Zombie films have continued to dominate the horror space, but there are some classic films from the subgenre’s early decades that are more underrated than others. Zombie films as they are known today have been largely influenced by the work of George RomeroMost notably with Night of the Living Dead. As a result, many filmmakers have used Romero’s characterization of zombies to inform their films, which can be seen in Jorge Grau. Let sleeping courses lie and Lucio Fulci’s Zombie 2.
Most terrifying zombies seen in modern films show the creatures come to be through the means of radiation or diseases. However, the idea of zombies originates from Haitian folklore that explains the reanimation of dead bodies by means of witchcraft. Some examples of zombie films from decades ago entertain this version of zombies, while others, like Cemetery manHave depictions closer to what audiences see today.
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Zombie 2 (1979)
An unofficial sequel to Dawn of the Dead
George Romero Night of the Living Dead series was widely influential on the zombie subgenre, prompting several inevitable imitators. One of the most memorable “rip-offs” comes from Italian filmmaker Lucio Fulci. Inspired by Romero’s work, Fulci made Zombie 2 – A sequel to Romero’s Italian fashion Dawn of the Dead. Zombie 2Also known as Game Zombie Meat Eaters Or simply ZombieDoes not follow the exact events of Dawn of the Dead. instead, Zombie 2 Takes place on a Caribbean island cursed by zombies brought back from the dead by magic.
Zombie 2‘s most glaring weakness is its narrative. The story of the film constantly takes a back seat to its unapologetic display of violence and gore. However, although the story of the film is not great, Zombie 2The technical aspects are surprisingly decent. Combined with an eerie score by Fabio Frizzi and powerful special effects, the creative ways in which Zombie 2 is shot truly advance its otherwise generic horror elements.
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White Zombie (1932)
The first entry in the zombie subgenre
Recognized as the first feature-length zombie film, White Zombie Helped establish the formula for films in the subgenre before they became what audiences know them as today. The term “zombie” originates from Haitian folklore, in which it is explained how a dead body is brought back to life by magic. Such a concept is explored in White ZombieWhat follows a woman’s transformation into a zombie at the hands of the master “murder” Legendre (Bela Lugosi).
Madeleine Short (Madge Bellamy), the victim of Legendre, has no appetite for intelligence, and she is not determined to turn other people into zombies like her. Instead, Madeleine is put into a sort of trance and must follow her master’s orders. The characterization of zombies is not that exciting, but can still work in an action-packed, heart-racing horror film. This, however, is not necessarily the case with White Zombie. While many may appreciate the film’s importance in the zombie subgenre, White Zombie is still heavily criticized for its stiff acting and weak story.
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Wild Zero (1999)
A rock trio teams up with a fan to defeat zombies
Japan, similar to Italy, is known for creating truly terrifying horror films that make an impact on audiences worldwide. However, one of the Japanese horror films that has gone under the radar is the comedy horror zombie film wild zero. Directed by Tetsuro Takeuchi, wild zero Follows Ace (Masashi Endō), a massive fan of the rock group Guitar Wolf (portrayed in the film by the real-life members). Ace eventually finds himself teaming up with Guitar Wolf to defeat a group of aggressive zombies.
wild zero Is not as intense as other classic zombie filmsBut it is guaranteed to entertain. The film has a decent amount of lighthearted humor and punchy action scenes, and the characters are easy to get invested in. Ace is a relatable character audiences can relate to, which adds to the charm of the film.
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Plague of the Zombies (1966)
Explores the original conception of zombies
Coming from the British film production company Hammer Film Productions, known for their gothic horror and fantasy films around the 60s, The plague of the zombies Explores the concept of Haitian Vodou rituals. The plague of the zombies was inspired by the inclusion of Haitian Vodou in the film White ZombieWhich set the precedent for how zombie stories were presented in films for a few years.
When townspeople of an 1860 Cornish village begin to die, the cause is initially assumed to be a plague of some sort. However, it is quickly discovered that one man is the mastermind behind it all. The plague of the zombies It doesn’t have as much action or glamor as many of the zombie films that would follow, but it’s still beautifully filmed, well acted and has a general unsettling atmosphere horror fans can appreciate.
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Dead and Buried (1981)
Powerful special effects create a real scare
Marketed as a film by “the creators of Alien” Death & Burial was not able to perform well at the box office. Although the film has since earned a cult following, it is still largely underrated in the broader horror genre. The zombie film follows the sheriff of a small town, Dan Gillis (James Farentino), who investigates a series of murders that lead to the dead coming back to life. Fans of bloody, shocking horror films would be delighted to learn this Death & Burial is wonderfully cruel.
Award-winning makeup effects artist Stan Winston is in charge of the special effects in the film and earned great praise for his work. Still, there’s an intriguing mystery about the film that lingers Death & Burial And saves it from a nonsensical bloodbath for its 90-minute runtime. Death & BurialThe tension gradually builds as the sheriff gets closer to the truth, which helps keep the audience engaged and playing along.
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The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
An anthropologist discovers Haitian Vodou
Wes Craven is a prominent figure in the horror genre, but there are, of course, certain entries in his filmography that are discussed more than others. One of Craven’s underrated films is The snake and the rainbow. Based on actual events detailed by anthropologist Wade Davis in his non-fiction book of the same name, The snake and the rainbow Follows anthropologist Dennis Allan (Bill Pullman) as he travels to Haiti. While in Haiti, Dennis learns about a drug used in Haitian Vodou as a way to create zombies.
The snake and the rainbow Drawing on the origins of the word “zombie,” and does so with a respectable amount of care. The film takes its time to explore Haitian Vodou as a religious practice and doesn’t just throw it into the film mindlessly. Additionally, The snake and the rainbow Has some impressive set pieces and visuals that enhance the chilling atmosphere of the film.
4
Cemetery Man (1994)
A cemetery caretaker defeats zombies
Italian filmmaker Michele Soavi is behind a few underrated horror films, such as stage fright And Cemetery man. The latter is a zombie film that follows its protagonist, cemetery caretaker Francesco Dellamorte (Rupert Everett), as he comes up with a way to prevent the dead from rising from their graves. Cemetery man is based on Tiziano Sclavi’s novel Delmarte DelamoreThe original title of Soavi’s film, and has a similar dark tone mixing with a generous amount of dark humor.
Of course, the narrative of the film is quite repetitive at times and is not the most logical. yet, There are some interesting ideas that are dissected in Cemetery manincluding existential dread and isolationThat makes it worth the watch. At the center of these themes is the well-known outcast Francesco. Everett has a strong hold on his character, which makes his spin into madness all the more believable and compelling to audiences.
3
Shivers (1975)
Combines horror and eroticism
Largely in part to George Romero’s Night of the Living DeadMany zombie films combine bloody horror elements with social commentary. One of the more underrated examples of this is Trembling. Directed by body horror pioneer David Cronenberg, Trembling Tells the story of a parasite taking over and turning infected people into violent sex fiends. Trembling Not Cronenberg’s best film, though It blends horror with poignant social commentary just as many of his future films would go on to do, making it a must-watch. For anyone just starting to explore his filmography with popular releases like The flight And Videodrome.
The way horror and sex are fused in Trembling Results in some truly disturbing moments that broke social boundaries at the time and took audiences by surprise. There is also a decent amount of dark humor throughout the film which prevents it from being too heavy of a watch. Although other zombie films have tapped Trembling In terms of shock value and excessive violence and sex on screen, it remains a notable entry in the horror subgenre.
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Deathdream (1974)
A previously dead soldier returns home
Shadow of his destroyer Black Christmas and its comedy-horror hybrid Children should not play with dead thingsIs Bob Clark’s Death dream. Inspired by WW Jacobs’ short story, “The Monkey’s Paw,” Death dream (Also known as Dead of night) follows the return of American soldier Andy Brooks (Richard Backus) after he is presumed killed in the Vietnam War. Tension gradually builds in a gripping third act, however Although there are certainly some horror aspects throughout the film, Death dream Also functions as a family drama.
The Brooks family is divided because Andy’s parents feel differently about their son’s strange, zombie-like behavior. John Marley, playing Andy’s father, Charles, delivers a moving performance as a father torn between the joy of his son’s return and the guilt he feels about learning of his deadly actions. Lynn Carlin, as Andy’s mother Christine, also has a strong screen presence and delivers a poignant final statement that encapsulates Death dreams allegory of the Vietnam War.
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Let Sleeping Courses Lie (1974)
A group of zombies is taking over a city
Earning some unavoidable comparisons to Night of the Living DeadSpanish director Jorge Grau’s Let sleeping courses lie Still manages to stand apart from other zombie films. Let sleeping courses lie Follows two people who are wrongly accused of murder. It turns out that zombies have been behind the kills the whole time. Compared to some other classic zombie films, Let sleeping courses lie Has a fairly low number of zombies roaming the city. Still, the film’s monstrous creatures prove to be quite a threat.
The scenes in which the zombies attack are gruesome and full of suspense. Let sleeping courses lie is just as nail-biter as it is exciting for fans of bloody horror films. Although Grau’s film is not entirely outlandish, It was still among the most chilling and effective Spanish horror films at the time of its release And is deserving of more recognition.