My fascination with zombies began with movies. I first saw 28 Days Later when it first came out in 2003, and ever since then there’s been no stopping my zombie fandom. Sure, I’ve learned much about zombies from The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z (both by the great Max Brooks), but most of my knowledge on surviving the inevitable zombie apocalypse has come from watching zombie movies. Here are some essential films to watch if you want to survive the undead:
Dawn of the Dead – The original is better, but Zack Snyder made a competent remake
Night of the Living Dead – Please watch the original black-and-white, not that piece o’shit, color remake.
28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later – The zombies may move fast, but they paint a great portrait of an apocalyptic world.
Black Sheep – No, I don’t mean the Chris Farley/David Spade comedy. I mean the 2006 movie that pits New Zealanders against undead sheep. It’s a hilarious and gory movie.
Shaun of the Dead – Yes, I know. Everyone’s seen this movie. But that doesn’t make it less essential. The brilliant script by director Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg is simultaneously a parody of and love-letter to the zombie genre.
Diary of the Dead – Though it may not be one of George A. Romero’s best, the Blair Witch/Cloverfield style movie brings the gore while still bringing the social commentary that made Romero famous.
Re-Animator – A classic that deftly blends horror and comedy.
The Evil Dead, The Evil Dead II, and Army of Darkness – Not particularly traditional zombie/horror movies, but Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy is an absolute must for zombie enthusiasts.
I’m aware that I missed many, but I was trying to create a short-list. Feel free to reblog and add some if you wish.
– SJ Cady
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