Nowadays, there has been never-ending popularity when it comes to movies and TV shows all about zombies. I mean who can blame Hollywood? Practically anything involving terrifying, flesh-eating zombies that chase any human form with a heartbeat brings a BIG impact on an audience.
There have been countless movies that have come out since the 1960s that give off different perspectives of zombies in terms of how they become those mindless, blood thirsts, bloodcurdling creatures. “Zombies” were usually thought to be a fictional being that, when bit by another zombie or somehow infected through open wounds by another, would become “rabid”, mindless, and hungry for human flesh which particularly moves at a slow pace. But now, Hollywood has shown a whole different kind of species of zombies.
Here is a list of the Top 5 Zombie Movies of All Time. From the classic zombie movies to the most recent movies that give the audience a mind-boggling experience!
1. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
From the title itself, it soothes bringing back the dead. This in fact is the first zombie film to be created by George Romero in 1968. The movie’s concept was brainstormed by Romero himself and another comic book enthusiast. This 1968 movie was shown in black and white and one of the classic American independent horror films of its time. It presents the “original” description of what zombies are really like. While this movie was quite a controversy because it showed cannibalism and racism, it was still a big hit!
Since it was made back in the late 1960s, it’s not like the zombies we now see on the big screen. The zombies are typically slow, mindless, and thirsts for blood. It is a classic zombie film even in modern times. It deserves a spot in every list of top favorite zombie films of all time indeed.
2. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
When you hear the word “zombie” you don’t exactly think of comedy or laughter. But this movie is one of the rare British and comedic zombie movies ever made. Directed and co-written by Edgar Wright and also co-written and starring Simon Pegg alongside Nick Frost, this film is remembered as “that funny movie that deals with zombies.” Although it didn’t make much in the box office, an estimated $13M only, it still gives laughs to the audience.
Imagine two good buddies making their journey through a world infested zombie apocalypse is pretty much the only ways that they know-how. The characters have their own techniques on taking on the zombie apocalypse and it will for sure make you laugh out loud. It has a great combination of wit, intelligent humor, and the perfect hint of zombie.
3. 28 Days Later (2002)
Another zombie movie that should always be included in the list is definitely 28 Days Later. Alongside its sequel, 29 Weeks Later (2007), both give a new meaning to the phrase “zombie apocalypse.” Directed by Danny Boyle, this movie brings on the proper combination of terrifying, fast, hyper violent zombies. Not the slow creatures that you are used to indeed. People are used to the slow and wandering zombies, but in 28 Days Later, be surprised. Imagine waking up, not knowing what has happened to the world, and worse of all, waking up alone.
The main character in the movie then starts to discover that he is not alone and it brings a sudden need to discover ways of survival. Immediately, the audience can feel how horrific it must feel to be in the character’s position. “His fear began when he woke up alone, his terror began when he realized he wasn’t.”
4. Rec (2002)
Rec is a Spanish zombie horror film that deserves to be on this list. It is unlike the other zombie films that people have seen because it is filmed in a documentary type which seems to be real because a video camera is capturing the experiences of the characters. Rec was actually remade in English (Quarantine 2008). Also, another great film which was inspired by Rec. Quarantine is a great remake and deserves to be watched also. The film revolves around a news reporter, her cameraman, a group of police and firemen, and also the tenants at a local building. With the sudden spread of an unknown disease, the outside world is forced to quarantine these individuals in the building. Makes the movie even better because of the documentary type it is made. The use of night mode on the video camera is brilliant. This movie brings horror and has many “unexpected” scenes that will definitely make you scream.
In terms of it being a zombie film, still is a debate because the actual cause of the illness is rabies. But it does fit the criteria of how zombies can be described as. They bite/eat humans, their brains die, they go through changes in their body, turn into a mindless and rabid, flesh-eating creature who chase humans, and die with a head shot. It is simple but it works and deserves to be included in this list.
5. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
A remake of another movie made by George A. Romero back in 1978, this is a modern interpretation of the classic film. This remake is actually made very well compared to other remakes of classic movies. The characters in the movie comprise a policeman, nurse, young married couple, salesman, and other individuals that are in the middle of a zombie-infested world.
They are stranded and forced to survive in a Midwestern shopping mall with aggressive, flesh-eating zombies that are outside and also inside the mall. Feel the tense of the characters needing to live together under one mall with terrifying zombies all over.
With the various zombie movies that have come out and are still being made today, it always brings curiosity to everyone’s minds about how scary each film will be. If you aren’t familiar with zombie movies and want to start with the best of the basics, start with this list of films stated above. You won’t be disappointed for sure because you get a glimpse of the different types of zombies these creative writers and directors wanted to present to the public.