Zombie cinema stands as easily one of the most saturated horror subgenres. There are countless cinematic efforts depicting the dead returning to life to threaten the living. Some exports of this category get massive amounts of press and plenty of positive word of mouth, such as the recently releases HBO Max series The Last Of Us. Meanwhile, others remain woefully under-seen.
While there are certainly a few zombie flicks that should remain under-seen, there are many more that deserve a bit more recognition. And it is with that in mind that I have curated this list. So after you catch up on the latest episode of The Last Of Us, I bring to you five under-seen zombie pictures you simply must check out.
Dead and Buried
This 1981 effort tells the tale of an idyllic, beachside town where tourists have a nasty habit of turning up dead, only to reappear as if nothing has happened. The narrative differs from your run-of-the-mill zombie flick, in that there isn’t really an uprising and the undead don’t fixate on human flesh. But that’s not a bad thing. Dead and Buried combines elements of zombie cinema with slasher tropes to create a compelling mystery at its core.
Director Gary Sherman (Poltergeist III) does a commendable job establishing atmosphere and plants seeds of paranoia that leave the viewer unsure as to precisely who can be trusted. If you’ve overlooked this diamond in the rough, give it a go. It’s entertaining from start to finish.
Burial Ground
Is Burial Ground a good zombie film in the conventional sense? Not necessarily. Is it entertaining, shocking, and undeniably enjoyable? Absolutely.
The flick pays precious little mind to narrative continuity. But that’s half the fun. Burial Ground is like a bizarre fever dream from which you cannot awaken. It follows three couples that are summoned to a sprawling estate by a professor conducting research on a crypt located nearby. All three couples arrive on the scene horned up and ready to copulate as much as possible. But the reanimated corpses that walk the grounds have other plans in mind.
I would be remiss if I didn’t warn you that this picture has one of the most bizarre closing sequences I have ever seen. In said sequence, a reanimated man-child tries to nurse from his mother’s supple bosom but loses control and bites the damn thing off. It’s even stranger than it sounds. And it must be seen to be believed.
Dance of the Dead
This zany zombie comedy is very much like The Breakfast Club meets Night of the Living Dead. And while that may sound like a slightly unorthodox pairing, it works remarkably well. The film sees an eclectic group of high school students banding together on prom night in the hopes of halting the uprising of the dead. The humor is as bountiful as it is witty. The flick was released via Ghosthouse Underground, which means it didn’t get an exceptional amount of press or advertising upon release. However, it is funny, gory, and even endearing at times. So, make haste to check this one out if you have yet to experience its quirky charm.
Night of the Living Deb
This whimsical effort is a great deal of fun but somehow remains criminally under-seen. Maria Thayer is an absolute delight as the titular Deb. She’s chronically awkward but has a heart of gold and spending the duration of 85 minutes with her as she attempts to fend off the zombie apocalypse with a man that she only met the night before is undeniably enjoyable. In fact, the way Deb continually speaks before thinking makes her one of the more relatable horror protagonists in recent memory.
Dead Snow
Director Tommy Wirkola has made a name for himself in Hollywood in recent years. In fact, his action-horror flick Violent Night is my new favorite Christmas movie. But it’s another snowbound splatter-fest I’m focused on here. Wirkola’s Dead Snow is a brutal and hilarious romp that certainly has its fans. But it’s still relatively under-seen when compared to some of the director’s more recent efforts.
Dead Snow follows a group of medical students as they retreat to a cabin in the woods, only to find that they have run afoul of a gaggle of Nazi zombies. I am an even bigger fan of the sequel Dead Snow 2. But the 2014 follow-up effort works much better once you’ve seen the original. So, give both flicks a shot if you have yet to experience them. And sit back as the outrageous slapstick antics unfold before you.
Tags: Burial Ground Dance of the Dead Dead and Buried Dead Snow Night of the Living Deb
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