Zombie Research Society
When you think of zombies it’s unlikely that warm, cuddly feelings come to mind. The flesh-easting horde wants to kill and eat you, not become friends. But there are certain zombies throughout movie history that stand out for their lovable qualities, more than their dietary preference. Here are the six most likeable zombies of all time:
#6) COLIN, COLIN (2008)
Colin tells a simple zombie story from the title character’s point of view as he stumbles home in the midst of a catastrophic zombie outbreak, only to change into a flesh eater himself. The British zombie film Colin, widely reported to have been made for less than $100, was the surprise hit of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival’s film market. It led to writer-director Marc Price landing several other big-budget deals.
#5) HARE KRISHNA ZOMBIE, DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)
George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead created several iconic zombies, but leading the pack is a bald flesh eater in orange robes. The Hare Krishna zombie stalks an indoor shopping mall looking for victims to convert to his new undead religion. Though he doesn’t get a successful kill onscreen, he continues to be popular with merchandisers who’ve adapted him to everything from action figures to lunch boxes.
#4) ED, SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004)
Though Shaun’s best friend Ed turns into a zombie, he happily lives in the tool shed out back. In fact, released from the pressures of having to keep a job and pay rent, Ed gets to leave all the stress and social logistics to Shaun. Sometimes things don’t change, despite the zombie apocalypse. Shaun of the Dead gives us a world in which your friends can still be your friends, even if they’re zombies.
#3) BUB, DAY OF THE DEAD (1985)
Romero’s third zombie fi lm depicts the undead as capable of learning new skills and evolving over time. Bub still craves human flesh, but he’s not such a bad guy overall. He enjoys music, has a basic understanding of tools, salutes his superior officers, and even learns how to shoot a pistol. While Bub becomes more re fined, the humans in Day of the Dead devolve into a chaotic, bickering gang of thugs. Romero begs the question: who is the real menace?
#2) FIDO, FIDO (2006)
Fido, the title character, is an unassuming zombie servant owned by the Robinson family in post-war 1950s America. He serves drinks, plays catch with little Timmy, and seems destined to lead an unassuming death. Of course, things never work out as they’re supposed to in zombie movies, even for the zombies. Fido is a prominent example of the increased humanization of zombies that has emerged in recent years.
#1) FRANK, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
When medical supply workers Frank and Freddy accidentally release a toxic gas into the air, the vapors cause the dead to come back with an overpowering hunger for live human brains. Freddy dies and slowing turns onto a raving zombie, intent on eating his girlfriend. But when Frank is faced with that same fate, he chooses to throw himself into the fires of a nearby crematorium, rather than harm his fellow man.
What other zombies do you find likeable? Who should have made the list that didn’t?
The lead zombie in Ah! Zombies! who had been decapitated and whose head was being carried around in a bowling ball bag with a hole cut for his face? Yeah, that one wins.
Oh come on! What about M-16 guy from “Dawn of the Dead” (1978)? When they were in the shopping mall and the zombie just grabbed on to that guys M-16 and he let him go with it? He walked around for the entire rest of the movie (in the background) with that thing pointed straight at his face. That was hilarious! Every time my friend and I saw him we’d cheer.
i like the penguin (man dressed in a costume because he works at an amusement park) zombie from that short film
You forgot the Dildo Zombie from CREATURES FROM THE PINK LAGOON!
28 Weeks Later. Don (the father) looked like a rabid squirrel with Ebola. The still shots were crazy delicious!
Seeing that Bill Hinzman left us last night for the great cemetery in the sky, I’ll include the First Zombie from Night of the Living Dead.
Holly Q beat me to the punch about Penguin Suit. The end credits were better than most movies.
I would have put Fido as #2 and Ed as #1.
The zombie in a penguin suit from the short film “Zombie in a Penguin Suit” is the most likable zombie I can think of.
I liked Big Daddy from Land Of The Dead…Like Riley said…”They are just looking for a place, like us”
I was actually just about to say that! I mean, here’s a badass leader sort of zombie, who stormed the town, led his ‘army’ into enemy territory, and then, when everyone was making their way out, he makes eye-contact with Riley (sort of), and instead of chasing after him, he walks away.