Zombie movies may be the most prevalent subgenre in horror because the basic form offers so many possibilities for variation. The dead who come back to life and have an insatiable hunger for human flesh can serve as an allegory for a variety of social issues, or they can be a simple, easily identifiable threat to characters in a rudimentary horror movie.
The best zombie movies do more than just throw the ravening undead at a group of hapless humans. Some of the most influential movies in the history of horror are zombie stories, and zombies have branched out into comedy and romance as the genre has grown. Here are seven essential zombie movies that demonstrate just how much filmmakers can accomplish within this basic framework.
