7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

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Night of the Living Dead changed the way zombie movies were made forever. There were some other great films of this kind that came before it, though.

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7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

Zombie films have changed dramatically over the decades, but perhaps the movie that changed the subgenre the most was George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, released in 1968. It was groundbreaking, even though characters never even say the word “zombie” in the film. With the popularity of Romero’s work, many zombie films from before its release are often not given as much credit. Despite this, there exist many excellent films in this subgenre from before 1968.

However, depictions of zombies from these movies are often very different from what they are in media today. They rarely ate people and were usually under someone else’s control. These films inspired the works of many horror filmmakers to come. (It should be noted that some films that feature “voodoo” often include inaccurate and insensitive portrayals of Vodou and the people who practice it).

7 Carnival Of Souls (1962)

7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

Carnival of Souls, released in 1962, is one of the best films by a one-time director. The film stars Candace Hilligoss as Mary Henry, a survivor of a car crash who begins to experience paranoia and visions of a ghoul. This ghoul is known as “The Man” and is played by director Herk Harvey himself. Several other ghouls appear throughout the film, further concerning Mary as the story progresses.

The story is intriguing and keeps the audience guessing as to the true nature of the movie’s reality. The psychological horror film has garnered much support in the years since its release, solidifying its status as a cult classic.

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6 The Last Man On Earth (1964)

7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

The 1964 film, The Last Man on Earth, is the first feature film adaptation of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, and it stars Vincent Price as the main protagonist. This film features beings that are a bit of a combination of zombies and vampires, who can speak short phrases, are hurt by sunlight, and are repelled by garlic. They shuffle similarly to how most media show zombies today, though.

While modern audiences may find certain aspects of the film cheesy, it is a fascinating story about a man trying to survive and eliminate the creatures trying to kill him. Through a flashback sequence, the movie shows the degradation of society due to the zombie plague, and this provides more context for the world, further engrossing audiences in the film.

5 White Zombie (1932)

7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

While Night of the Living Dead is one of the best introductions to the horror genre, White Zombie is known as the first feature-length zombie movie. As such, it stands as a classic in the zombie film subgenre.

The 1932 film features Bela Lugosi as the evil “Murder” Legendre, who, with sinister intentions, tricks one of the main characters into transforming another into a zombie. This movie offers a glimpse into the foundations of zombie film cinema, serving as an inspiration for many future horror films.

4 I Walked With A Zombie (1943)

7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

I Walked with a Zombie, released in 1943, centers around a nurse who has been hired to take care of a woman who appears to have no will of her own. Throughout the film, the reason for her state of being is revealed.

The movie takes its time in divulging information, which keeps the audience invested. Well acted and with a tense feeling throughout, it is clear why I Walked with a Zombie remains heavily studied. The movie is also analyzed because of the themes it explores, although certain aspects of the film have been criticized for their controversial nature.

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3 The Earth Dies Screaming (1964)

7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

Even for those who hold the unpopular opinion about zombie movies that mindless corpses are not interesting, The Earth Dies Screaming is an enjoyable film. While zombies are certainly involved, the more significant villains are the mysterious figures that walk the streets, killing people with a touch and transforming them into zombies.

The main characters work to survive, even though they do not understand anything about these figures. Compared to other apocalypse-like films, The Earth Dies Screaming is on a much smaller scale, which helps with the atmosphere.

2 The Plague Of The Zombies (1966)

7 Best Zombie Movies That Came Out Before Night Of The Living Dead

Released only two years before Night of the Living Dead, 1966’s The Plague of the Dead centers on a village that experiences an unprecedented number of deaths among the local people. A doctor attempts to figure out the cause, and this leads to terrible revelations in the community.

The acting and atmosphere are excellent and contribute to the tone of the movie significantly. This film is often overshadowed by Night of the Living Dead as the more popular zombie film from the late-1960s, but it deserves more attention than it has received.

1 King Of The Zombies (1941)

Some modern zombie movies, like Shaun of the Dead, are great both as comedies and as zombie movies, and King of the Zombies walked this line back in 1941. When a pilot and two others make an emergency landing on a small island, they meet a mysterious doctor and discover some nefarious secrets.

Mantan Moreland was lauded by fans for his performance, and he reprised his role in the film’s sequel. The rest of the cast also also does an excellent job. An early blending of comedy and the zombie subgenre, King of the Zombies would inspire many films of a similar nature.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/best-zombie-movies-released-before-night-living-dead/

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