film

As the action-comedy-horror hit Zombieland takes US and UK cinemas by storm, we take a look back at some of the more memorable depictions of our undead friends on the big screen.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)
What's it about? Hapless Shaun struggles to deal with being dumped by his girlfriend, while at the same time being inconvenienced by an apocalyptic uprising of zombies. Them's the breaks.
Why so ghoulish? Fiendish flesh-eating zombies and an impressive body count ensured that this film transcended its spoof label to deliver a thrilling rollercoaster of delightfully black comedy and unadulterated gore.
Killer line: "You know, I don't think I've got it in me to shoot my flatmate, my mum, and my girlfriend all in the same night."

Braindead (1993)
What's it about? Young Lionel has to take care of his mother after she's bitten by a monkey. When she dies, then comes back to life, all hell breaks loose... soon Lionel has a whole horde of zombies living in his house as he tries to look after them without the outside world knowing.
Why so ghoulish? The zombies gatecrash a party, prompting one of the most violent sequences in cinema history. Rib-cages are removed from bodies, heads are ripped in half, spines are pulled out, and in the end Lionel straps a lawnmower to his chest and goes on a zombie massacre so extreme he quite literally creates a river of blood.
Killer quote: "Your mother ate my dog!"

I Am Legend (2007)
What's it about? Years after a virus kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into zombie-like nightstalking monsters, Dr Robert Neville - the sole survivor in New York City - struggles valiantly to find a cure while the undead hordes try to break into his fortified home.
Why so ghoulish? Light on the gore and horror, but the story provides a chilling dilemma - when you come to believe you're the last human on Earth, how do you react when you discover an apparent ally who may - or may not - be 'infected' like the rest of the monsters who are spending every hour of darkness trying to track down and eat you?
Killer quote: "This is Ground Zero. This is my site. I can fix. I can fix this."

Land of the Dead (2005)
What's it about? A smattering of humans live safely inside a walled-up city while an army of pulse-dodgers, lead by top corpse Big Daddy, is rampaging towards the city - and worryingly, starting to show almost human-like intelligence.
Why so ghoulish? Unlike other zombies, these creatures, in particular Big Daddy, start to think and learn. As if a monster that wants to tear your intestines out and can only be killed with a headshot wasn't bad enough, the last thing you want is that monster to start learning how to shoot guns and cross rivers. Run away!
Killer quote: "In a world where the dead are returning to life, the word 'trouble' loses much of its meaning."

The Fog (1980)
What's it about? A sleepy Californian fishing town, built 100 years ago over an old leper colony, is the target for revenge by a creepy, all-enveloping fog containing zombie-like, seafaring ghosts seeking revenge for their deaths at the hands of the greedy locals.
Why so ghoulish? Fear of the unknown/dark has always been a prime mover in horror flicks, and here we have a classic combination of the two - you certainly can't see once the thick, pea-souper mist, in true Mull Of Kintyre-style, rolls in from the sea... and murderous zombie sailors would be the last thing you'd expect to emerge from within it.
Killer quote: "There's something in the fog!"

Pet Sematary (1989)
What's it about? When a family cat is killed in a road accident, it comes back to life - only with a distinctly bad attitude - thanks to being interred in an old Indian burial ground. When the family's son suffers a similar tragic fate under the wheels of a truck, the cemetery's magical resurrective powers come in handy again - but the re-born boy's now a murderous, zombie-like kid from Hell.
Why so ghoulish? Zombies are hard enough to cope with as it is, but a zombie CAT? Man, they've got nine lives to start with, so how many times are you gonna have to see 'em off to end their 'afterlife.'
Killer quote: "Sometimes dead is better." (Or alternatively......"MIIAAOOWW!")

Feature: Mark Appleby
Pictures: Rex