BRIDE OF 31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN! DAY 27: MY TOP 5 ZOMBIE MOVIES!

Robert Kirkman, creator of the comic book The Walking Deadand the subsequent TV series, once said that his idea for the series was to do a "zombie movie that never ends." With that quote in mind, I offer my top 5 zombie movies, which includes the hours and hours of The Walking Dead TV show. A cheat? Perhaps. But the sad truth is, as awesome as the zombie concept is, there are only really a handful of truly great zombie movies and stories out there.

5. Shaun of the Dead



Shaun of the Dead manages to make this list despite being a comedy. The truth is, the film is a certifiable and legitimate zombie movie, featuring "George Romero" zombies and the rules that go with them. Shaun of the Dead beautifully blends comedy, true zombie horror, romance, and even some gut-wrenching drama, pun intended.





                                                                                 4 . Night of the Living Dead (1990 remake)




Remakes are usually awful and unnecessary, but Tom Savini's (the make up and SFX maestro who worked with Romero on some of his previous movies) modernized take on Romero's original film bucks the trend and then some. Savini does a great job with the direction and design of the film, and puts an interesting spin on how the characters are portrayed in the original film.


3. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

While the remake directed by Zack Snyder has a few good moments, it's still guilty of committing unforgettable crimes against zombie films (running zombies) and creating forgettable characters. The original Dawn of the Dead, first sequel to Night of the Living Dead, features zombie makeup and effects taken to a new level of intensity by Tom Savini and made all the more gruesome by the use of color (the original was filmed in black and white to save money) and a bigger budget. The characters are the ones who take center stage, however, and the film's commentary on consumerism remains valid today, if not more so.

2. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

This is the one that started it all. George Romero's masterpiece created a new genre of horror films while forever altering the meaning of the term "zombie." Gone are the mind-controlled servants of past horror films. The creatures in Night of the Living Dead (called "ghouls) are relentless and seemingly unstoppable in their pursuit of eating the flesh of the living. Romero brilliantly used the nightmarish taboo of cannibalism and the idea of reanimated corpses to create a new movie monster that could be your best friend, your relative, your spouse, or even you.

1. The Walking Dead (2010-)

Yes, I'm cheating by even putting The Walking Dead on this list, BUT...since Robert Kirkman sees the comic and the show as a never-ending zombie movie, then the TV show can easily fit on this list. The Walking Dead TV series is a truly cinematic experience, featuring a quality of writing, acting, and SFX once previously only seen on film. The Walking Dead is at the top of my list because it is the ultimate realization and continuation of George Romero's zombie concept and vision: like Romero, Kirkman (and the TV series creators after him) use zombies to explore the human condition. The show's fifth season debuted to its highest ratings yet, and the show continues to hold the position as the number one show on television. The Walking Dead is the greatest zombie "movie" ever made because it continues to be made. Though it will one day end, it's legacy will continue on, inspiring future filmmakers and creators to use the zombie as a means of exploring the question: at what point do we lose our humanity and become walking monsters ourselves?