10 Original Zombie Movies That Redefined the Genre

THE Zombie
The film genre has enjoyed popularity for the past 56 years, with its origins dating back to 1932. Since then, this horror theme has experienced several waves of popularity, especially since the creation of George A. Romero’s The Walking Dead Universe in 1968. However , certain titles have inspired more significant increases in zombie horror media than others, one of the most notable being the 2010 debut of the zombie TV series. Undead.

The hordes of new zombie movies and TV shows that have followed these titles have been unstoppable; While arguably overdone, the undead genre shows no signs of dying now. Zombie horror owes its popularity to films like Romero’s that avoided common genre tropes and brought something new and exciting to the table. Whether it’s playing with the origin of the zombie outbreak, the speed and behavior of the zombies, the setting, or the types of characters, some unconventional zombie films have changed the genre forever.

10

White Zombie (1932)

The rise of the zombie film genre

Often cited as the first zombie film ever made, Victor Halperin’s White Zombie is responsible for the creation of the genre. Halperin’s premise originated from the zombie folklore of 17th-century Haiti and Ancient Greece (via story.com). According to history.com, the concept came from the West African voodoo religion; potions or “zombie powders” were traditionally mixed by practitioners known as bokorsoften incorporating tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin produced by pufferfish that can simulate death and create zombie-like behavior. In White ZombieBela Lugosi’s voodoo master character Murder Legendre turns Madeleine Short (Madge Bellamy) into a zombie using exactly this potion.

Although poorly received, especially in contrast to the surprising success of other Bela Lugosi horror films of its era, White Zombie set the stage for the future of the genre. Since then, zombie films have departed drastically from the voodoo-laden folklore that inspired this initial foray, and yet many attributes of that tradition and Halperin’s take on it have been transferred to modern interpretations of the undead. The creatures of the underrated classic White Zombie acted as the genesis of the soulless, mindless, and nearly indestructible creatures we see in cinema today.

9

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

The resurrection of the zombie film genre

Cult classic by George A. Romero Night of the Living Dead brought the zombie film genre to life and created the zombie patterns and tropes we still see today, like the headshots-only zombies rule seen in shows like Undead. He also created the classic zombie Romero: the stupid, slow, cannibalistic undead. The entire film takes place inside an abandoned farm, paving the way for future zombie films to be set in confined spaces, such as Train to Busan.

Night of the Living Deadthe surprising political ending of, as well as the casting of Duane Jones as Ben at a time when black leading roles were highly controversial, pIt paved the way for future films about the living dead to make social commentary about the living. This pioneering zombie film grossed $238,000 worldwide (which would be worth just over $2 million today) and led to several sequels, remakes, and reboots, many of which were similarly successful. The franchise should receive a final installment in 2025.

8

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

The best zombie movie of all time

Often described as the best zombie movie of all time, this sequel to Night of the Living Dead is as much a cult classic as its predecessor. Romero’s Living Dead Universe really took off with this film, resulting in countless sequels and reboots, not to mention inspiring many other films in the genre. Strangely, despite its popularity, this sequel grossed around $160,000 worldwide, $70,000 less than the previous film.

Dawn of the Dead The use of confined spaces continued, with the outbreak occurring in a shopping center. This scenario allows for exploration of the more widespread effects of the zombie apocalypse (such as mass hysteria) and at the same time builds on Romero’s social commentary from the original film, with the sequel’s themes revolving around capitalist America and consumption. Today, even from beyond the grave, the creator of the Living Dead Universe continues to influence the genre: Romero’s daughter, Tina Romero, is keeping up her father’s work with her upcoming sequel, Queens of the Dead.

7

28 Days Later (2002)

Zombies, but make them fast

Danny Boyle 28 days later was the first post-2000 reimagining of Romero’s classic slow walkers as frighteningly fast zombies. Although with much less success, Nightmare City (1980) was the first film to use fast zombies. 28 days later defies several tropes, including the final girl, as Cillian Murphy acts as the last boy Jim.

Some debated whether 28 days later is a zombie movie due to the virus it causes the outbreak technically kills and reanimates the living, rather than only having an effect on the dead. The film’s producers preferred to call their pseudo-zombies “infected”, but it’s undeniable that this kind of deviation from the traditional Romero zombie is no longer undesirable and essential to redefining tropes and keeping the genre alive. It appears to be effective at this, as the film’s second sequence 28 years later is expected soon.

6

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Everyman archetype meets zombie apocalypse

Although neither the first nor the last zombie horror comedy was made, Edgar Wright Shaun of the Dead is without a doubt the best balance of comedy and horror ever seen in the zombie film genre. In this classic low-budget cult comedy zombie film, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play two ordinary Londoners who do their best to survive a zombie outbreak.

This film makes some unexpected deviations from common zombie movie tropes, like the outbreak not being treated like the apocalypse and the main characters being your relatable, nerdy Everyman rather than muscular military types. While it’s not the bloodiest zombie movie ever made, Shaun of the Dead It still has a lot of blood and guts. Furthermore, although the main character’s arc deviates from the norm in this type of film, Shaun of the Dead has more than enough campy tropes to satisfy any fan of cult zombie films.

5

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

The resurrection of the best zombie movie of all time

Zack Snyder’s 2004 reboot of Romero’s cult classic Dawn of the Dead It’s certainly not unusual for the genre as a whole, but it served as an interesting reimagining from the 1978 original in many ways. Major changes include a viral outbreak source (as opposed to radiation from an exploding space probe), fast-moving zombies replacing the old slow-walking Romero creatures, and the addition of a lot more gore.

Despite its box office success, the film had a mixed reception among viewers and important actors, with Romero himself and Shaun of the Dead actor Simon Pegg criticizing Snyder’s remake. Dawn of the Dead it grossed $102 million worldwide, compared to the 1978 film’s $160,000 (that would be equivalent to about $774,000 today). On the other hand, the remake scored 77% on the Tomatometer, compared to 91% for the 1978 film. Despite the higher revenue, the consensus is clear from the critical reception of this remake: the old one is still a gift.

4

Hot Bodies (2013)

Zombies, but make them romantic

Releasing soon after The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, Jonathan Levine Warm bodies added some spice to the zombie movie genre. Changing things not just with Shakespeare Cheese and guava-inspired romance, but also sentient zombies, Levine’s Warm bodies it was a new take on a classic genre.

While venturing into the realm of teen romance is more than enough to qualify this film as an unconventional zombie film, Warm bodies‘unexpected ending breaks one of the most common rules about zombies. Furthermore, the The source of the outbreak is left intentionally vague, with the main character simply being unable to remember what caused the zombie apocalypse to occur. The choice to leave this open to interpretation avoids the usual expectation of a viral or possibly even supernatural source; it also leaves room for a potential sequel.

3

World War Z (2013)

Zombies, but make them tsunamis

In addition to being the most expensive zombie film ever made, World War Z has reached remarkable new heights in the world of zombie movie special effects. The tsunami-like waves created by the zombie hordes are unlike anything seen before in the genre and are terrifying even a decade later. The film received a mixed reception, due to many production issues that led to a somewhat clumsy change to the original. World War Z ending and the resulting collapse of the third act.

Despite its reception issues, World War Z created an interesting twist on the genre, focusing on the large-scale, worldwide effects of the zombie apocalypse and a United Nations agent searching for a solution to the outbreak. The film also introduces the concept of a vaccine created to allow the living to survive the undead. While the relatively open ending has led many to hope for a remake that could redeem the original film, some feel that the time that has passed and development issues mean a cancellation World War Z sequence.

2

Train to Busan (2016)

The modern contender for best zombie movie of all time

This South Korean zombie film grossed even more than 28 days later. Train to Busan was simultaneously a game changer for the genre and a return to some of the original cult classics in the sense that the entire film takes place inside a train (parallel to the Night of the Living Deadfarmhouse, or how Dawn of the Deadand). This isolation makes the viewer learn about the outbreak along with the characters, creating a much more realistic experience.

Many are unaware that Train to Busan has a prequel and a sequel in its three-film series; these installments exist on opposite ends of the critical reception spectrum, with the prequel being much better received. As for the second installment, Train to Busan It’s fast-paced, action-packed and harrowing. It grossed US$93 million worldwide and received critical acclaim.

1

Cargo (2017)

The only zombie movie where the main character is bitten from the beginning

Main characters, especially when played by stars like Martin Freeman, are often clad in impenetrable armor. This is not so with regard to character and emotional zombie movie Load. Having the main character bitten right at the beginning of the film and focusing the rest of the events on his attempts to get his son to safety is a completely unique take on the campy and often trope-laden zombie movie.

Cited as one of the most realistic zombie films ever made, Load it avoids the gore that is common in zombie horror and yet remains a dark, violent and moving film, exploring themes of hopelessness and post-apocalyptic sadness. Set in Australia, it briefly incorporates elements of Aboriginal spiritualism. They act as a somewhat similar plot element to zombies from different folklores, adapted by White Vampireand do Load perhaps the first modern zombie film to reference this origin.

Source: History.com