Let Us All Celebrate Zombie Day

The dead shall rise again and on that date we shall celebrate their return. This is Zombie Day.

Celebrate Zombie Day by popping your favorite pop corn and snuggling up in front of your tube or laptop screen.

If you do not have these films in your personal collection some of them can be found on youtube.com. Warning- if on youtube.com, the film will be in no longer than 10 minute segments and some (though rarely) run the risk of have missing segments.

And the day begins…

Night of the Living Dead (1968): Most regard this film as a classic. I regard George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead as classic because it’s the only black and white film that scares the hell out of me. I saw this film for the first time as an eleven year old bible believing kid. Remembering some bible passage about the dead walking the earth, I never sat too close to the windows of my house for fear of zombies bursting through the glass, grabbing me, and tearing me to pieces. Watching this film reinforced my fear of zombies or rather glass windows as I never sit near windows till this day. Watch this film as an introduction to your Zombie Day or as a conclusion.

Night of the Living Dead (1990): I can’t remember the first time I saw this, but the first thing I remember was “is that the Candyman playing a survivor of the apocalypse?” Nonetheless, many don’t regard this Tom Savini film as a classic because they see it as inferior to the original (but then most of those people see every remake as inferior to the original (I tend to ignore them)). The best thing about this film is Patricia Tallman- the new and improved Barbara. Unlike the first Barbara, this Barbara (by the end of the film) carries a hand gun and hauls ass when it’s time.

Dawn of the Dead (1978): Another classic film that can scare the crap out of any generation. And when I say classic, I mean 70s complete with funk bass, bellbottoms, and afros alike. This film hits you as terrifying at the first scene when Francine wakes from her nightmare. Just by the look on her face and the chaos of the news studio you know civilization is about to come to a stand still.

Day of the Dead (1985): And that stand still came in 1985 with Day of the Dead. I have never seen such purposeful gore in a film (and no, those Saw and Hostel films are not examples of purposeful gore (excluding Saw I, that film was good)). I nearly puked at the site of this zombie’s intestines collapsing onto the floor. I love this film for its atmosphere. Civilization is gone, and only a few have survived to put it all back together.

Shaun of the Dead (2004): We see a day in the life of Shaun, a man who ruins his relationship with his girlfriend, then in the midst of a zombie apocalypse he tries to get her back. This is one of the best zombie comedies with as many Romero references as you’d like.

28 days later (2002): We all know that 28 Days Later is not an “undead” film as the zombies are living human beings who are infected by the rage virus. However, these creatures ARE zombies as they are mindless and out for one thing- to pull your endocrine system out of your body (quoting Gary Busey).

Dawn of the Dead (2004): Now this is a film I do not regard as good as the original, but that’s only because the classic is one of the best film of all time (FACT). But if you’re in for some zombie kicking action tune in to this one (especially at the end).

Return of the Living Dead (1985): The coolest thing about Return of the Living Dead is that the zombies can talk. They order their meals by requesting more paramedics. Return of the Living Dead is part of a series. I suggest only watching the first two films.

Planet Terror (2007): For the guy who directed those Spy Kids films, Robert Rodriguez sure knows how to put on a gore fest. But then again, he also directed From Dusk Till Dawn. Planet Terror is damn good because it doesn’t take itself seriously (unlike Death Proof). It laughs at how B movie-ish it is while still being true to the “small town apocalypse” atmosphere. 

And that's it. But Zombie Day doesn't have end here. Post your favorite Zombie Day movies. I mean, I haven't seen every zombie movie in existence... yet.