Zombie Movie Appreciation Thread (2 Viewers)

[ChrisBEA]

How about the original zombie film:
White Zombie

 

[SteveGon]

Return of the Living Dead Part II - sequel to Dan O'Bannon's cult fav, this one gets a bit too silly. Also distracting is the amateurish acting and the nonstop screaming that goes so far over the top as to be supremely annoying. You know it's bad when you want the heroes to get eaten. Worth a look I guess, but overall a disappointment.
** out of ****
Goreometer rating: *** out of ****

 

[David_Blackwell]

Cool thread. keep it going. I still need to rewatch Shaun of the Daed. I like the Dawn of the Dead remake better than the original (the NOTLD remake is also quite good). thta one with nazi zombies sounds interesting to check out.

 

[Kevin M]

David_Blackwell,
just don't make the mistake of going into Shock Waves with undue expectations....it is a very low budget film and it definitely shows, the main reason for liking it is the fact that it is fairly original in it's concept, the enthusiasm the filmmakers had is evident and it has very good atmosphere throughout....but don't expect Dawn Of The Dead.
Many people here went into Suspiria with massively elevated expectations (thanks to the rabid praise that fans have given it here at HTF) only to find that it wasn't the Citizen Kane of horror films....nothing can hold up to the harsh light of day given enough exaggerated expectation.
I'm just warning you to see SW with an open mind and a forgiving heart.

 

[Kate*H]

I love Zombie movies as much as the next guy, but everyone on this thread is only focusing on the "scary" movies. What about the zombie/cop/buddy movie "Dead Heat" or "My Boyfriend's Back"?

 

[David_Blackwell]

David_Blackwell, just don't make the mistake of going into Shock Waves with undue expectations...

I won't Kevin. I like low budget films. I love some of the old Universal horror and the Hammer Horror stuff.

 

[JohnRice]

Zombie flicks are just a kick in the pants. I seem to prefer when they go the camp or dark comedy route, though. Interestingly, the Dawn of the Dead remake seems to be my all-time fave. Cemetery Man also ranks up there due to its wonderful weirdness. I think my favorite zombie is the goth rocker zombie bad guy from Ghosts of Mars, though those don't quite fit the classic definition of zombie.

And, no, Carnival of Souls is definitely not a zombie flick, in my book at least.

 

[SteveGon]

The Mad Ghoul - A quasi-zombie flick, this so-so Universal chiller. A mad scientist turns his assistant into the living dead via an ancient Egyptian gas he's re-discovered. Naturally the antidote is a concoction of herbs and human heart extracts! Major debit: the ghoul makeup which has the victim looking like someone who is just really sleepy! The grim finale helps. Strictly for Uni horror fans.
** out of ****
Goreometer rating: zero out of ****

 

[Tim-H.]

SteveGon:

Thanks so much for recommending 'They Came Back' ('Les Revenants'), I loved it. It was low-key, but really moody and intriguing, like a good X-files episode, or the more atmospheric '40s horror/'50s sci-fi films. I thought 'Stink of Flesh' and 'Dead Meat' were lousy, but hey, I had to try! 'Plague of Zombies' was on Turner Classics last Oct, and I thought it was pretty effective. I have to revisit 'Shock Waves' soon, I caught it on late night TV a few years back and was just delighted by it. Great thread!

 

[SteveGon]

Glad you liked They Came Back.

 

[SteveGon]

I Was a Zombie for the FBI - Retro low-budget chiller about two laconic FBI agents tangling with aliens who want to zombify the good ol' U.S.A. Lotsa zombified citizenry here, but they don't eat anybody - the flesh-eating is left to the aliens' pet monster! Overall this is fairly well done, despite the monotone soundtrack and some chintzy effects.
**1/2 out of ****
Goreometer rating: * out of ****

 

[Kevin M]

That reminds me, I saw a very unusual "Zombie" movie the other week and I meant to come in here and mention it.

The Grapes Of Death (A.K.A. Les Raisins de la Mort) (1978) is a Jean Rollin film, yes the "lesbian vampire" Jean Rollin, and it is an odd departure from his usual erotic fare. I'm not sure if you could legitimately call this a "Zombie" film as it has much more in common with Romero's The Crazies than a true living dead film...but it also clearly takes a lot of it's cues from Grau's Let Sleeping Corpses Lie with it's ideas of environmental zombification and from Cronenberg's Rabid and it's ideas of contamination horror.
But in the end what we have here is IMO Rollin's best film and a pretty good thriller, which features some absolutely beautiful photography of the French landscape coupled up with a slightly annoying score that reminds me quite a lot of The Who's Teenage Wasteland (Baba O'Riley)....anyone who has heard this film's soundtrack knows what I mean ...anyway, it is a nice little thriller featuring some of the very first true gore effects in a french horror film and they aren't all that bad, they ain't great but pretty good for a first effort. Also this is the first time that Rollin worked with french porn star Bridgette Lahaie & she does quite a good job in the small role she is in....if you guys haven't seen any of Miss Lahaie's other work I recommend it, she is quite a beautiful women.
So, rent this from Netflix if you are in the mood for a different kind of "Zombie" film.

 

[Cory H.]

Just wanted to clarify, "28 Days Later" is not a zombie movie. The people are merely "infected", and having never died, aren't eligible for the prestigious "Zed" title.

 

[Kevin M]

Well, a literal "Zombie" isn't actually "the living dead", they are effected by a drug to behave in a zombie like way, so in that frame of mind none of Romero's films are truly "Zombie" films....so, I think there are exceptions to every rule in how we define something. How about..."Zombie-esque"?

 

[Cory H.]

I'll gladly meet you half way there, Kev.

 

[Anthony_De]

Anyone seen http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/index.asp?p=MultipackDetail&SKU=DV13855&PriCatID=3
Think it would be worth picking up?

 

[Michael Allred]

I think my favorite zombie is the goth rocker zombie bad guy from Ghosts of Mars, though those don't quite fit the classic definition of zombie.

He was possessed by an alien spirit, not even close to being a zombie really.

 

[Justin_S]

Anyone seen this set from Anchor Bay?

Yep. Its just too bad I already bought most of those movies separately at full price. If you don't own any of those films, I definitely think its worth buying. City of the Living Dead is classic Fulci. If you're a Fulci fan, its a no-brainer. The House By the Cemetery is pretty decent too, though I think its one of Fulci's weaker efforts. Hell of the Living Dead is a cheese fest. Personally, I love a good cheesy film every now and then, so I get quite a bit of enjoyment out of it. Nightmare City has its fair share of cheese as well, but its actually a pretty interesting little flick to tell you the truth.
Let Sleeping Corpses is the best film in the set. Its a slow building, subtle film with some pretty eerie zombies. The film is full of gorgeous locations, and the environmental aspect that Grau works into the story gives it a more unique feel than you're typical zombie flick. Its most heavy on atmosphere and suspense, but if you're a gorehound, the ending should please you. It also has an arrogant chief of police character that you'll despise. Well, I despised him anyway...
Dead Heat is pure garbage. Its the only one in the set that I don't own, and I wouldn't change that. Joe Piscopo (I think that's the proper spelling) is so annoying in that movie.

 

[SteveGon]

Zombie Night - ultra-low budget zombie flick finds the world overrun with the living dead after a nuclear/chemical war. Strictly amateur night in terms of acting, directing and production values, but still fairly effective. Worth a look if you've got ninety minutes to kill.
** out of ****
Goreometer rating: *** out of ****
Keep this thread alive!

 

[SteveGon]

Zombie Honeymoon - Not nearly as bad as the title would indicate! What would you do if your spouse died but came back from the dead, seemingly normal except for a voracious appetite for human flesh? Sort of a Cronenbergian spin on zombiehood, Zombie Honeymoon isn't totally successful, but gets an "A" for effort.
*** out of ****
Goreometer rating: *** out of ****