Romero's Living Dead Movies: Essential Films
This Essential Films watch list is for viewers who want to experience the very best of Romero's zombie cinema in its most ambitious and influential form. Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead are widely considered masterpieces - vivid, daring, and packed with unforgettable moments and biting social commentary.
While the original Night of the Living Dead is a true horror landmark and the foundation of the genre, its black-and-white, low-budget style sets it apart from the colorful, larger-scale approach of these two later films. For newcomers, Dawn and Day represent the most accessible and powerful entry point into the Living Dead saga.
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List not ranked (sorted by Release Date)
Dawn of the Dead
During a zombie epidemic, two SWAT officers, a traffic reporter, and a TV executive take refuge in an abandoned shopping mall to survive the undead hordes.
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Day of the Dead
A small group of scientists and soldiers take refuge in an underground missile silo as they struggle to survive against the flesh-eating undead that have overrun the world above.
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Other Film Series
Alien
Humanity's terrifying encounters with a perfect killing organism across centuries of space exploration.
Cloverfield
Science fiction anthology series where each standalone film explores mysterious threats and cosmic horror within the shared Cloververse.
Darkman
Sam Raimi's cult superhero-horror trilogy following a disfigured scientist who becomes a vigilante.
M3GAN
A tech-horror series about an AI-powered doll that becomes self-aware and dangerously protective, blending campy humor with commentary on artificial intelligence.
Phantasm
A surreal horror franchise following young Mike Pearson and ice cream vendor Reggie in their ongoing battle against the interdimensional Tall Man and his deadly silver spheres.
The Purge
A dystopian horror franchise set in an America where all crime is legal for 12 hours once a year during an annual event called The Purge.