ZOMBIES! So with Halloween fast approaching and the Walking Dead Season 4 premiere airing, Zombies are on the Brain!! So here for your entertainment is a little top 10 Best Zombie Movies of all time list. See what you think, will you be infuriated because your favorite did not even make the list??
10. Re-Animator
Although it is an unconventional choice for a zombie movie top ten list Re-Animator starts this list off at the ten spot. After medical student Herbert West and his girlfriend move to the US to continue his research relating to reviving the human brain, things just do not go as planned. As one should suspect West’s re-animation fluid is pretty effective, but has “minor” side effects relating to violence, which need to be corrected.
This bloody, gory, horror movie puts a new spin on the typical zombie movie in that dead (parts is parts) are not coming back to “life” because of some strange phenomena, or disease it is simply the work of the crazy eyed scientist who hopes to Re-Animate his dead professor, Dr. Hans Gruber. This movie based on H. P. Lovecraft’s story easily could have failed, but since it leaves you slightly disturbed and pleasantly surprised, this cult classic holds solid at number ten.
As the third installment of zombie king, George Romero’s zombie flicks; Day of the Dead takes number nine. As the sequel to the 1978, Dawn of the Dead, this movie takes place when zombies have taken over and its up to a small group of scientists and military men to find a away to reclaim the world that once belonged to the living. The living stay underground experimenting on the “living-dead,” while the numerous “living-dead” roam above ground looking for people to eat. Ironic isn’t?
With FX makeup geniuses Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero on the crew the special effects makeup and blood effects are tops, in fact, some say the effects are better in “Day” then they are in both “Dawn” and “Night,” which I tend to agree. Despite the awesome FX and…Bud (gotta like Bud) …this movie is set in a drab underground bunker, and focuses mainly on the coping skills of the people stuck there, which lets be honest gets a little silly compared to the first two films in the trilogy. Honestly if it was not for the sweet FX this movie would not have made this top 10 list
If you are reading this top ten list with interest and have not seen Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse you are truly missing out… Taking the number eight spot is Planet Terror, the first feature film of the Grindhouse double feature. Written and directed by Robert Rodriguez and starring the beautiful Rose McGowan (Cherry Darling), Freddy Rodriguez (Wray), Josh Brolin (Dr. William Block), and Marley Shelton as Dr. Dakota Block, among other fantastic recognizable actors, Planet Terror is a bloody, action/ horror film that has a little something fun for everyone watching.
Taking place on a remote U.S. Military base in Texas, ( where bigger is better…), that gets taken over by flesh-eating, mutant zombies after an experimental bio-never gas is accidentally released. Obviously, all hell breaks loose and it takes a group of misfit rebels including, Cherry Darling and her badass machine gun leg, to save the world.
With the KNB EFX Team working this crew you know or should know that ALL of the EFX were top-notch, the zombies were totally disgusting, with their bloody, skin melting/ boiling, gooey goodness. The visual effects were fantastic, being on a military base they had ample opportunity to make shit explode. This movie makes you want a machine gun as a leg for christ sake. It is a very entertaining fast-paced zombie movie, which helps it secure the number eight spot.
7. Dead Alive
From Peter Jackson, yes you know Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, comes Dead Alive in the number seven spot. Dead Alive is a bloody gore-fest comedy that some claim is the best zombie movie ever made, although I do not totally agree, obviously, I will say it is witty, totally messed up, and way bloody! Also known as, Braindead, this movie follows Lionel, a Mama’s boy who falls in love with local shopkeeper’s daughter Paquita and obviously the two are destined to be together, but as you would imagine Mama, was not having it. After trying to sabotage one of Lionel and Paquita’s dates, Vera (Mama) is bit by a poisonous Sumatran rat-monkey, dies and returns as a Zombie. Since she was a terror in life as a zombie she only gets worse as she goes around terrorizing and hunting people turning them into zombies. It then becomes Lionel and Paquita’s job to make things right. It gets a … little bloody .. yeah just a tiny spot of blood here and there… ;-). Overall it is a bloody, and brilliantly gory, funny zombie movie.
6. Zombieland
Ok, yes this newb to the zombie genre beats out Day of the Dead and Planet Terror, what can I say, it’s very entertaining, and the zombies are well done! Zombieland, starring Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee), Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Emma Stone (Wichita), and little Ms. Sunshine, Abigal Breslin, (with cameo by Bill Murray), has everything a zombie movie should.
While searching for his family, conservative and shy Columbus (no real names!) manages to survive zombie America by following his self-imposed 30-rules to survival. During his journey to Ohio he runs into the loud overly confident, badass zombie slayer Tallahassee (Twinkies… damn it, that’s all), after your typical getting to know you scenes the two guys find it most convenient to travel together. During their journey they come in contact with two seemingly innocent young women who manage to take the guys for all they have. Eventually, they all reach an understanding and travel together, so the big happy family continues on their journey fighting off zombies as they go. The entertaining dynamic between characters, the cute love story, and the classic zombies help push Zombieland to the number six spot of this top ten list.
Next, in the middle of the pack is 28 days later. These zombies are hands down creepy, there is nothing cute about them and that is just fantastic!
After a group of activist ignore the warnings of knowledgeable scientists, chimpanzees infected with a virus that causes rage are released. The virus is then transferred to numerous people around Great Britain after only 28 days, resulting in infected citizens who have lost all logical reasoning and human instinct. Jim who fell into a coma just before the outbreak wakes from his coma to an empty hospital and leaves to find what appears to be an empty city. The movie continues with his attempt to survive and find others.
The documentary style camera work really makes this one of the most scary and suspenseful zombie movies on this list, you are seeing things with the same point of view as the main characters, which really makes you more connected to the fear and unexpected nature of approaching, looking for, and fighting of zombies. This movie takes the classic zombie movie concept to the next level, for that reason it makes it to the number five-spot.
To the Winchester! Shawn of the Dead, the first in the Cornetto Trilogy by Edgar Wright starring Simon Pegg (Shaun), Nick Frost (Ed), as well as, Kate Ashfield (Liz), Lucy Davis (Dianne), and Dylan Moran (David), among other recognizable stars is a fantastically fun zombie movie that every movie lover should see.
Inspired by Edgar Wrights favorite zombie movie, 1978’s Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead is a romantic comedy that follows the struggles of Shaun a home appliance store manager whose life is falling apart right before his eyes; his roommate hates his BFF Ed who freeloads, which makes home life a bit hell like, his relationship is being flushed down the toilet, all while he finally recognizes that his city has been taken over by zombies. All of a sudden the movie takes a turn to become the ultimate zombie survival film, when Shaun, Ed and the gang make their way to the Winchester, the “safest” place to be when zombies are around.
The zombies are well done and classic, and the transition from human to zombie after a bite or scratch is executed really well. The conflict relating to the transitioning from human to zombie of a loved one adds some extra emotion and depth to the elimination of several of the zombies. This fast paced entertaining zombie movie beats out several classics to secure the number four spot.
Finally to the top three, Dawn of the Dead, the first sequel in George Romero’s zombie trilogy, takes up where Night of the Living Dead leaves off. It follows the survival attempt of four people as they lock down, arm themselves and destroy zombies all to create a bit of a living. As one would expect tension between the group builds adding to the complication of having to fend off zombies. Just when you think it cannot get any worse a biker gang gets smart about the mall, invading it, and changing the dynamic that has been established by the four survivors.
This movie is full of blood and brains, in full color, this time around. The zombies and visual FX are pretty good, not as good as Day of the Dead, but still entertaining. The story line keeps you interested, and almost feels as though it is something that could actually happen, it shows us that logical people can act worse than zombies. It is a lovely classic zombie movie and is an example of the best type of sequel; one that creates a legacy all of its own.
Yes I realize this is the remake of the 1978 Dawn of the Dead and it might seem a bit silly to have both listed, but this Dawn of the Dead did such a fantastic job taking the concept of the original Dawn to the next level. The production value was fantastic, with improved FX makeup and blood FX, both added a bit of awe and excitement the original did not have. The chaos presented to you in the first 15-20 minutes sets the tone for the rest of movie, keeping you giggling and entertained for the rest of the movie. The “Living-dead” in this version are not slow stumbling creatures, and the survivors really kick some zombie… umm, brains. For these reasons, the 2004 REMAKE of Dawn of the Dead, BEATS, the original 1978 Dawn of the Dead, taking the number two spot.
1. Night of the Living Dead- 1968
FINALLY! capturing the number one spot; Night of the Living Dead! The movie that some say invented the genre, and the first in George Romero’s zombie trilogy. This low-budget, black and white zombie flick is not super scary by todays standards (though I am not a fan of cemeteries) but is still really enjoyable to watch.
After a mysterious satellite spews radiation after a crash landing to earth, the dead start walking again, and begin looking to feed on the living. As the Living Dead increase in numbers you watch as several different people make their way to an abandoned farmhouse, where they have to work together to survive. The different kill scenes were entertaining with the final kill scene being the absolute best. This classic that started it all is cut a dry, and accomplishes exactly what you want a zombie movie to accomplish.
Well that’s it! Don’t forget to aim for the head!
Enjoy 😉
