The Top 5 Zombie Comedy Movies!

Merke's Top 5 Zom-Coms

   Ladies, gentlemen, flesh-eaters everywhere; it's that time again... You know... -That- time... Buuh! It's time to take a break from stomping heads and severing limbs to compile another of my soon-to-be famous Top 5s!

   I just have something I need to say before any fan-boys throw a tantrum. If your favourite Zom-Com is not in the list, it does not mean that I hate it and that it's a shit film (It's just highly likely) Take this as my disclaimer; this Top 5 is my personal Top 5 and it doesn't represent a factual ranking by any account - it is solely based on my opinion... My amazing, sexy opinion... I jest. Kind of.

   For those of you that haven't seen some of the masterpieces referenced to below, I warn you that I do reveal a spoiler or two over the course of this post. I recommend you go away, lock yourself in your room or that of a close-friend and watch all of them. After which you can come back and read this post. Go on, off with you!

   Let the countdown commence! *eerie music*

#5: Cockneys Vs Zombies

'Rrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuunnnnn!'

   If the scene and quote above weren't enough to put this in your Top 5 then you need your brain checked... And eaten... I literally leaked fluid in laughter - I'll leave from where to your imagination. It's something I can watch, on repeat, and still find hysterical each and every time. In fact, HERE is a link to it on Youtube for you.

   In my opinion, Alan Ford steals the show. I already loved him for Lock Stock and Snatch; this film merely adds yet one more reason... That's not to say the rest of the cast sucked, far from it, but he is a head above... Well, you should have watched it by now, so you know what I mean.

   Combining a Zombie scenario with a setting in the Eastend of London was always going to be a beautiful combination. It did not disappoint. 

#4: Undead (2003)

'I'm having a turd of a day.'

   I shambled over this wonderful film last year while trolling through some obscure chat forum. The humour is quite silly... Yes, I do understand that most Zom-Com humour is silly, but this film takes the biscuit for exceptional silliness. I think the opening sums up what I mean - the meteor smashes into the old lady, not with a KABOOM!, but with a slapping sound. Fantastic.

  
   Marion (played by Mumbo McKay, sensational name by the way) is hilarious throughout. His story about the Zombie fish is something my flat-mate and I still refer to and laugh about. The ending leaves it wide open for another film which we've yet to be graced with. Please. Give it to us!

#3: BrainDead (1992)

'Your mother ate my dog!' - 'Not all of it...'

   BrainDead really stands in an apocalypse of its own when viewed with the contents of this list. Where Undead was exceptionally silly, BrainDead combines it with the dark, gory, rotting underbelly of Zombie films. It pains me to admit it but this film made me gag.

   The scene in question is relatively close to the start. It pounced on me before I really knew what the fuck was going on. It's when Lionel (Timothy Balme), his mother (Elizabeth Moody) and their two visitors are sat at the table for dinner. Even now, the thought of the mothers ear falling into her custard, the slow, tense rise of the spoon to her mouth and the rubbery squelch as she chews on it make me want to throw up everywhere... But in a good way!

   It wasn't until I watched it that I realised it is the source of the famous 'lawnmower' scene that I'd witnessed a long time ago. Despite being the oldest film on this list, it has aged superbly; the gore is fantastic, the characters interesting and the Zombies... Well... Shall we say are portrayed in an interesting fashion. Especially when Zombie Vicar and Zombie Nurse get it on and make Zombie baby... I said it was interesting!

   

   I have already written a full review for BrainDead if you fancy a read. You can find it HERE.

#2: Zombieland (2009)

'The first to go... Were the fatties.'

   There comes a time, every couple of years, where I think to myself (Because I wouldn't be thinking to anyone else... Well, maybe you guys... I digress) "That's it. It's done. There won't be any more good Zombie films." And then I cry. And drink. And whack on Night of the Living Dead to relive it all over again. 

   Then one comes along and hoists you up from the gloomy rut. It brushes you off, wipes away your tears of unfathomable sadness and diagnoses you with a few years left yet. Zombieland, back in 2009, was that film.

   I loved how fresh it was. The nice blend of characters, the idea behind Columbus's (Jesse Eisenberg's) list of survival rules, the Bill Murray cameo; it all just came together wonderfully. Being a massive nerd, as I assume most of you are too, I can really connect to the main character having to give up his life of energy drink and computer games (cough*World of Warcraft*cough) to go off and fight the unliving. In fact, that sounds like a dream come true... Another connection we have is that I also have the serious hots for Wichita (Emma Stone)... As I assume you all do too...

  You can find my review for Zombieland HERE. 

#1: Shaun of the Dead (2004)

'Ohh he's got an off!'

   Words cannot express my undying (pun intended) love for this film and I think all of you knew it would be snug in the number one spot. It's not only my favourite Zom-Com but potentially my favourite film of all time. I've promised to keep it down to two paragraphs or I won't shut up about this film. I quote it endlessly, I have a Cricket Bat in my survival kit, I dress up as Shaun on occasion... I am a fan-boy. No two ways about it.

   I won't prattle on for too long as I've already got a full review for Shaun of the Dead HERE. I just think this film epitomises the Zom-Com genre and, while it might be a little lacking in some of the silliness, makes up for it with an underlying wit. I'm sure you've watched it countless times, but I just want to point out what I mean with a quote from the opening stages of the film.

  Near the beginning of the film, Ed (Nick Frost) tells Shaun their plan fir the following day. That plan is to: "Have a bloody Mary first thing, grab a bite at the King's Head, have a couple at the Little Princess, stagger back, then come back to the bar for shots!" 

   It took me a couple of sittings to realise but it foreshadows the entire film. The first Zombie they meet is Mary, in their garden. Shaun's Step Dad is bitten on the neck. They pick up David and Dianne, the couple, from Liz's, the Little Princess. They stagger back to the Winchester, pretending to be Zombies. They finish by using a shotgun at the bar. 

   Simon Pegg, I want your babies... Moving on...

   That concludes my Top 5 list. I hope it's been relatively amusing for you. You're still reading, so it bloody well must have been. I'll hopefully have a book review out for you by the end of the week. No spoilers yet as to what it is though!

   Oh, and I'd like to leave you with a little question. I found some amazing images the other day which I've linked below. My question is: If you could throw Zombies into any film, which film would it be and why? Best answer gets a mystery grand prize.

Slay Safe,

Merke

   

Apocalypse Planning: Level Genius

Now -that's- how it's done!

Seriously though... They'd just walk through the gaps on the sides... Even brain dead Zombies would realise..... Or would they.....

Energy? The treadmills would be solar powered. DUUHH!!

The Walking Dead Escape Experience: San Diego

If you haven't seen the video posted by http://www.insidethemagic.net/ then you can find it HERE. It gives you a really good run through. I just thought I'd share some opinions on the experience!

   I love The Walking Dead. I'm tied between flicking through the depths of Youtube and beating one out all day because all I can think about is the next episode, which just happens to be the mid-season finale. It is rare for me to praise... Well... Anything... But I really like what The Walking Dead has done for the genre. Sure, it still has the usual limitations... Let's find a place to hold up. Oh no the Zombies got in... Let's go live on a farm. Oh no the Zombies turned up... Let's go live on an island. Fuck me Zombies can swim... And the wheels on the bus go round and round.
   What I like about The Walking Dead is it's move away from the other tradition aspects of the genre. The focus is on the people and the relationships between them despite the constant threat of becoming NOMNOMNOM material. The survivors that we, as an audience, have become used to, aren't exactly ripping with character and sub-plot. Bland springs to mind. But enough about The Walking Dead. I'll cover the episodes and perhaps the comics elsewhere. We're focused on the run.

   If you hadn't noticed already, I'm fairly bad at pulling out the good. It's so much easier to claw it apart, thrust the bloated dangling bits in your face before skipping off on my merry way... So why change a winning strategy?

  On what I highlighted above The Walking Dead, I  felt this run lacking. I feel they should have integrated staff into the groups. For example, when it all kicks off at the start with the Zombies attacking, have it happen to people who queued up with the group. There's nothing worse than seeing that guy who was reminiscing to you about his trip to Disney Land getting chomped on in the first two minutes of your run. Then he gets up and chases you. Hot. Introduce characters. Everyone loves a "Samuel. L. I'm getting you motherfuckin' out of here. Jackson." before he gets closed on and eaten. The Walking Dead is more about those around you than those trying to eat  you. I think they could've done more with that on the run.

   Then we come to the obstacles. There were some I thought were very good. The blockades, for example, and the fences. But then there's the bit with the cargo netting and the wooden ladders. What carpenter said to himself, "Oh fuck, one Zombie. I know, I'll build a Viking Trireme to pass him! The environment, the stadium, etc. on the whole was fantastically realistic and that's what is needed in Zombie films. You always hear fan-boys bang on about the realism before some dickface comes along and says "It's a Zombie film and you expect realism lol lol I was molested as a child so I troll comments on Youtube". Fact is, all horror films, work on the suspension of disbelief. If you don't think it could be real, it's not scary. In that, we are all part of the act.
   They should have done more with some of the settings. The guy holding up people, letting them out one at a time, brilliant. It's a good tool to break up the groups into smaller people but I thought it was ill timed. Everything had just kicked off behind them with biters biting then the crowd was just milling and chilling. The use of interior, darkness and more open spaces. Think sandbox game. Unleash everyone inside the stadium, give them a map of the "safe areas" (which happily get overrun) and let them go about their business. There needs to be more tension, not just OBSTACLE A TO OBSTACLE B LOL GUYS TAKE 5.

  Which leads me to my next point and my infinite depths of understanding. This run was situated opposite, well, what is Comic Con. I may be a nerd, but I am a nerd with a body crafted in the spirit of Hercules. Unfortunately, other keyboard warriors do not have the same benefit. That is why there is the need for the constant stops.

   I bang on and on about how important the characters are in The Walking Dead and how the Zombies are just circumstance. So let's look at the Zombies. They could've been much better. The use of gore, particularly limbs, was excellent but the actual Zombies I felt were lacking in both make-up and they weren't nearly hungry(bro) enough.
   I guess this is the problem when catering to Comic Con nerds. You have to let those fish go when you catch them!