The Walking Deadis certainly one of the most popularshows about zombiesthere’s ever been, but it draws plenty of inspiration from the classic horror movies that came before it. WhileThe Walking Deadis a very original show that effectively blends aspects of horror with a more large-scale survival thriller, the series (and its several spinoffs) pay homage to classic horror cinema through their inventive zombie designs and adherence to traditions and tropes of zombie storytelling.
Thankfully, there’s a rich history of horror cinema for fans ofThe Walking Deadto explore if they’re missing the storytelling of the modern show. While the genre has evolved over the years, jumping through many different phases throughout the decades, certain elements are timeless. There’s something about zombies that’s endured for many yearswithout becoming unpopular; they’re perfect antagonists because they perfectly toe the line between familiar and uncanny, with their human appearances and supernatural behavior. While some of thebest zombie movies everhave been released in the past few years, there’s always a place for the classics.
Zombie
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Zombie, directed by Lucio Fulci, is a 1979 Italian horror film that follows a group of individuals who travel to a remote Caribbean island to investigate a series of mysterious deaths. As they uncover the existence of a virus that reanimates the dead, they are forced to confront legions of flesh-eating zombies. The film is noted for its graphic special effects and has become a cult classic in the zombie genre.
Zombie(also known asZombi 2) is one of the all-time classics of the horror genre. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Lucio Fulci, the film centers around an undead zombie who kills a naval officer in New York City and triggers an in-depth investigation, led by Ian McCulloch’s protagonist, Peter West.The film is renowned for its unrelenting gore and violence, never shying away from the realism and naturalism of this story. This was before the era of CGI and special effects, so many of the film’s bloodiest kills were done with practical tricks that have aged surprisingly well.
Night of the Living Dead
George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead did more than just invent the modern zombie, it revolutionized the horror genre. Following a small group of humans who hide in a secluded farmhouse when the dead begin to rise and crave human flesh, Night of the Living Dead examines the relationship between humanity and paranoia in times of crisis.
One of the most acclaimed zombie movies of all time, George Romero’sNight of the Living Deadwas arguably the film that finally made zombie movies “cool” for general audiences throughout America.George Romero made several zombie films,but this one is most fondly remembered for its use of atmosphere and eerie cinematography.
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The story centers around a group of friends who lock themselves in an old farmhouse when the dead begin to rise from their graves and hunt them down for food.Its depiction of zombies clearly inspiredThe Walking Dead, though this film relies more on terror than horror.
8The House By The Cemetery (1981)
Directed By Lucio Fulci
Zombie movies were already extremely popular by the ‘80s, butThe House by the Cemeteryis among the few films that managed to push the subgenre even further forward. Another entry in the filmography of Lucio Fulci,this movie centers around a scientist who moves into the house of a late friendand soon learns that the undead are causing strange phenomena in the area. The film blends aspects of zombie horror with a more progressive, supernatural form of “haunted house” horror that had risen in popularity throughout the ‘70s with movies likeThe ExorcistandHouse.
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie
A dedicated police officer investigates a series of murders and pursues two human suspects. But the real culprits in these killings are zombies, the fruit of macabre experiments.
The 1970s were a very experimental decade for horror, with many filmmakers moving towards sci-fi as their main source of fear. Obvious examples include Ridley Scott’sAlien, but these changes were also happening in the zombie subgenre through projects likeLet Sleeping Corpses Lie.
This movie follows one cop’s investigation into a string of brutal murders, leading him directly to a group of zombies who have been brought to life by a dangerous machine designed to kill pests and insects.
This movie follows one cop’s investigation into a string of brutal murders, leading him directly to a group of zombies who have been brought to life by a dangerous machine designed to kill pests and insects. Grau’s film is a veryunconventional zombie movie, but one that set the stage for the future of sci-fi horror.
The Plague of the Zombies
The Plague of the Zombies, released in 1966, follows Sir James Forbes as he investigates a mysterious plague in a remote Cornish village. The local squire, Charles, employs Haitian witchcraft to revive the dead as workers in his unsafe tin mines, resulting in dire consequences for the community.
The Plague of the Zombiesis one of the earliest movies to reach huge levels of success within the zombie subgenre, and it’s one that’s tailor-made for fans ofThe Walking Dead. This project tells the story of a medical professor and his young daughter who travel to the south of England following the outbreak of a dangerous virus, where they soon learn that something much darker and less natural may have caused the deaths.The film boasts two excellent performances from Diane Clare and Andre Morell, for whom this horror classic remains the highlight of their careers.
Re-Animator
1985’s Re-Animator is a feature-length film based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story, Herbert West–Reanimator. The Horror and Comedy release follows a man that spends time attempting to create a reagent that will reanimate the dead.
Another instance of science fiction seeping its way into the horror genre,Re-Animatoris a brilliant example of how to weave comedy into a zombie story without making it any less frightening. Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “Herbert West - Reanimator”, Gordon’s film tells the tale of an ambitious medical student who believes he’s developed a drug that can reverse the effects of death.
Re-Animatoris currently available to stream on Apple TV +
Naturally, this has disastrous consequences that Jeffrey Combs’ protagonist and the rest of the ensemble cast are left alone to resolve.Re-Animatorperfectly exemplifies the sci-fi horror trendthat was so popular in the 1980s.
Night Of The Creeps
Night of the Creeps is a 1986 science fiction horror film directed by Fred Dekker. The story follows a group of college students who must fend off a horde of alien-infected zombies. Tom Atkins stars as a hard-boiled detective drawn into the chaos when experiments from decades past resurface, unleashing terror on a small town. The film blends elements of horror and comedy, creating a cult classic within the genre.
In his directorial debut, acclaimed filmmaker Fred Dekker managed to craft one of the funniest, scariest, and most original zombie movies in the history of the genre.Night of the Creepsblends all these styles together into a very creative storyabout an alien species that unexpectedly lands on Earth and infects a college student, whose cryogenically frozen corpse is then discovered by his fellow fraternity members.
What ensues is a brilliantly written, completely unpredictable creature feature whose depiction of zombies may be less horror-driven than projects likeThe Walking Dead, but whose scariest moments are just as frightening.
The Return of the Living Dead
In The Return of the Living Dead, a mishap at a Louisville warehouse releases a gas that resurrects corpses as zombies. As the outbreak engulfs the town, Frank and Freddy, along with their boss and a mysterious mortician, struggle to survive amid the chaos and ravenous undead.
Another undisputed classic of ‘80s horror, Dan O’Bannon’sReturn of the Living Deadmanages to build upon all the great zombie movies that came before it while infusing elements of sci-fi and screwball comedy in that typical ‘80s style.
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The story follows two employees at a secret military camp who accidentally release a dangerous toxin into the American public, which suddenly reanimates the majority of the country’s corpses as flesh-eating zombies. While there are plenty ofgreat “fast” zombie movies,Return of the Living Deadreally nails the slow, lethargic stereotype of zombiesthat survived toThe Walking Dead.
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II is a horror-comedy film directed by Sam Raimi, continuing the story of Ash Williams. After arriving at a secluded cabin with his girlfriend, Ash faces malevolent forces unleashed by an archaeologist’s recording of chants from the Book of the Dead, leading to chaotic and supernatural events.
Evil Dead 2is one of the few zombie movies from its period that doesn’t focus solely on zombies; there are countless other creatures in Sam Raimi’s horror classic, and the zombies only take up a portion of the story. The narrative is a wholly supernatural one, following a man who accidentally summons a horde of evil spirits into a secluded cabin in the woods, where he’s forced to fight for his survival and contain the demons he’s brought into the world.It’s a direct sequel to Raimi’s original horror classicfrom six years prior, and it’s a marked improvement.
Directed By George Romero
Dawn of the Dead
George A. Romero’s horror classic Dawn of the Dead follows on from Night of the Living Dead. Expanding upon Romero’s zombies, Dawn of the Dead redefined the horror genre for a generation. It follows a group of survivors as they make camp in a shopping mall, clearing the zombies in order to scavenge supplies and fortify their position in an increasingly hostile world.
Considered by many to be the “definitive” zombie movie, George Romero’sDawn of the Deadis renowned for its action-packed approach to the subgenre, following an ensemble cast of human survivors as they fight against a zombie apocalypse in the USA.
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Day of the Dead
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Land of the Dead
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Diary of the Dead
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Survival of the Dead
2009
Twilight of the Dead
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The practical effects and action choreography are what make Romero’s film stand out from the crowd, pushing the genre forward with a strength that few examples had done before. There’s a reason that Romero is still considered the master of the zombie movie, andDawn of the Deadis it. Not only did it clearly inspire shows likeThe Walking Dead, but it propelled zombie cinema as a whole to entirely new heights.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Deadis a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television seriesThe Walking Deadin 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
