grossing over $100 million worldwide.
Zombieland is not a favorite among horror and zombie fanatics and “perfectionists”, who don’t seem to consider it genuine enough as a zombie movie. Zombieland moves the action to the US and unites the survivors in a circle of friends.
Jesse Eisenberg’s Columbus is the kind of character we’ve never seen in a zombie movie before, even in funny movies: rather unstable, not particularly equipped to kill, however clever and resourceful, he provides a totally different vision. of a survivor.
Of course it’s Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee who really takes the stage, like a drifter on a seemingly meaningless mission. Including the menacing zombies, he draws a near-perfect line between the comic violence and the character’s humor.
Juan of the Dead (2010)
Juan of the Dead (2010) is a 2010 Cuban zombie comedy film directed by Alejandro Brugués and starring Alexis Valdés, Jorge Molina, and Andrea Duro.
The film follows Juan, a struggling Havana street vendor who sees the zombie apocalypse as an opportunity to start a new business: zombie killing for hire.
Juan of the Dead is considered the first zombie feature film in Cuba and is an extremely positive work by director Alejandro Brugués.
Juan of the Dead brings some political vigor back to zombie cinema, with many Cubans assuming that the Communist nation’s zombie problems have something to do with “capitalist dissidents.” It’s a pretty scary, funny and psychological zombie movie that has won many independent film awards.
Rammbock: Berlin Undead (2010)
Rammbock: Berlin Undead (2010) is a German zombie horror film directed by Marvin Kren.
The film follows Michael, a man who arrives in Berlin to visit his ex-girlfriend, Gabi, just as a mysterious virus begins spreading across the city, turning people into mindless, homicidal maniacs. Michael and Gabi must fight for their lives as they try to escape the city.
One of the most interesting aspects of Rammbock is that it understands its own restrictions and does not seek to extend beyond the natural boundaries of its history. It’s a German indie feature length only 63 minutes, however director Marvin Kren was right: it doesn’t really take an extra minute.
The extremely low budget is evident in the visual style, however Kren achieves one of the best results in a zombie movie that is also bloodless. Rammbock is a suggestive little zombie story that is told in a different way by the model to become unforgettable.
The Battery (2012)
The Battery (2012) is an American post-apocalyptic zombie horror film directed by Jeremy Gardner, who also stars in the lead role.
The film follows Ben, a former baseball player who has lost everything to the zombie apocalypse, and his friend Mickey, as they travel through the desolate New England countryside in search of a new home.
It is a film that is completely based on 2 actors, showing the way in which 2 very different characters deal with the psychological pressure and psychological difficulties of every day to discover a reason for existing.
Zombies exist, however they don’t really look like active villains, so to speak – they’re more like a consistent obstruction of everything these men have actually lost in their lives. It’s a film that almost mirrors the battle of getting up early in the morning to face another day: calling the zombies your neighbors, your co-workers, and so on. This is what zombies have come to be today: a representation of contemporary apathy.
Warm Bodies (2013)
Warm Bodies (2013) is a 2013 American romantic zombie comedy film directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Levine and Isaac Marion, based on Marion’s 2010 novel of the same name.
The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, Dave Franco, and John Malkovich. It tells the story of R, a zombie who falls in love with a human woman named Julie.
Reception
Warm Bodies (2013) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its unique premise, its well-developed characters, and its humorous and heartwarming tone. It was also a box office success, grossing over $66 million worldwide.
It would be easy to put this Nicholas Hoult movie aside as a simple teen nonsense, however Warm Bodies is more fun than the big horror fanatic can expect.
Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014)
Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014) is a 2014 Australian zombie horror film written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner. The film stars Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradey, Luke McKenzie, Leon Burchill, and Berynn Schwerdt.
It follows Barry, a mechanic who must rescue his sister Brooke from a mad scientist who is experimenting on zombies.
Like George Miller’s influential classic, this film comes from a young Australian director with his post-apocalyptic car-centric leanings, the film also includes numerous other twists on the formula zombies.
You might think it’s just another low-budget zombie movie with no real aspiration, however every minute moves Wyrmwood to an unexpected area, from the discovery that zombie blood can be used to power trucks to character-centric discoveries of Brooke and on the advancement of hidden psychic powers.
The film is many things at the same time: scary, psychological without being gory and pompous without totally falling into violent farce. Includes extraordinarily engaging characters: Brooke transforms into one of the film’s most significant stars regardless of being a bound and gagged slave for most of the film. Overall, Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead is the kind of zombie movie that many directors would have liked to do.
Little Monsters (2019)
Little Monsters (2019) is a 2019 Australian zombie comedy film directed by Abe Forsythe and starring Lupita Nyong’o, Alexander England, and Josh Gad.
It follows Dave, a washed-up musician who volunteers to chaperone his nephew’s kindergarten class field trip to a remote farm, only to find that the farm has been overrun by zombies. Dave must protect the children and find a way to safety.
Reception
Little Monsters (2019) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its humor, its heart, and its performances, particularly Lupita Nyong’o’s performance as Miss Caroline. It was also a box office success, grossing over $10 million worldwide.
Given that Lupita Nyong’o was getting her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2013, she most likely wouldn’t have expected that she would star in not one, but 2 films popular horror films in 2019.
Blood Quantum (2019)
Blood Quantum (2019) is a Canadian post-apocalyptic zombie horror film written, directed, and edited by Jeff Barnaby. The film stars Michael Greyeyes, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Forrest Goodluck, and Kiowa Gordon.
It follows Traylor, a Mi’kmaq man who is immune to a zombie virus that is wiping out humanity. Traylor must use his immunity to protect his family and community.
Reception
Blood Quantum (2019) was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its originality, its social commentary, and its performances, particularly Michael Greyeyes’ performance as Traylor. It was also a box office success, grossing over $1 million worldwide.
Blood Quantum by Jeff Barnaby is a zombie film that pursues the satirical and political side of the zombie movies genre since Romero’s first adventure in the world of the undead. Blood Quantum is distinguished by a stern depiction of zombies who are not funny at all.
