Steve Niles & Horror

I’ve read a lot of the horror comics from iconic horror writer Steve Niles from his most influential creation 30 Days of Night (which is finally going to an ongoing series) to his sinister Savage and The Nail to the more somber Freaks of the Heartland and comedic exploits of The Cryptics and the noire stories of Cal McDonald in Criminal Macabre.  Niles gets around.  Not all of his stories are masterpieces (i.e. I didn’t generally enjoy Giant Monster or The Ghoul) but there is no denying that he strives to tell stories different from everyone else in the field.

One of my personal favorites of his is his epic adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic I Am Legend.  Despite the fact that I was first introduced to his work with the original 30 Days of Night series it wasn’t until I read his version of I Am Legend that I truly became a fan.  He’s the only one to truly get to the meat and potatoes of Matheson’s story and present it in a faithful way; not one of the three film versions have been able to do this yet.  Its amazing detail in story structure and execution is hands down spotless and brings out the nuances of Matheson’s story like few others have ever been able to do with the author’s material. 

Niles has done other adaptations of other authors work including Clive Barker and Bram Stoker (Dracula) and H.G. Wells (The War of the Worlds) and Mary Shelley (Frankenstein, Or the Modern day Prometheus), to name a few and he has taken some liberties with the material (not always for the best). 

Most horror writers find a niche and stick with it but Niles weaves in and out of all types of genre stories refusing to be pigeonholed into any one sub-group.  It would have been easy for Niles to have continued doing hardcore violent horror stories after the success of 30 Days of Night but instead he’s done dramatic horror with Freaks of the Heartland and comedy The Cryptics and even a giant monster story inspired by Godzilla in the form of Giant Monster and he’s even tackled Bigfoot in his series Bigfoot.  

Niles is a professional at crafting entertaining stories whether they be horror or not.  I just recently read The Cryptics (I got to it late since it was one of his series that didn’t look all that appealing to me at first because of its comic overtones).  It’s an inspired collection of short stories based around the offspring of the classic movie monsters (Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s monster, Dr.Jeckle & Mr. Hyde, and the Creature) as they go about their daily lives living in the suburbs.  Not all the stories hit their mark but there are a couple that are quite funny but the thing that struck me the most is that as standalone stories they can be just moderately entertaining but by the time I got to the last couple stories I had really gotten into the lives of these characters and found the stories more entertaining because of how much “character” Niles incorporated into the series as a whole.  If you can get past the fact that this is meant to be a coming of age comedy and not a monster free for all then you’ll enjoy the series as much as I did (I enjoyed it more the second time I read it).   Despite the types of stories he does (the horror genre), Niles’ stories are always about the characters within which is why he is so able to maneuver from one type to the next.  As long as he writes good characters then every story (no matter how strange or unusual it may be) will always be entertaining and good.

If you’ve never read a Niles story before than any of the ones I’ve mentioned above are a good start but there are plenty of others to get your hands on such as City of Others, Epilogue, Doc Macabre, The Lurkers, and many, many more.  All have their own unique take on both classic and modern horror stories and all are worth taking a look at.

TOP 66 ZOMBIE FILMS OF ALL TIME (Part 3)

PART 3: No.# 60-51

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to conduct my own list of Top 66 Zombie films is the fact that the article in SFX Magazine Special Zombies kept putting films that they didn’t even like at the bottom of the list.  This is a huge travesty as there have been hundreds of zombie films produced and not one zombie film on that UK magazine’s list they should have been ashamed of.  On my list I am not ashamed of any of them.  I’ve seen a whole lot of bad zombie films (ZOMBIE LAKE and FLESH EATER come immediately to mind) but despite the questionable quality of some of the films on my list (and I’m sure you dear zombie lovers won’t agree with all my choices nor their placement on my list) they are all entertaining and films that I would gladly include in my video collection. 

In this part of the series I’m going to go into some of my personal favorites as well as some that I think every hard core zombie fan should view at least once (if not multiple times).

60. TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS RITUAL (2002)

I’m as surprised as you that this film (a remake of the classic I Walked With a Zombie – 1943) would even be on this list especially since it was the third feature in the Tales From the Crypt feature film series.  This is one of the few remakes that actually were good from the excellent acting to the directing and even the story which was changed and altered (in a good way).  Unlike the previous two Crypt films (Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood) this film was not a campy horror film but retained the atmosphere and dread of the original film.

59. Z.A. ZOMBIES ANONYMOUS (2006)

This low budget zombie film about a world in which zombies just want to be like everyone else is both funny and poignant.  Despite the limitations of the small budget the film succeeds because you believe the characters to be genuine and you take them seriously despite the nature and the circumstances that the characters find themselves in.  There were many such zombie films that surfaced around the same time (low budget to no budget zombie horror comedies) but none were as interesting or as well executed as this film.

58. RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)

This is a fan favorite but has never been one of my favorites.  Coming out the same year as Romero’s Day of the Dead did not help this film in my opinion.  I’ve always been a Romero fan and this film just never sat right with me because of the whole zombies eating brains and the fact that they could talk and were somewhat smart.  I do commend the filmmakers for the effort and acknowledge the impact this film has had on the genre which cannot be overstated.  The one element of the film that I must point out and which HAS been an influence on me is the soundtrack which has some of the best music ever committed to a horror film at the time.  The film’s soundtrack is one that I pull out at least once a year to remind me of a time in horror film history when the music was important to the story and not just another sales gimmick.   And I must add that most of my friends put this film above Romero’s Day of the Dead any day.

57. RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION (2007)

After the abysmal Resident Evil: Apocalypse I didn’t think the franchise could bounce back but it did with this hyper kinetic sequel.  I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a huge fan of the Resident Evil franchise despite the fact that I’ve never played any of the video games.  Millia Jovovich is the main reason I love these films and they do continue to do new things with the zombie genre that most other films are afraid to do or even think of.  These films continue to add new characters and new ways of looking at a zombie film while also being fresh and exciting and action packed.  The original film kick started the renaissance of modern day zombie film (which was then pushed into the stratosphere by the remake of Dawn of the Dead and 28 Days Later).  

56. NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984)

Mary Catherine Stewart.  That’s all I have to say.  There’s not much else to say about this valley girls in a world decimated by the arrival of Haley’s Comet and the zombie apocalypse that ensues.   Stewart is magnificent (and I’m sure everyone else is as well but I wouldn’t know since my eyes are always on Stewart).  She’s also the number one reason why The Last Starfighter is also one of my all-time favorite films.  I don’t know if this film is actually any good or not but it has Stewart and that’s good enough for me.

55. SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD (2009)

A lot of people did not enjoy this Romero film because it was so different from all his previous films but that is also one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much.  Two feuding families whose ideological differences continue even after the dead return to the living.  Romero’s sharp humor.  A very picturesque local (different from all the other films in Romero’s Dead films).  This all adds up to one of Romero’s most unique experiments and most satisfying of his last three films.  I thought Land of the Dead felt too Hollywood and big budget and Diary of the Dead felt a little too repetitive and preachy but this film felt like an old school Romero film from beginning to end.

54. VERSES (2000)

Okay, martial arts and zombies and lots of blood and guts and action!  This film may lack a cohesive story but the sheer audacity of the filmmakers to conceive of such a demented story is pure genius.  The choreography of the fight sequences are beyond reproach which is why this has become a cult classic in many circles.  A friend of mine gave me this film because he knew I was a huge zombie film fan and I was blown away as you will be when you see this film.  It does get repetitive with the action and violence in the third act but this is little consequence when the film is so over the top from beginning to end.  You’ll love it just as much as I did.

53. DEAD SPACE: AFTERMATH (2011)

It’s hard to believe that there is an animated zombie film out there.  Sure there was a segment in the film version of Heavy Metal but it wasn’t until recently that zombies had their own films.  This is one of two  animated films based on the popular video game series.  This one is told in flashback form as a group of survivors from a terrible ordeal recount their experiences to a ruthless military cabal.  The thing I like the most about the Dead Space universe is the fact that they took a page out of the Resident Evil franchise by presenting a new type of zombie.  These re-animated dead are not entirely human but also infected and ruthless and despite this being an animated film not corners are cut on the blood that is shed.  This was a great follow up to the first film (Dead Space: Downfall) and extension to the video game series that fans will enjoy.

52. AUTOMATON TRANSFUSION (2006)

This is just zany good fun.  There is barely a plot point in this film that can’t be questioned and the acting is just as questionable but the film is so much fun and entertaining that you can’t help but be dragged along for the ride.  This is a low/no budget zombie massacre extravaganza that looks like everyone involved had a great time making the film and that translates to the audience.  I had a blast despite knowing how inept the whole film was.  It’s one of those films you invite your friends over to watch and have a couple beers (like VERSES or NIGHT OF THE COMET).  It won’t win any awards or ever be on any (self respecting) critics best lists but it remains one of my favorite zombie films because of its entertainment value and I commend the young filmmakers who went out there and produced such a high octane love letter to the genre.

51. NIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS (1975)

I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with the Tomb of the Blind Dead franchise but this the second best of the lot following the original film.  This film focuses more on the story and myth of the cursed Knights Templar while delivering a satisfactory story with the supporting (and more human) characters.  I’ve learned that the Blind Dead films are better when viewed at the same time.  These films are quite dated and generally for those with knowledge of the franchise but the uninitiated may also learn to love them as well.

I love zombie films and from this sampling of films you may have guessed that my tastes extend all across the board.  The zombie genre remains one of the largest and most influential to the modern day horror film.  As they continue pumping out the next big zombie film whether it be an original film, a remake, or an animated film we can be assured that the stories will continue to go all other the map and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

  

TOP 66 ZOMBIE FILMS OF ALL TIME (Part 2)

PART 2: No.# 66-61

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to conduct my own list of Top 66 Zombie films is the fact that the article in SFX Magazine Special Zombies kept putting films that they didn’t even like at the bottom of the list.  This is a huge travesty as there have been hundreds of zombie films produced and not one zombie film on that UK magazine’s list they should have been ashamed of.  On my list I am not ashamed of any of them.  I’ve seen a whole lot of bad zombie films (ZOMBIE LAKE and FLESH EATER come immediately to mind) but despite the questionable quality of some of the films on my list (and I’m sure you dear zombie lovers won’t agree with all my choices nor their placement on my list) they are all entertaining and films that I would gladly include in my video collection.

66. JUNK (2000)

This zombie splatter fest is by no means a great film but it is one of the most entertaining Japanese zombie films I’ve ever seen.  The Japanese have a long standing tradition of producing some of the most outrageous fantasy and horror films which is why they’ve crossed over to other countries so easily despite the fact that they are many times subtitled (older films were dubbed and even some of these are still quite entertaining).  Jewel thieves run afoul when they enter a warehouse infested with zombies.  That’s the gist of it.  If played straight this would indeed have been an inept film but director Atsushi Muroga crafts one hell of a manic zombie film on override.  With a meager budget (that probably is only a tenth of the catering budget for a film like ZOMBIELAND) this film may be exactly like what its title says but there is way too much fun to be overlooked by any true zombie fan.

65. SHOCK WAVES (1977)

I’m going to admit it here for the very first time but I didn’t see this film for the first time until earlier this year.  It’s one of those Nazi-zombie films that had been on my list for years but I just never got around or the chance to see.  Thanks to Netflix I was finally able to see the film.  Although nowhere near all entertaining as DEAD SNOW, this is the second best Nazi-zombie film ever made.  This film gets added points for having Peter Cushing as an SS Commander.   Brooke Adams anchors this film which could have ended up like the infamous ZOMBIE LAKE (a zombie film that I hope you’ve managed to avoid thus far).  Although a little slow at times the film excels because of its uncompromising atmosphere of dread and the location (which is a huge plus).

64. PSYCHOMANIA (1973)

Whoever said dying wasn’t any fun hasn’t seen this film PSYCHOMANIA about a gang of bikers who commit suicide in order to live forever.  By far one of the most unusual films on the list but also one of the most entertaining as the film revels in the joy and advantages of life after death.  Recently I got to view a remastered version of the film (as opposed to the bargain bin version that’s been available for years) and the film looks and sounds better than I’ve ever seen (so go out and get this version and throw away those old “Good Times” videos).  This may not be the best example of a traditional zombie film but it is one of the best variations and one that should not be missed.

63. RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD PART 3 (1993)

I have to admit that I actually enjoy this film more than the original and the only reason why it doesn’t rank higher is that the original was a huge ground breaking film for the genre as it opened the possibilities of the genre and what it could be instead of relying completely on the mythos created by George A. Romero and his films.  With this film we get a love story with some complications.  It retains the rock ‘n roll aesthetics of the original film but adds another dimension with the love story.  It also was one of Melinda Clarke’s first major roles (after a role in the daytime soap DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and what a role it was.  As the doomed Julie she oozes sexuality despite the fact that she becomes a zombie with an addiction to pain.  Director Brian Yuzna who had a hand with BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR (1990), THE DENTIST (1996) and BENEATH STILL WATERS (2005), to name a few, crafted a zombie film that was both entertaining and had enough gore and horror to satisfy the most jaded zombie fan.

62. ZOMBIELAND (2009)

Anyone who has read any of my previous articles will know that I am not a fan of this film.  I may not be a fan but I will admit 100% that it has one of the best opening 20 minutes of any zombie film.  It also has an amazing cast that do an excellent job with the material.  By beef with the film has always been that it loses its way halfway in and never recovers.  The moment when the characters get to their final destination and then sit around Bill Murray’s house before ultimately ending up at the amusement park at night goes against character and everything that the film set up in the first half.  Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are depicted as extremely smart and clever women who out think the men at every point in the film until they go against everything established in the beginning and go to the amusement park at night and alone completely oblivious of the fact that they are in the midst of a zombie apocalypse.  This is just lazy screenwriting in order for the film to have a big ending.  Until this third act of the film, ZOMBIELAND is an excellent zombie comedy.

61. George A. Romero’s DIARY OF THE DEAD (2007)

Of all the Romero zombie films this one ranks the lowest on the list (despite the fact that most of them are on the list).  The only reason why this film ranks so low is that it does lay the themes and social commentary on thick which is not how Romero has done this in the past.  Despite this Romero was taking a huge chance with a smaller film (and smaller budget) and a relative cast of unknowns and going back to the beginning of his zombie nightmare to tell a new story.  It also suffers because it was done in the style of “real” and/or “found” footage and it seemed as though it was jumping on the popular trend made prevalent through such films as BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON (2006), THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999), and CLOVERFIELD (2008), to name a few.  This is still a strong piece of zombie cinema which is light years better than most films thus far produced.

There is the bottom six films on the list.  If you’ve not seen them then I hope my little musings will now give you a reason to give them a try.  Feel free to comment and give me your opinions about some of these films that I’ve mentioned.

TOP 66 ZOMBIE FILMS OF ALL TIME (Part 1)

PART 1: THE BEGINNING

I just finished SFX magazine’s list of “Top 66 Zombie Films of All Time” written by Ian Berriman (and published in the SFX Zombies: The Ultimate Guide special) and I have to say that despite the fact that I hadn’t yet viewed all of the films discussed in his article I didn’t really agree with his opinions of why the films were on his list.  So in the true tradition of Cryptzone.Net I decided that I should put together my own list of “Top 66 Zombie Films of All Time.”  This week I’ll give you the entire list of films and over the course of the next few weeks I will give you my reason why each of these films are on my list.

Now you may not agree with my picks (or where they are placed on my list) so I encourage you all to leave me feedback on where you think I may have gone wrong.  I would love to read your opinions on this as well.

66. JUNK

65. SHOCK WAVES

64. PSYCHOMANIA

63. RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD PART 3

62. ZOMBIELAND

61. DIARY OF THE DEAD

60. TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS RITUAL

59. Z.A. ZOMBIE ANONYMOUS

58. RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD

57. RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION

56. NIGHT OF THE COMET

55. SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD

54. VERSES

53. DEAD SPACE: AFTERMATH

52. AUTOMATON TRANSFUSION

51. NIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS

50. SUGAR HILL

49. THE DEAD HATE THE LIVING

48. RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE

47. I, ZOMBIE

46. DANCE OF THE DEAD

45. ZOMBIE HONEYMOON

44. DEAD SPACE: DOWNFALL

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS

43. PLAGA ZOMBIE: MUTANT ZONE (2001)

42. DEAD & BREAKFAST

41. CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD

40. DEAD HEAT

39. CREEPSHOW

38. AMERICAN ZOMBIE

37. ZOMBI (1979)

36. RESIDENT EVIL

35. DEAD SNOW

34. DEAD & BURIED

33. PLANET TERROR

32. LA HORDE

31. MULBERRY ST.

30. FIDO

29. DEADGIRL

28. UNDEAD

27. PET SEMATARY

26. THEY CAME BACK

25. DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004)

24. THE RE-ANIMATOR

23. BRIDE OF THE RE-ANIMATOR

22. DEATH DREAM

21. THE BEYOND

20. PRINCE OF DARKNESS

19. TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD

18. CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS

17. BLACK SHEEP

16. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990)

15. I SELL THE DEAD

14. PLAGUE OF ZOMBIES

13. PONTYPOOL

12. 28 WEEKS LATER

11. 28 DAYS LATER

10. CEMETARY MAN

9.  [REC]

8. I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)

7. THE SERPENT & THE RAINBOW

6. DAY OF THE DEAD (1985)

5. THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE

4. SHAUN OF THE DEAD

3. DEAD ALIVE/BRAINDEAD

2. DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)

1. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)

Those not on the list:

1. THE EVIL DEAD 1 & 2

2. [REC] 2

3. WHITE ZOMBIE

4. THE DEAD

5. WILD ZERO

6. ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST

7. HOUSE BY THE CEMETARY