Best Zombie Movie

[Eco-Logic]

I'm almost finished reading the book Deadline, by Mira Grant and now I'm in the mood to watch a Zombie movie.

What should I watch?  I don't want goofy zombies, or movies with a comedy overtone.  I want survival horror zombies, with good acting preferably. 

Oh, and I've never seen any Zombie movies at all...

I'd considered starting the A&E series about Zombies and may end up doing that as well. 

[PeteRock]

In my opinion you have to start with one of the original series:  Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead.  I'm not talking the remakes, but the originals.  For humor I'd suggest Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead, and Return of the Living Dead.  Dawn of the Dead (the original) was one of the scariest movies I had ever seen at the time. There's a decent remake to Night of the Living Dead, but I wasn't a fan of the Dawn of the Dead remake.  It paled in comparison to the original.

Finally, if you haven't watched any zombie films whatsoever, once you get a few under your belt, run, don't walk, and get yourself a copy of the TV series The Walking Dead.  For me it beats all zombie lore.   

[gellar]

28 Days Later.

[Razgon]

Dawn of the Dead, by George Romero - I'd advise you start with the old one from 1978, and then move up through the rest of his movies, the Dawn of the Dead remake, Night of the Living Dead and Land of the Dead.

If you would like something a bit alternative, there's 28 days, and 28 weeks later, which both are awesome movies.

[TiLT]

It all depends on what you're willing to stomach. Not having the nostalgia factor is important here. I found Night of the Living Dead to be a rather strange movie when I first saw it a few years ago, with plot holes you could drive a truck through, acting that is anything but convincing, and zombies that are anything but scary (or consistent in their abilities). Dawn of the Dead is much, much better and actually a good movie. The rest of the movies in the series can be easily skipped. Day of the Dead was so bad I was cringing throughout most of it.

I'd actually recommend you start with either 28 Days Later (it's not a real zombie movie, but the difference is mostly in semantics) or the Dawn of the Dead remake. You never saw the original movies when they were fresher, which means you're less likely to enjoy them now than some of their long-time fans that recommend them to anyone. 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead are both very good movies in their own right and neither of them is particularly old.

[CeeKay]

According to Ricky Gervais it'd be The Tourist

Add another + to Walking Dead.

[thatick]

I know you said no comedies, but Shaun of the Dead is one of my all time favorite movies.  I also agree you should see 28 day Later and 28 weeks later ( i enjoyed "weeks" more than "days" unlike most people), and the Dawn of the Dead remake was really good

[USMC Kato]

28 days later, great soundtrack too

[Crawley]

Zombie Apocolpyse: Dawn of the Dead or Walking Dead - I liked both versions of Dawn of the Dead
Minor Outbreak: Rec or Quarantine - Quarantine is the US remake which I actually liked slightly better
Zombie fun times: Zombieland
80's Nostalgic: Night of the Comet

Other end of the world reccomendations: Invasion of the Body Snatchers  '78 and Carriers

[Harkonis]

Shawn of the Dead is sort of a comedy, but it's actually a bit scarier and more serious than some of the 'serious' zombie movies if you really look at it.

I'm of the camp that didn't like the 28 series due to the sprinting zombie factor.

[Caine]

a bit + to the 28 x later movies.  both of them are very well done and despite the fast zombie vs slow zombie schism, it works within their lore.  the effects are better than in the older movies and are convincing enough that you don't feel you are watching a cheap tv show.   the romero flicks are good if you want to see the origin of the genre. 

zombieland and shaun of the dead are both rooted in comedy but have a great eye for detail and are more faithful than you would expect them to be.

the walking dead should be saved for last as it is really the best of the bunch imho and if you end up loving it, the next season will be starting up in a few months.

[Crusis]

Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead.
 
Okay. 28 Days later also gets my vote.

[metallicorphan]

I gotta say everyone's suggestions are great,but i have to say Peter Jacksons Braindead is one of my favourite Zombie Films,but yeah Eco,that definitely has a comedic overtone that you are trying to avoid

how about Michael Jacksons Thriller 

[morlac]

Zombie Apocolpyse: Dawn of the Dead or Walking Dead - I liked both versions of Dawn of the Dead
Minor Outbreak: Rec or Quarantine - Quarantine is the US remake which I actually liked slightly better
Zombie fun times: Zombieland
80's Nostalgic: Night of the Comet

Other end of the world reccomendations: Invasion of the Body Snatchers  '78 and Carriers

Agree with all recommendations so far but wanted to highlight Quarantine mentioned here.  I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed that one.  Also, end with the Walking Dead or everything else will suck.  lastly I wanted to add that the Zombie genre is a mixed bag and the underlining themes can be very different while they still all retain zombies.  Quite interesting really and some are surprisingly deep albeit usually with tongue planted firmly in cheek.  Everything from blind consumerism to the dangers of genetic manipulation mixed with a little Old testament dead inheriting the earth thing.  Still to this day the only thing that gives me 'nightmares'.

[CeeKay]

Night of the Comet just popped up on Netflix Instant Watch too.

[kronovan]

None of the Resident Evil films.  
 
I agree about the Romero films - although his earlier films (Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead) were the better of his zombie movies.

[ATB]

Shaun of the Dead.

I'm not big zombie buff, but that movie got me into zombies to the extent that I am (that and Dead Rising).

[Bullwinkle]

I gotta say everyone's suggestions are great,but i have to say Peter Jacksons Braindead is one of my favourite Zombie Films,but yeah Eco,that definitely has a comedic overtone that you are trying to avoid

how about Michael Jacksons Thriller 

I've gotta second Braindead.  Never have I had more fun with zombies.  And that includes Shaun of the Dead (though it's great, too).

And I agree with Pete, too.  You have to at least see NotLD and Dawn (didn't they sing "Tie a Yellow Zombie 'Round the Old Oak Tree" or am I thinking of someone else).  I will not have disparaging of the original, TiLT, though you do have to take it with a grain of salt. It's a product of it's time, but way beyond that.  If you try and compare it to other monster movies from that era, it comes out of left field with its brand of horror.  That sets it apart.  I'm curious to know what plot holes you're talking about, though, TiLT.

There's Lucio Fulci's http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Tisa-Farrow/dp/B0002C9DK4/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1310222800&sr=1-2Zombie (also known as Island of the Flesh-Eaters, Zombi and, oddly, Zombi 2) which is supposed to be really great, if your definition of zombie great is disgustingly realistic effects.  Also, there's a zombie vs shark moment.

[PeteRock]

Night of the Comet just popped up on Netflix Instant Watch too.

 

What an awful, awful, awful movie.  And yet I can't wait to watch it again! 

[stimpy]

Re-Animator

[rshetts2]

while you did specify no comedies, I have to join in with the Shaun of the Dead crowd.  It has its smack you in the face comedy moments but theres also alot of subtle humor as well and the last 3rd of the movie takes a far more serious turn.

[disarm]

I have to put in another vote for Shaun of the Dead...fantastic movie that really is just about as perfect a mix of comedy and serious zombie film as anyone could ever want.  beyond that, i think The Walking Dead is also incredibly well done, but it is pretty short and leaves you hanging for the next season coming up in the fall.

[metallicorphan]

Night of the Comet just popped up on Netflix Instant Watch too.

holy cow i haven't seen or heard of that film for decades(and that's no lie),i remember enjoying it..but i must of been all of 8-10 years old when i first saw it

Spoiler for Hiden:

it was the one where they were having sex and missed the comet event that pretty much killed everybody on the planet apart from them two right?

Catherine Mary Stewart=Yummie

[Eco-Logic]

Thank you all so much for the great input.  I ended up starting The Walking Dead last night (only watched the first episode).  I think I'm hooked.  It was a blast and I can't wait to checkout the rest of it. 

I've bookmarked the thread and will certainly be taking the other recommendations as well. 

Eco

[WorkingMike]

I'm gonna toss Dead Snow (which is foreign...maybe swedish?) and Night of the Creeps into the mix. Oh, and Fido, which is funny and awesome.

Slither is super awesome too and not really zombies (more like body snatchers), but deserves a nod being such a rad film

[PeteRock]

Thank you all so much for the great input.  I ended up starting The Walking Dead last night (only watched the first episode).  I think I'm hooked.  It was a blast and I can't wait to checkout the rest of it.

Nice!  My wife has been adamantly against anything zombie for more or less her entire life, and after constant badgering she finally agreed to watch The Walking Dead, primarily because I promised her it was more about the survival element rather than gore.  And yet despite the first episode suggesting otherwise, she was so hooked that she forced me to start the next episode, then the next, and the next, until we watched the entire series in one night.  You will not be disappointed.  Until you realize that you have to wait until the fall to see the next season. 

I can't recall from the book thread, but have you read Patient Zero by Jonathan Maybery?  If not, read it right away.  A fantastic zombie book with great action and suspense.  The series that follows is also worth a look.

[PeteRock]

Night of the Comet just popped up on Netflix Instant Watch too.

holy cow i haven't seen or heard of that film for decades(and that's no lie),i remember enjoying it..but i must of been all of 8-10 years old when i first saw it

Spoiler for Hiden:

it was the one where they were having sex and missed the comet event that pretty much killed everybody on the planet apart from them two right?

Catherine Mary Stewart=Yummie

Yep.

And you can't forget the traffic stop dream sequence and huddling up in the radio station.  Jesus, both a bad yet great ridiculous movie.  

I also forgot about Fido.  Haven't seen it yet, but really, really want to.

[WorkingMike]

Oh, and Undead, which is an Australian comedy about zombies. I loved that movie. And if you like that one, go grab Black Sheep, where the sheep are zombies...kind of..maybe

[EngineNo9]

Aside from movies, have you read World War Z?  I'm not a huge zombie fan, but I thought that book was zombie survival done right.

[stimpy]

Slither is super awesome too and not really zombies (more like body snatchers), but deserves a nod being such a rad film

Great film and had a song so good during the credits that it introduced me to what is now one of my favorite bands:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leyu6OWhGg4

[Caine]

Slither is super awesome too and not really zombies (more like body snatchers), but deserves a nod being such a rad film

Great film and had a song so good during the credits that it introduced me to what is now one of my favorite bands:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leyu6OWhGg4

in that same vein, two of my favorite pieces of zombie related music.

Estasi Dell Anima

In the house in a heartbeat

[Gryndyl]

I second Return of the Living Dead. Yeah, it has comedy elements but it's also a quite solid zombie flick and I consider it an unsung classic

It's on Netflix Instant so it makes it pretty easy to check out. Note: One of the female leads is nude through most of the movie which might provide influence either for or against watching this, depending on your opinions on nude zombie killers. Additionally, skip the sequels; they're atrocious.

[Eco-Logic]

Thank you all so much for the great input.  I ended up starting The Walking Dead last night (only watched the first episode).  I think I'm hooked.  It was a blast and I can't wait to checkout the rest of it.

Nice!  My wife has been adamantly against anything zombie for more or less her entire life, and after constant badgering she finally agreed to watch The Walking Dead, primarily because I promised her it was more about the survival element rather than gore.  And yet despite the first episode suggesting otherwise, she was so hooked that she forced me to start the next episode, then the next, and the next, until we watched the entire series in one night.  You will not be disappointed.  Until you realize that you have to wait until the fall to see the next season. 

I can't recall from the book thread, but have you read Patient Zero by Jonathan Maybery?  If not, read it right away.  A fantastic zombie book with great action and suspense.  The series that follows is also worth a look.

Oh yea, I've read all of the Maberry books.  They are great and Patient Zero was actually my first every experience with Zombies.  I definitely won't be watching The Walking Dead with my wife though.  She wouldn't even want to be in the same room with it on...

Looks like I have a ton of Zombie stuff to watch/read now!  I'd actually considered reading World World Z.  Thanks for reminding me about it.

Eco

[Bullwinkle]

Thank you all so much for the great input.  I ended up starting The Walking Dead last night (only watched the first episode).  I think I'm hooked.  It was a blast and I can't wait to checkout the rest of it.

Nice!  My wife has been adamantly against anything zombie for more or less her entire life, and after constant badgering she finally agreed to watch The Walking Dead, primarily because I promised her it was more about the survival element rather than gore.  And yet despite the first episode suggesting otherwise, she was so hooked that she forced me to start the next episode, then the next, and the next, until we watched the entire series in one night.  You will not be disappointed.  Until you realize that you have to wait until the fall to see the next season. 

I can't recall from the book thread, but have you read Patient Zero by Jonathan Maybery?  If not, read it right away.  A fantastic zombie book with great action and suspense.  The series that follows is also worth a look.

My wife sat through three episodes with me before admitting defeat.

[EngineNo9]

My wife sat through three episodes with me before admitting defeat.

Well then she saw the best of it anyway.  I felt like it started great but went downhill pretty quickly.

[Roguetad]

Starting with The Walking Dead is a great choice.  I was planning on watching the season 1 dvds over a couple of weeks, but go so hooked after the first few episodes that I went on a Walking Dead marathon and watched them in 3 days.  In the end, it's a story about the people, with the zombies as a backdrop or really effective plot device.

Both of the 28 days movies are very intense, introducing a welcome twist on the traditional slow zombie shuffle.

Shawn of the Dead and Zombieland are both excellent, but they should be watched after you've seen other zombie movies to fully appreciate their humor and respect for zombie lore.  Both movies are actually scary in parts, or at least intense, so don't go in thinking they're going to be laugh out loud comedies 100% of the way through.  That's why they're both so good.