A Zombie Film for All Seasons

Share on Facebook posted 01-07-11 by Max Tedaldi

You love zombie films. You love them more than your Boba Fett action figure. Yes, the one that you slept with until you were 18. You love zombies so much that you’ve watched the Thriller video hundreds of times, have the dance down pat and still have no idea who this Michael Jackson character is. You love them so much you write fan fiction about the passionate love affair of the fictitious zombie Batman and zombie Beatrix Kiddo (you’re on chapter 56).

You love zombie films. But not everyone you know shares your enthusiasm for our undead brethren. Confounding as it may be, there are some people who will routinely pass on the opportunity to catch a good cannibalistic automaton flik. Pop quiz hotshot! You’re with a group of friends who have clearly stated that they don’t like the zombie sub-genre, but there is nothing you’d rather watch. What do you do?

First, you get some new friends! Seriously, what are you doing with a group of people who all despise zombies. But, if you find yourself wanting to maintain your lifeline to the world beyond that of Warcraft you may want to cleverly suggest one of these films that successfully inject zombies into some genres you would have never thought possible.

Classical Literature

This seems to be a hot trend in hollywood and the New York Times Bestseller list. Classical literature is usually a little bit too stuffy to be enjoyed by today’s popcorn crushing, 3D IMAX, movie-going public. However, when you combine Romeo & Juliet with the living dead, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters, you get something that combines the prissiest elements of classical literature with the pop culture extravaganza of creature features. Romeo & Juliet vs The Living Dead should satisfy the most regal of classical literature snobs.

Musical

If the zombie horror sub-genre is an allegory for consumerism and indulgence then why not go all out and put the film in the most indulgent medium of them all, the musical. Zombie Prom does an amazing job of combining catchy tunes and dramatic performances with cannibalistic cuisine and RuPaul.

Documentary

Recent zombie pics like Diary of the Dead, Rec and its American remake Quarantine forego the traditional narrative and seek to create a more intimate zombie atmosphere. The faux-docu handheld style really brings the viewer into the movie, which I guess is the whole reason why a zombie film is scary in the first place. We’re still waiting on the impending reversal of the genre in which a zombie makes a faux-doc that chronicles his journey to eat the last remaining human. It would be kind of like a Man Vs Wild-type movie with handy tips on how to track and kill without having your limbs fall off.

Urban Zombies

Upon its release Mutant Vampire Zombies from the ‘Hood! became an instant classic and was the project responsible for single-handedly resurrecting C. Thomas Howell’s illustrious acting career. But seriously, with a script that includes blatant homages to Snakes on a Plane it’s a huge wonder why this film wasn’t directed by Spike Lee.

Video Game

Video games are home to a great number of flesh hungry zombies, but perhaps no zombie game franchise is more famous than Resident Evil . Looking for an excuse to get that video game recluse out of his gaming chair, out of that cheetoh-stained tee shirt and into the theater. Well, I can’t make any promises about the tee shirt but the latest Resident Evil film should be enough to indulge his graving for both video games and the zombiepocalpyse.

Western

So this may be a purely hypothetical situation but I am convinced that it could happen in the not too distant future. Picture this: You are hanging out with two of your best friends and there is nothing to do. You decide to rent a movie and it quickly becomes clear that finding a single film to agree on is going to be an insurmountable task. You, being a spaghetti western nut want to watch A Fistful of Dollars, your buddy is on zombie kick and is craving some Night of the Living Dead, and your other bro is convinced that Team America is the way to go. Well, whether you knew it or not there is a single film that will allow you to maintain your close friendships and catch some quality zombie western puppetry. Check out ZombieWestern: It Came from the West

Holiday film

You’ve watched Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story a million times in order to gear up (read, prepare for disaster) for the holiday season. But why not indulge the part of you that says, “Nay, I shall not be victim to yet another Christmas void of brain-munching and infectious automatons. It’s my zombie Chistmas, and I want it now!”

Comedy

Shaun of the Dead proves exactly how absurd/awesome the zombie horror sub-genre is. The potent team of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and director Edgar Wright draw all of the best tropes from horror and comedy and make them work in an insane mishmash of zombie genius. IMDB top 250 as well! Tell me you haven’t gone up to group of friends at a bar and asked, “Can I get… any of you cunts… a drink?” Pure genius.

The Rest

What other genres have been fused with the voracious zombie horror film? It looks like the Zombies VS Vampires project for NBC is moving forward and that is a zombie buddy cop comedy. Bollywood Zombie is also in the works, although I originally thought that the zombie dance was perfected in the Thriller music video, so if BV wants to put out something original it better have a healthy dose of bollywood flair. If you are jonesing for some Sonny Chibi-like samurai action you could check out Samurai Zombie. If this list proves anything it’s that the zombie film genre can be combined with anything. Sometimes the results are awesome and sometimes the results are awful. Either way you will still get to see zombies getting their heads chopped off, so the real winner is you! Are there any other genre benders involving zombies that I missed? Let me know in the comment section.