Zombie Movies

[DeeBye]

Planet Terror!

Fantastic movie.

[Hammerskjold]

Since I grew up in the 80's, this flick http://www.allthingszombie.com/movies/deadheat.php has a special place in the zombified part of my brain. It's not the best (though the chinese restaurant scene does deserve an honourable mention in the annals of zombie cinema imo) and it's not exactly the worst of the genre, but it does have Joe Piscopo in it. So you know, it's both a blessing and a curse depending on your p.o.v.

[Merlinios]

No Army of Darkness? That's one of the great nerd classics, even outside the zombie sub-genre.

--me

[Mithrandir]

IGN posted a list of the top 10 zombie movies the other day. I just thought it was a little amusing since we had been discussing this recently.

I'm interested in checking out Cemetery Man...

[TaMeOlta]

For Zombie humor at a new released "FIDO" to the list .... me 'n me kids got some chuckles out of this one :D

[Artega]

28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later were both terrible. The zombies, which were the entire point to watching the movie, were entirely unconvincing. The people they used for the zombies weren't very zombie-like - even though they're supposedly alive and just infected with a virus, they ran like normal people and, in general, looked like normal people. Aside from blood, dirt, and whatnot, the only noticeable difference were the fact that they were wearing red contact lenses. Spooky, huh?

That, and there were plot holes large enough to run an Amtrak line through in both movies, especially in 28 Weeks Later.

[Artega]

Fantastic movie.

Boring movie.

[DeeBye]

Boring movie.

You clearly don't like fun :(

[Munkay]

28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later were both terrible. The zombies, which were the entire point to watching the movie, were entirely unconvincing. The people they used for the zombies weren't very zombie-like - even though they're supposedly alive and just infected with a virus, they ran like normal people and, in general, looked like normal people. Aside from blood, dirt, and whatnot, the only noticeable difference were the fact that they were wearing red contact lenses. Spooky, huh?

That, and there were plot holes large enough to run an Amtrak line through in both movies, especially in 28 Weeks Later.

To each his own. It was streching the genre a bit. And personally I enjoyed the attempt at a more 'believable' zombie movie, with some of the usual campy-ness away.

As far as the plot, you're right. There's some problems with it. But for all its seriousness, it is a zombie movie. How much of a plot do you expect?:P

Cheers,

Munk

[Alram]

World War Z: Zombies move fast and swarm. Excellent. See it.



In The Flesh: BBC America. This is a very different take on zombie flicks. A cure for the zombie plague has been discovered. Now, a couple of years later the British Government is trying to reintroduce survivors of the partially deceased syndrome (cured zombies) back to their homes. However, they face significant prejudice from neighbors, and complex reactions from family members. Episode 1 moved a bit slowly, but the premise is so different from the usual fare that it is worth watching.

[LennyLen]

I suppose it's actually appropriate to necro a zombie thread.

[Alram]

I suppose it's actually appropriate to necro a zombie thread.

I'm glad to see that someone appreciates a good pun.
Two birds killed with one stone, not that I've ever seen a zombie bird.

While I'm at it, the Walking Dead is a dang good show too. My son gave me a few of the comics to read after I'd already watched the first 3 seasons of the show. I have to state uncategorically, that the TV show (AMC) is far better than the comic. It has emotional depth to it, and is an excellent exposition of how people react to significant stress and daily danger in their lives.

[Taem]

The ending of s3 was so much different than the comics, I had trouble enjoying it. I really like how it went down in the comics once they met up with Abraham and fought with the cannibals - Ricks remark sent chills down my spine. I find it hard to fathom just how they can get to that point (and beyond) with the way the show is going. And who Rick meets in the new town, and what happens to her afterwards is pivotal to the entire series if they even remotely want to follow the comics. So all in all, I felt the last three episodes of s3 were pure horse crap with no redeeming qualities - i.e. an empty story with only character development to keep it going.

EDIT: I also hate how a trained police officer holds his gun with a gangster twist, i.e. Rick. To me, this is unforgivable and it alone has almost got me to stop watching the Walking Dead. I thought in this day and age, even the most recluse moron knows if you fire a weapon like that, it will not hit its target. The only way I can rationalize that is if they writers are trying to show Rick using "emotion" instead of logic and his weapon becomes an extension of his desires, and/or to give nod to him only having one arm from the comics after the governor cuts it off (which never happened in the TV show, so don't worry, I'm not giving away any spoilers). But even then... even then, when his training takes over, he'd of held his gun correctly.

[Tal]

I suppose it's actually appropriate to necro a zombie thread.

Plot twist: Alram is a Zombie

[Alram]

I suppose it's actually appropriate to necro a zombie thread.

Plot twist: Alram is a Zombie

That is why his name is an anagram for alarm.

The ending of s3 was so much different than the comics, I had trouble enjoying it. I really like how it went down in the comics once they met up with Abraham and fought with the cannibals - Ricks remark sent chills down my spine. I find it hard to fathom just how they can get to that point (and beyond) with the way the show is going. And who Rick meets in the new town, and what happens to her afterwards is pivotal to the entire series if they even remotely want to follow the comics. So all in all, I felt the last three episodes of s3 were pure horse crap with no redeeming qualities - i.e. an empty story with only character development to keep it going.

Interesting. It would appear that fans who read the comics before seeing the show find the comics to be superior. There are fans on the RoamersandLurkers.com Walking Dead forum who have expressed the opinion that people who haven't read the comics are "bandwagon" fans; one can only be a true fan of the show if they have read the comics. On the other hand, having seen the show before reading the comics left me feeling that the comics were shallow, without any real depth to them, and poorly drawn to boot.

[Hammerskjold]

Interesting. It would appear that fans who read the comics before seeing the show find the comics to be superior. There are fans on the RoamersandLurkers.com Walking Dead forum who have expressed the opinion that people who haven't read the comics are "bandwagon" fans; one can only be a true fan of the show if they have read the comics. On the other hand, having seen the show before reading the comics left me feeling that the comics were shallow, without any real depth to them, and poorly drawn to boot.

I read the comics\graphic novel before the series came out. The art was\is...ok..at times. I didn't have a problem with the background\environment, but the faces of the chars tend to blur with another at some points.

Both have their quirks and qualities, though frankly after the latest book, my suspension of disbelief is done broke. I was willing to give a lot, a looot of leeway in the service of 'how far of a savagery downgrade will a once civilized, lawman go in a zombie apoc world, moral vs survival etc'.

And it was quite a harrowing read. Until a particular event happened that just made me go, nope. You're having me on. GTFOutta here Mr. Writer Guy. Check please.

The TV series, is starting to do the same to me but for different reasons.

TL, DR: The best iteration of 'The Walking Dead' IMO, is this:

http://www.telltalegames.com/walkingdead

[Taem]

The ending of s3 was so much different than the comics, I had trouble enjoying it. I really like how it went down in the comics once they met up with Abraham and fought with the cannibals - Ricks remark sent chills down my spine. I find it hard to fathom just how they can get to that point (and beyond) with the way the show is going. And who Rick meets in the new town, and what happens to her afterwards is pivotal to the entire series if they even remotely want to follow the comics. So all in all, I felt the last three episodes of s3 were pure horse crap with no redeeming qualities - i.e. an empty story with only character development to keep it going.

Interesting. It would appear that fans who read the comics before seeing the show find the comics to be superior. There are fans on the RoamersandLurkers.com Walking Dead forum who have expressed the opinion that people who haven't read the comics are "bandwagon" fans; one can only be a true fan of the show if they have read the comics. On the other hand, having seen the show before reading the comics left me feeling that the comics were shallow, without any real depth to them, and poorly drawn to boot.

Well, tbh, I felt s1 and s2 were superior to the comics in every conceivable way. Sure, a lot of detail was left out, but the characters in the comics were very shallow like you pointed out, and I completely agree with that 100%. The TV series did a stellar job and I think it was Frank Darabont that made s1 and s2 (part of it anyway, since he wrote half the season before being fired) what it was - intense, gritty, suspenseful. Since Glen Mazzara fully took over for s3, the show has slowly turned into a soap opera and the fear felt in s1 and most of s2 is nothing more than a byproduct of, for example, a botched rescue. I'm so glad Glen stepped down and a new executive producer is taking the reins for s4, because otherwise it this show was headed towards Days of Our Live... with Zombies! Regarding the comic itself, I don't feel it starts to get really good on a character level until the middle of the second compendium after they meet up with Abraham and find the new town... I won't say any more for fear of spoiling it for others, but there is some juicy character building moments there and the results at the end of compendium 2 spell big changes for Rick and his crew. I don't really care if the TV series follows the comics perfectly - far from it - but I think it'd be wise to at least follow the general story slightly... and how the prison scene went down in the comics... oh man... that was severe! I think the producers were afraid to kill off any of the "main" characters and are following more of the TV-Land style of writing, like when Andrea came back from the Prison and got out of bed grabbed a knife and looked at the governor... TV stuff - you already knew she wasn't going to do it, but that was such a "Buffy" ending, I almost threw up. I truly loathe those TV cliche moments. I can't stand Glen Mazzara and I'm so glad he left the show!

TL;DR: Anyways, it's a mixed bag of beans at this point, and I'd say s1 and s2 were superior to the comics in every way, and s3 sucked terribly and I'm super happy they are getting a new director/executive producer for s4.

---

Both have their quirks and qualities, though frankly after the latest book, my suspension of disbelief is done broke. I was willing to give a lot, a looot of leeway in the service of 'how far of a savagery downgrade will a once civilized, lawman go in a zombie apoc world, moral vs survival etc'.

And it was quite a harrowing read. Until a particular event happened that just made me go, nope. You're having me on. GTFOutta here Mr. Writer Guy. Check please.

I must admit, I'm super curious on which part your referring, if it's in one of the compendiums or a later part I haven't read yet. I've only read up to the end of compendium 2 so far.

EDIT: lol, hallow instead of shallow... need to proof-read!

[Lissa]

World War Z: Zombies move fast and swarm. Excellent. See it.

Eck! That is completely the opposite of the Book and Audiobook by Max Brooks (yes, Mel's son) then. The zombies there are slow and plodding. The push in Brook's story is to show the human condition, both the best and the worst when faced with potential extinction.

[Hammerskjold]

... because otherwise it this show was headed towards Days of Our Live... with Zombies!

That's pretty much it. Now to be somewhat fair, I don't particularly mind soapy stuff, if it's done well. That last part is important, I mean if we're being honest here the rebooted BStar Galactica was basically space soap. But it was done so damn well, it was IMO, an A-Grade Science Fiction.

With Walking Dead, the TV series, it feels uneven at parts, at least for me. S1, Ep1, was off to a promising start. By the end of S1, I was kinda between meh...and WTF..? And not in a good way.

There are some great scenes and moments, but overall, a bit uneven. It's certainly not a stinker, but not quite A-Grade material IMO. Which is a bit of a shame, because there are some great moments in the series.

I must admit, I'm super curious on which part your referring, if it's in one of the compendiums or a later part I haven't read yet. I've only read up to the end of compendium 2 so far.

It's much later than that IIRC. I don't want to spoil it for you or anyone else reading it, and you may have a different reaction than I did. (edited addition: trying to be careful with spoiler here. I'm not talking about the non canon, bonus issue that was a deliberate gag. No, this happened 'in universe'.)

For myself, I kinda lost interest. Again, it's too bad, since it really did have some great moments. And I'm saying this as a zombie tales fan, and as a pretty lenient audience member.

Just my ole pine onion, the TWD video game was\is to me, the best iteration of that universe. It captured a lot of the essence of what made the book and series great.

Posted by Lissa:

Eck! That is completely the opposite of the Book and Audiobook by Max Brooks (yes, Mel's son) then. The zombies there are slow and plodding. The push in Brook's story is to show the human condition, both the best and the worst when faced with potential extinction.

Yeah, I was excited when I first read they're making the book into a big budget production. Now there are some parts of the book that I definitely went, '....that's just silly.' But overall it was a pretty good book IMO.

I'm still curious to see how Brad Pitt adapted the book, but it might be a netflix\rental thing for me vs must see it in theatres.

[Bolty]

Eck! That is completely the opposite of the Book and Audiobook by Max Brooks (yes, Mel's son) then. The zombies there are slow and plodding. The push in Brook's story is to show the human condition, both the best and the worst when faced with potential extinction.

I saw the movie and can report that it does indeed have absolutely nothing to do with the book. If you go into it with the expectation that you won't be seeing the book, you won't be annoyed. I think someone in Hollywood just thought "gee, this book is popular, let's buy the rights to it so we have some guaranteed income via the name" and then proceeded to make whatever zombie movie they felt like making.

There were rumors abounding that the original version of the movie was so bad that they had to re-do the entire third act. I don't doubt this. The book, taken verbatim, would have made a horrible movie; if they had originally tried to stay true to it, that may have been why they refilmed the last section.

I most enjoyed the first act, because I enjoy seeing how society breaks down in the face of something world-ending (and what the book focuses more on). The rest of it was the fairly standard zombie fare (omg zombies, run! BRAINS!).