Got Brains? My Top 20 Zombie Movies
Friday February 15, 2008
With Diary of the Dead, George Romero's fifth (and last?) zombie movie coming out today, it seems only right to have a countdown of the 20 best zombie movies -- "best," of course, being a relative term, and 20 being a definite number. You might be surprised at what makes the list and even more so at what doesn't (Dawn of the Dead anyone?). Read it and weep.
Photo courtesy of Google Video
Comments
Mark:
Read your top 20 Zombie Movies list– great list! Thanks for that– it’s going to give me alot more movies to check out!
I honestly think one of the best Zombie flicks of all time is “Return of the Living Dead.” (#8 on your list) I saw it so many years ago, and I think it was the the one that got me hooked. I do have to agree though, the “Dawn” remake was brilliant.
Oh– and I also agree the first 10 minutes of “28 Weeks Later” were amazing– some of the most intense I’ve seen in a zombie flick. I’ve started a blog, and I discussed this in my posting “The Best Zombie Scene Ever”. When I read your list and similar comment, I just had to drop you and email.
By the way, my blog is at: zombienight.wordpress.com
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Dave
Have you seen Dead People aka Messiah of Evil (1974)? I don’t really do “favorites,” but I always champion this film when the subject of zombie movies comes up. I’ve only ever seen it on crappy grey-market DVDs in a horrible pan-and-scan chop job with bad sound sync, and for all that, it’s still one of the most visually arresting and entertaining zombie films I’ve ever seen. The zombie hunters (a menage a trois of swingers) are about as creepy as the zombies themselves. The grocery store sequence is a triumph of zombie moviemaking, and there’s a great little cameo by the legendary Elisha Cook, as the sole non-zombie in small California town.
If anyone ever finds an intact 35mm print and does a decent restoration, it could be the Carnival of Souls of zombie movies.
HP – I’ll have to check out Messiah of Evil. I haven’t seen it, but it just so happens that it was re-released this week as part of a budget zombie collection called Walking Dead (see New Horror Releases in Theaters and on DVD: Week of Feb. 17, 2008).
It is indeed hard when making a list of “favorites” to say one film is better than another. Frankly, there are some — like the 1990 NOTLD remake or even ROTLD Part II — that could’ve made the list, but I think that films like Evil and Plaga Zombie should get some love.
Thanks!
Mark
What, no Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead!?!?!?! (I also disagree with Dawn of the Dead off… the ear-blasting Goblin score, the biker gang, the helicopter scene — I can’t picture zombies without thinking back to this film. Instead of slow, perhaps “meditative”?) Otherwise, great roundup!
Andy
Andy – Ha, no dead chickens — yet — but I’ll have to catch Poultrygeist when it screens in LA in June. About Dawn, I think everyone has that one “classic” that they just can’t get into, and Dawn is mine. And Norbit.
-Mark
I would say that your list is….. okay.
You left out some of the better zombie flicks, and threw in some, not so great ones. There is one movie that really should have been in there, and yet you failed to mention it. Undead.
I can’t say I’d put Undead in the top 20. It’s close in quality to some of the lower-ranked ones, like Plaga Zombie and Evil, but it just didn’t do enough for me, especially at the end.
-Mark
Good list
but its missin resident evil dude
COMON!
richard – Yeah, that’s a tough one. It probably should be in there somewhere. I think the stench of the second movie diminished the first one in my eyes
-Mark
I googled “top zombie movies” and came across your list and totally loved it. I’ve seen parts of lots of zombies, but the first one i actually sat and watched start to finish was Dawn of the Dead-2004. I loved it, and wanted to watch every zombie movie. And i totally agree with you. When I watched the original Dawn of the Dead I was so disappointed, and its not a bad movie it’s just liked you said it just hasn’t stood up to the test of time. The face paint is laughable. And Shaun of the Dead is one of my absolute favorites it would be my #2.
Glad I could help, Samantha.! I wish you plenty of happy brain-munching action!
-Mark
Hey man, Great list, I saw mentioned above that you were left with a bad taste in your mouth from Resident Evil 2. I can understand that, but the 3rd was a little better. not as good as #1 of course but still pretty good I think. Either way, great list! And if you haven’t already seen it, check out this short, I found it a while ago and it’s good! I love it!
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-3655465801474364288&hl=en&fs=true
Later!
~Rick
Hi Rick – Ha! Yes! I’d forgotten about ‘Zombie Movie’! I’d seen it a couple of years ago. Great stuff! Apparently, the director is a comic book artist, but I’d love to see him make a full-length film.
Thanks,
Mark
Bullcrap! Yes, the “Dawn” remake was a solid zombie movie…..but nothing will EVER top the original “Dawn of the Dead”. To reply to a certain commenter, it DOES stand the test of time because it is not bound to it. It creates its own world and lives in it while commenting on our own. It is THE Zombie movie, and to have it’s flashy albeit relatively tepid and mainstream in place of the original is a ball-less move. The remake If you REALLY loved Zombie movies, you’d have to cojones to stand up for the original, “bad make-up” and all, or at least let them share the prize. For shame….you can’t be a true Zombie film lover and NOT worship the original “Dawn of the Dead”.
Who is this, Harry Knowles?!?
Actually, it takes “cajones” to declare the original Dawn a mediocre film. It has groundbreaking elements but as a movie-watching experience, it’s a slow, withered relic. It’s much easier to go with the accepted mainstream (and apparently, drooling fan boy) opinion that nothing could EVER (EVER!!!) be better than it. That’s the sort of close-mindedness you can’t have if you’re a true fan of zombie movies or of any genre of film.
-Mark
hi all just watched that short film “zombie movie” was real good and erm good list but just gotta dissagree bout dawn of the dead remake hmm it was good but i dont think it was as good as the original but just my opinion ,dam you freedom of speech lol good list thou
I have to completely agree with Harry on this one. The original Dawn broke new grounds in terms of effects (especially the gore). Also it was one of the first (zombie) movies to have a black protagonist with a STRONG and non-stereotypical role (other than NOTLD.. another Romero).
Aside from that it had very profound commentary of the “zombie-like” nature of consumerism in American culture. Think about it– it is in a MALL full of mindless, out of touch humans with no souls walking around with absolutely no goal other than to consume!! Remind you of anything?? How about capitalism??
Anyway this movie was completely groundbreaking in too many ways to mention and the remake was good… aside from the zombie baby scene– which was just laughable.
I think this list lacks and people who follow this list area at a disadvantage, Only a handful are worth the rest are just fluff.
Resident evil, EVIL DEAD, get with it. search somewhere else.
Evil Dead is not a zombie movie.
Thanks for the list…pretty good.
Some of the movies on your’ list are so bad they’re good.
But come on…admit it. You just excluded the original Dawn of the Dead to be different.
It started a big part of the Zombie genre that the Original night of the Living dead did not…. it’s the ultimate grand daddy of the head shot and biting off chunks of flesh!
If Evil Dead isn’t a zombie movie, then 28 Days Later isn’t one either.
Hell of the living Dead, The house by the Cemetery, Planet Terror and any Resident Evil should have beat out a few of your’ choices.
But different strokes!
Ghoul Fool – Maybe you’re a bit right in that I wanted to be different in not slapping Dawn on there, but I truly don’t find it particularly entertaining. Maybe I’ll extend my list to 25 and put it in there. Maybe that will make people happy…or maybe they’ll be annoyed that it isn’t #1. Oh well.
Yeah, I agree that once you get into the middling teens, you can interchange several movies (not Planet Terror, though — ugh!).
I beg to differ, though, about 28 Days Later, which has an aesthetic and storyline very much in the zombie vein, while Evil Dead is a demon possession movie and doesn’t play anything like a zombie movie. If it didn’t have “Dead” in the title, I don’t think anyone would associate it with zombies.
Thanks for the input,
Mark
I think the first dawn of the dead was great. The story was cool other then the bikers that only came in to loot and letting half of thier team die. George Ramero didnt give tose guys enough credit. Think about it a class four zombie outbreak and a team of twenty just storm a mall so sloppy driving there bikes around shooting at other humans shooting at them. WTF George Ramero cant there be any more realness to the shock of everyone is dead and the worl is over. Some new faces with guns would be a reat thing. In the time and age of a zombie outbreak.
But now the plot thickens which makes the zeds run alot faster and alot stonger as well.The new Dawn f the Dead is awesone as well! I dont think I would have left the mall.They could have gone loaded up on enough ammo for a lifetime. There was at least 10k zombies out there. And so much ammo in the store they could have shot zeds for days weakening the flow of zeds in the area. Then began to loot diferent places for gas and food. Kenneth the stong cool black cop was a great acto but I feel that he should have taken more controll in the situation.But I loved that movie as well.
this list is quite poor.
Zombi 2 is garbage. How can that be top-5? And Shaun Of The Dead, while a great movie, and a good zombie movie, should not seriously be in the top 3 in a horror genre. Evil Dead is definitely not a zombie movie.
Dawn of The Dead ‘02 is a good one, but shouldn’t be at the top.
hahahah nice movie list….i loved the movie “dance of the dead”…..funny and interesting…….
I like the list, but im sorry to say “flight of the living dead” was horrible. other than that the list is good. I exspecially like the number 1 movie
Like the list, but agree with Carl. “Flight of the Living Dead” was BAD. Like really bad. How can you like that movie and type/say “ugh” to “Planet Terror” BTW?
And I just saw “Dance of the Dead,” Dasa!…funny.
Must say!.. I AM LEGEND is worth watching.. that ensures a future to the zombie movies…. I loved the concept of staying alone and finding a cure.. c’mmon.. you need to love it… a must watch..!!
Shaun Of The Dead
Hmmmm, well I disagree with some choices but like someone else said, different strokes.
One that didn’t make it, I’m sure in part because it hasn’t seen much distribution (SHAME!) and isn’t technically a “movie”, is “Dead Set”; UK TV mini series that really blew me away. Definitely in my top 5! It can be ordered online.
Great list, but where is Day of the Dead. A great last stand zombie film with excellent social commentary.
Bit disappointed to not see zombie creeping flesh aka zombi3 on the list. Plot good, zombies hold true to the basic principles (Shambolic, slow moving), and the hand in the mouth ending cannot be faulted.
Where is zombie creeping flesh? Er, the hand in the mouth ending must surely give it a decent rating!