Top 5: Zombie Comedies

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One thing that makes zombie movies fun to watch is that, at any point, anybody can become a raging, killing machine. It could be the innocent six year girl that lives next door or your eighty year old grandma that never leaves her room in your parents’ house. There is a primal level of enjoyment in watching these normally innocent characters turn into foul-mouthed brain seekers. Secondly, it’s equally fun to watch these characters get punched in the face or decapitated with some pruning shears.  A third aspect that makes zombie movies (even strait horror movies) fun to watch is how characters use everyday objects as weapons when they inevitably run out of ammunition. One thing that sets zombie comedies apart from their more horror-centered story lines is that they are made tongue-in-cheek. These are generally made by people that are fans of the genre that often site other movies in their own whether through direct reference, homage or pastiche.  And, apparently, 1992 was the year of zombie comedies.

Army of Darkness (1992)

Although any of the Evil Dead movies could have been submitted here, I think that Sam Raimi amps up the level of ridiculousness in the final movie of this zombie trilogy. In Army of Darkness, the main character, Ash, is transported to 1300 AD England. Along with him come his car and a chainsaw. That later gets attached to his hand. So that he can fight the undead. Played by Bruce Campbell (who has as much of a cult following as this movie).  Reorder those sentences however you want and you still come up with an incredibly entertaining zombie movie.

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Dead Alive (1992)

Before Peter Jackson became a bankable Hollywood director, he started off by making this major studio debut.  While Lionel is on a date at the zoo, his demanding mother is following him, ready to sabotage the date. While hiding in the bushes, she is bit by a curse Sumatran monkey. This not only turns her into a zombie, but sets in motion a chain of events to turn the whole town into a zombie. This movie has a bit of everything for a zombie fan. Killer grannies, blood, guts and kung fu priests. Even a stop motion rat monkey that gives a nod to one of Jackson’s heroes, Ray Harryhausen.  Not only did Peter Jackson not take the movie too seriously, you can tell that he had a lot of fun coming up with ways to kill off people. This movie has been the bloodiest movie of all time, purely based off of the amount of fake blood used in the final sequence.

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Fido (2006)

Fido opens up with a 60s style newsreel informing us about the space dust that reanimated the dead and started the zombie wars. Then ZomCom (a nod to the genre) created a special collar, that when worn, eliminates the killer desire. This ends the war and creates the booming business of zombie slaves. At this point, the zombies are used as pets, butlers and maids. Timmy doesn’t have any friends and is bullied by other kids. Then one day the family gets a zombie, Fido (Billy Connolly). After Fido protects Timmy from some bullies, he becomes Timmy’s best friend.  Carrie Ann Moss plays Timmy’s mom and Tim Blake Nelson is the eccentric neighbor that keeps a zombie as a concubine. This movie watches like the most awesome episode of Lassie ever. Where Lassie has rabies and may kill everybody on set if he gets off his leash. Fido successfully contrasts the pastel ‘60s lifestyle with the grey skin of the zombies and blood red of zombie attacks.

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Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun of the dead brought an English sense of humor to the zombie comedy genre. This movie follows two slackers, Shaun and Ed as they try save themselves for the Zombiepocalypse while still trying to not work too hard. Shaun of the Dead is made as a love letter for the genre. It makes several nods to to the Dawn of the Dead series. It also makes fun of the genre's anti-hero. Both of these guys are lazy beer drinking video games men in their late twenties that have no ambition. They don't really want to fight the zombies not because they are scared, but because it is too much work. This movie leans more towards the straight comedy than other zombie comedies. A scene that is reflective of this is when they go through Shaun's record collection, using the discs as giant throwing blades. But instead of being concerned for their well-being, they are more interested in only using discs that they don't like anymore. I believe that this was the movie that started the resurgence in popularity in zombies which lead to movies such as Zombieland and the TV series, the Walking Dead.

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Zombieland (2009)

Zombieland is the highest grossing zombie movie of all time, making over $75 million. Columbus is a neurotic twentysomething played perfectly by Jesse Eisenberg just before he was Oscar-nominated role in The Social Network. Columbus follows a strict set of personal rules to keep himself alive. He is trying to get home from college when he encounters Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a zombie killing maniac on a quest to find a twinkieReubin Fleischer.

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Ed and His Dead Mother

This is one of those movies that nobody has ever heard of staring somebody famous. Steve Buscemi starts as the title character, who must deal with his undead mother. This was a movie that I found when I was flipping through the channels one day and haven’t really found since.



Death Becomes Her (1992)

This might be the zombie movie with the most highly acclaimed cast ever.  Academy Award winners Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Golden Globe Nominees Bruce Willis and Isabella Rosellini star in this movie about two women that will not be outdone by each other.