DAWN OF THE DEAD zombie celebration movie list

DAWN OF THE DEAD was released April 20th, 1979 and it changed horror cinema forever. George Romero hit it out of the park yet again, creating a socially relevant horror epic that people still hold near and dear. I know that it was in constant rotation in my teen years as my friends and I rented and re-rented the movie to watch during weekend late night horror movie marathons.

As I became older, I saw how significant the film was for horror and the zombie genre. From the story points to the makeup effects, DAWN was a groundbreaking horror film that people will never forget.

But, are we done with zombie films now? Is the current zombie cycle over? These things are cyclical, moving from zombies to vampires to aliens, usually. (Sadly, werewolves seems to miss the horror cycle rotation...not sure why...). 

I still love a good zombie film. I have several that I think are well worth a viddy. Check out my list and let me know what you think!




Dawn of the Dead remake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j69OPw9nFHw
I thought I was going to HATE this remake, but...nope....I friggin loved it. I was turned around by the opening scene and was giddy with joy all the way through. I know some people still shun this film, but....aside from a few trope issues of the 2000s, the film is a super solid horror vehicle that took the brilliance of Romero's DAWN and made some interesting changes to make it work for modern audiences.



Night Eats the World
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-night-eats-world.html
I thought this was a super solid film showing one man's struggle to stay afloat by himself during a zombie outbreak.





WILD ZERO!!!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_D9OjDoQ0
ROCK AND ROLL ZOMBIE MADNESS FROM JAPAN THAT NEEDS TO BE IN ALL CAPS WITH LOTS OF EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!!!!!!!!   SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!



Night of the Hunted
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-night-of-hunted.html
An arthouse alternate zombie style film from the wondrous Jean Rollin. Beautiful and haunting, but not a traditional zombie film. Be warned. :::grin:::



Dead Set
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2012/08/dead-set.html
One of my all time favorite zombie epics of all time. TV studio employees and actors deal with a zombie outbreak. A brilliant 5 episode series.




Dawning of the Dead
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2017/11/dawning-of-dead-2017.html
A fun, lower budget UK zombie offering that was highly entertaining.



Burial Ground
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2017/05/burial-ground-1981.html
Classic Italian 1981 horror film that must be seen if you love 80s horror. It's bonkers.



Mutants
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2013/12/mutants.html
Stylish French zombie film that straddles sci fi and horror. Again, not traditional zombies, but so good.




Train to Busan
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2016/09/train-to-busan-i-love-you.html
I think we've all heard of this film by now. TRAIN TO BUSAN is one of the best zombie films to be released in the past 20 years. While it may be hard for some to "get" some of the Asian cinema elements of high drama, it's a ride that not only shocking, but also heartfelt.



Shaun of the Dead (D'uh)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIfcaZ4pC-4
Yeah...it's great. :::grin:::   No need to talk about it more.




Wyrmwood
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2015/08/wyrmwood-road-of-dead.html
Aussie zombie goodness. MAD MAX meets an early Peter Jackson film.



Nightmare City
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2014/10/nightmare-city.html
More Italian horror goodness from the 80s. Zombies....with weapons!



The REC Series of films
REC3 - https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2013/03/rec3.html
A fantastic series of zombie films with a twist. [REC] 1 and 2 are fantastic and, while the series tends to take a dip after that, they are still highly entertaining films.


Undead
https://youtu.be/Ok8J-xyS4H0
Another cool Aussie zombie offering that has a lot of fun with the genre. Strange comedy elements abound as well.



Sugar Hill
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2012/11/sugar-hill.html
A classic "blacksploitation" zombie film that is a must see. For the longest time, I thought it was just a black crime film from the 70s, but it's actually a super cool, voodoo zombie extravaganza!



STACY: Attack of the Schoolgirl Zombies
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2012/11/stacy-attack-of-schoolgirl-zombies.html
Bizarre j-horror zombie goodness with wild visuals, a crazy story, and a TON of blood and gore!




Doghouse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8rsPuFN8wg
Silly and fun UK zombie romp that explores the "battle of the sexes" with a zombie twist. A goofy zombie comedy and is highly entertaining.



One Cut of the Dead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wBImbHqhFk
Went into this cold and wasn't disappointed. I don't want to say much about this for fear of ruining it, but it had an amazing story and some wild shots.



The Dead
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2012/02/dead.html
Bringing the slow moving zombie back to the screen, THE DEAD takes place in Africa and has some grand scenes of high tension as a man makes his way through the treacherous African landscape made even more dangerous due to a zombie outbreak.




The Horde
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2011/01/horde.html
High energy zombie madness from France. High on blood and tense action without letting much story get in the way of the thrills. ; )


Cemetery Man
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2010/09/cemetery-man.html
Stylish 90s film with zombie elements. In this non-traditional zombie film, Francesco Dellamorte takes his job at the cemetery very seriously...because he needs to re-kill the people who are buried there a little while after they are put in the ground. Beautifully shot with a comic inspired esthetic, Cemetery Man is a super cool and strange horror classic.





Hope this gives you something to do while you Shelter In Place! :) 

The Night Eats The World

I've been slowing my posts down quite a bit, but I've heard some folks speaking about this film with big negatives and I wanted to get a little love for it out in the world. A podcast I listen to really trashed the film calling it boring and saying it doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but I can not agree with that at all. I think the film brings a lot to the mix and breathes a little...life...into the zombie sub-genre...so to speak.

Anders Danielsen Lie plays Sam and we see him at a party in Paris as he tries to get a few items back from his ex who is now happy with another man. Sam, frustrated by the amount of time it's taking to simply grab a box, dives into one of the back rooms to wait, but falls asleep in the process. And things go to hell while he sleeps. We follow his process as he discovers that zombies have taken over overnight and as he makes an effort to plan out his new life.

Now, the film is a slow burn character study, not an action based zombie horror fest, but there are some really horrific moments for sure. Sam needs to work out what's going on and as he plans out his moves, he has to not only process what's going on, but also needs to plan for what could possibly be a very long time held up in a single apartment building. This won't thrill everyone, but seeing as I've had several conversations with horror fans about this very subject of staying alive in a post-zombie world, I'm sure many people will love seeing this play out.


"Is this place a good place to hold up in a zombie outbreak? No way - look at those windows! And what would you do for food? How long could you wait it out alone?" 

Yeah...so many discussions. :)

The zombies are interesting here as well - silent except for the clicking of their jaws clacking together. The first time we see them really sent a freaky jolt through me, actually. There are some fantastic zombie makeup applications as well. And, yes, all practical with no CGI blood sprays that I noticed! ::::cheers::::




Now, the film does have a 28 Days Later feel and as far as that goes, it's not "new", but the writing and acting really set this film apart. There are some really tense moments in here as well as some genuine thrills.

It's a solo story that does a deep dive into survival and loneliness.  I think it's well worth a viddy!

Directed by 
Dominique Rocher

Writing Credits (in alphabetical order)  
Pit Agarmen ... (novel)
Jérémie Guez ... (screenplay) (adaptation) (dialogue)
Guillaume Lemans ... (screenplay) (adaptation) (dialogue)
Dominique Rocher ... (screenplay) (adaptation) (dialogue)

GAME: Dead Route

DEAD ROUTE by 2 Zombie Games is a ton of fun!  It's a simple game with great graphics...and FREE!  It can be found here on iTunes, or at the Google Play store.  They have a Twitter presence as well - https://twitter.com/2zombiegames


The overall setup is simple. You're running from point A to point B. The streets are filled with zombies - more and more of them as the game goes on. You are tasked with various things along the way. Killing a certain number of zombies, getting supplies, etc. You are at a full sprint and don't stop, so you need to sidestep and leap over obstacles.  The auto aiming makes it fun.

The graphics are rather good seeing as this is a free little game. The simple nature mixed with the complexity of tasks makes it a lot of fun to play. I'll jump in, play a few levels, then jump out and it's always a fun time.

There are mapped area buttons that show the tasks and levels. A simple click sends you running down the street on that task. Shooting your way down the street and taking down zombies while hoping and snagging crates is a fun little time waster that I believe you will really enjoy.






You have the classic "grab money boxes, save up, and buy stuff at the store" deal to level up your weapons and the like. And the ever present "in game purchase" options, but I never do that. Heh. So, I figured I'd show my support for the game by putting this little review out into the universe to show them some love.

Give it a go!

Dawning of the Dead (2017)

Noooooooo...not DAWN of the Dead. DawnING....of the Dead. :)   (AKA Apocalypse )

I have to say that this was a fun watch overall. More good stuff from the UK.

It doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but I think that's ok. It doesn't shy away from using copious amounts of computer driven graphics and blood - again, ok. But, it does take me back to a time where my friends and I would hit the video shop, scan the shelves for the most gory boxes, and gleefully flee home to watch the gore fest unfold. That's this film in a nutshell.

We have the dead. Some complex military source for the outbreak. And then carnage set mostly in and around a television station. Pretty much sums it up. Kinda like the beginning of the original DAWN mixed with DEAD SET. The film moves along at a good clip and things never get boring. Zombies run - sometimes in slow motion, and eat people up. Blood sprays. Eyes are white. You know the drill.

However, Tony Jopia knows how to have fun with a horror film. He make it fun to watch. I've seen my fair share of horror that IS NOT fun to watch and it's painful. It physically hurts to watch it. hehehe  Jopia lays down a solid base and moves the characters around skillfully to assure the viewer some good times while watching. I felt the same way while watching his other film CUTE LITTLE BUGGERS. http://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2017/09/cute-little-buggers.html  It's just a good time that takes me back to the good old 80s and gems like THE VIDEO DEAD, MOTEL HELL, STREET TRASH, and the like.

I have his other film CRYING WOLF (2015) on deck for later. Again, it looks like it'll be a fun time.

Don't take things so seriously, squint with the CGI kicks in, and just let Dawning of the Dead wash over you. It's a fun time. 

Burial Ground (1981)

Wow....

I had seen clips from Burial Ground on numerous clip shows, but seeing the whole film really mad a much bigger impact. It's a fun zombie epic siege film that is now on my FAVORITE ZOMBIE MOVIES list for sure.

A professor is exploring some old ruins and discovers something big. He invites a bunch of people to the site - a manor house is there as well, and goes back down to o more exploring. BOOM! Zombies swarm him and he's gone. And...the guests are still on their way. You can see where this is going. heheheh

The dubbing is a mess and the acting is...well...also a mess in places, but it all comes together wondrously in a bloodbath of Italian flavored goodness and tool wielding zombies! We have everything in here. Fire, head bashing, bear traps, popped eyes, gore and gore and gore, axes, wrestling.... The list goes on and on!

Andrea Bianchi's direction is an odd mix of great and horrid, but the film pops along at a grand pace. The cast is solid and play their parts well enough to keep things moving. It even has the ever creepy Pietro Barzocchini in it. He always freaks me out.

If you are looking for zombies and blood, this is your movie. There are some grand kills in here and some fun zombie looks. It's a visceral, nasty little film that manages to pack a LOT of action in. It made me so...very happy. :)

Again, SHUDDER adds more and more of this awesome content each week. They are really knocking it out of the park!

You simply must check this film out if you have not already. A great pairing for this would be NIGHTMARE CITY.

SHUDDER - I'm in love with you

I can't get rid of my SHUDDER account. They keep adding new content and I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!  :) Seriously, I sign in and POP! more new content. Stuff that I've been wanting to see, but that I have not wanted to actually own. Now I can stream it and enjoy.

Some of the recent titles I've managed to viddy below!


 


Ghosthouse
This was a fun, silly little Italian romp. A creepy little girl and a doll haunt an old home. It had some nasty moments and some REALLY funny moments to giggle about. (Too bad it's not a comedy :::grin)  Well worth a viddy. 

 

Witchery
A horrible movie. Really horrible. But, entertainingly horrible. All the worst from 1988. David Hasselhoff....Linda Blair..."acting" through a bad script about a witch trying to bring Satan into the world? I think that was it. heh Just a mess. Again, well worth a viddy.


 





 


Mother's Day
Backwoods horror from the 80s - what could be bad about that. Fun characters doing awful things to people. Another good one for the revenge horror sub-genre. A mother and her two sons terrorize three ladies who are trying to enjoy some hang out time in the woods. Lady violence, sadly, but that's soon turned around and payed forward!

 
New York Ripper
This one was on my TO WATCH list for a long while, but afterwards I kinda wish I didn't watch it. The female violence aspect was a bit much for me. I just don't dig that sort of thing. However, as a horror, it delivered. Some really nasty stuff from horror master Lucio Fulci. The lovely Alexandra Delli Colli also stars, which is a plus for sure. Hubba hubba! :) The story? A giallo romp with a mysterious killer doing away with people...and a man missing some fingers on his hand noir style.





The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein
Wild Jess Franco stuff!

A blind bird woman with green feathers stuck to her hear and there
Silver spray paint Monster sprinting
Mad monster party with ghouls, goblins....skull face people...
Smart severed head gag - holding up the actresses head, but never showing the neck.
SCIENCE! hehehehe
Lots of staring.
Lots of nude women.
"AMAZING" dialogue.




Zombie Holocaust aka Dr Butcher MD (recut)
More Alexandra Delli Colli goodness here. She and Ian McCulloch fall through the bizarre plot. Colli works in a hospital where someone is eating bits of people. A plot is discovered leading her and a small band of travelers to an island where these cannibals are from. But wait....what's that? ZOMBIES! Yes...zombies start appearing and the plot thickens and manages to hold up nicely! 
Honestly, title aside, this is a really engaging film with a lot going on to keep the viewer happy. And, some of the WORST ADR screams ever inserted into a film! hehehe  Check it!