Where would the horror genre be without zombies? There's something satirical about flesh-hungry, cannibalistic monsters plaguing towns and cities, survivors pit against the odds wielding everything from a machete to garden tools. Here are some of the greatest zombie horror flicks to grace our screens in the past six decades.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
An abandoned house, risen corpses, and the iconic line “They’re coming to get you Barbara”. George A. Romero’s directorial debut, and the film that invented the modern zombie flick, Night of the Living Dead is without doubt a classic for any horror fan. Shot in black and white on a shoestring budget, a composition of amateur actors and a minimal crew, the ‘king’ of zombie flicks has gone down in history as one of the greatest horrors to grace our screens.
FUN FACT: The film was initially going to be an alien comedy in which alien teenagers visit earth, meet human teenagers, and chaos ensues as they cause mischief around town. It was due to budgetary constraints that made this concept impossible, and instead writer John A. Russo coined the plot for Night of the Living Dead.
DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)
Another George A. Romero classic, Dawn of the Dead is often regarded as the greatest zombie flick of all time. Unlike its predecessor Night of the Living Dead, Dawn is bolder, stronger, and bigger; setting a tone that future filmmakers sought to replicate. The violence is euphoric, the kills are iconic, and the action is consistent from the opening credits to the final act.
FUN FACT:
With a budget of $1.5 million (£1.2 million), Dawn of the Dead had thirteen times the budget of Night of the Living Dead – which was made for a measly $114,000 (£98,000).
28 DAYS LATER (2002)
With an iconic opening scene, Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later is an eerie thrill ride. Although contested if actually a zombie flick, as the “zombies” are not the traditional living dead, but infected humans from a widespread virus, Boyle reinvented and redefined the subgenre with a far more frightening premise; unthinking humans on a full sprint rampage and will stop at nothing.
TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016)
Zombie flicks often offer a feeling of claustrophobia, victims outnumbered by ravaging creatures with nowhere to hide. Train to Busan takes this premise to a terrifying new level – zombies on a train. The zombies are almost animalistic, aggressively claiming the lives of commuters. With anxiously tense sequences set in a cramped environment, this action-packed horror film is gripping from start to finish.
[REC] (2007)
Found footage horror has become increasingly popular post-Blair Witch, but don’t let that halt you from watching REC, the Spanish zombie flick that is equally captivating as it is terrifying. Another film that redetermines what a zombie is or isn’t, REC centres on a news crew trapped inside a quarantined building experiencing an outbreak of what appears to be rabies. Set in a dark environment illuminated with only a flashlight, and eventually night vision, the film is an incredibly tense experience featuring steady camera work and smarter-than-average characters.
ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS (1979)
Part of the Zombi franchise, featuring the iconic works of George A. Romero and Lucio Fulci, Zombie Flesh Eaters is a memorable, fun, and crazy watch. Filled with iconic moments and disgusting gore, Zombie took the subgenre to a whole new level and transcended the horror genre as a whole. With an unmatchable zombie vs shark fight scene and graphic sequences, Zombie has everything a horror fan can want.
THE CRAZIES (1973)
If this list alone is anything to go by, it’s that George A. Romero is the king of zombie flicks. Another film from the man himself, The Crazies centres on a quarantined town plagued by a virus that causes insanity and death. As white clad soldiers use all means necessary to contain the virus, this Romero classic features minimal, yet effective gore, in a tale of man vs monster vs man.
THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
Dan O’Bannon’s comedy horror The Return of the Living Dead delivered a riotous take on the zombie flick. The zombies are fast, headshots won’t work, and, in the words of the tagline, “they’re back from the grave and ready to party.” A comical homage to the king of zombie flicks George A. Romero, ROTLD is a raucous and gory depiction of brain yearning zombies supported by a punk rock soundtrack.
PONTYPOOL (2008)
Bruce McDonald’s Pontypool is as gripping as it is ingenious. A radio host (Stephen McHattie) and producer (Lisa Houle) resort to broken French after a zombie virus, spread through spoken English words, plagues a Canadian town. An underrated zombie flick, Pontypool is a compelling watch that delivers an interestingly original take on the apocalyptic theme.
What's your favourite zombie flick from this list? Let us know in the comments!
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