Richard Crouse

SYNOPSIS: As The Walking Dead shambles toward its season finale in December the Reel Guys suggest some infectious zombie movies to keep you entertained until the show lumbers back to air next year.

Richard: Mark, several episodes from this season’s Walking Dead were among the best television of the year. It owes a HUGE debt to George A. Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead, but I still watch even though it gives me weird dreams every Sunday night. To calm my jangled nerves I’ve been checking out zombie comedies like Shaun of the Dead and Cemetery Man. Everyone knows Shaun, but Cemetery’s weird story is worth a look. It’s gory good fun. Are you a zombie fan?

Mark: Depends on the zombie, Richard. I didn’t get a chance to catch up with the Walking Dead series because I was too busy watching the brainwashed terrorist zombies in Homeland. A different kind of zombie, to be sure, but zombies all the same. I think the faster the zombies move, the more I like the movie. Those slow-walking, arms outstretched flesh eaters aren’t that different than most of the clubbers I see at closing time on Saturday nights. I’ve never seen Cemetery Man, but it looks interesting; thanks for the tip.

RC: The whole slow moving zombies vs. fast moving zombies debate is an argument for the ages. I guess I’m a traditionalist. I like the Romero zombie, the bumbling undead who mindlessly and relentlessly keep hunting for braaains. Dawn of the Dead, I Walked with a Zombie and Lucio Fulci’s Zombi are masterpieces of the slow shuffle. You might like the remake of Dawn of the Dead. Man those zombies can run!

MB: I did like that one, along with Zombieland, Dead Snow (Nazi zombies, what’s not to like?), and the zombie comedy (zomcom?) Fido starring Billy Connelly as a kindly zombie. But the big question in all the zombie films is: How do you get away from a zombie? Well, it seems that the meat that tastes closest to human flesh is…pig! So I say, when confronted when a pack of zombies…let loose the porkers!

RC: Good advice. I’d add another zombie apocalypse tip I picked up from the movie Zombieland. You at your most vulnerable while sitting on the toilet, so hold it as long as you can. Also, having a machine gun where your leg used to be, à la Rose McGowan in Planet Terror, can be very useful.

MB: I’m old school, Richard. I prefer having both legs to utilize the strategy of actually running away. And remember, when being chased by a zombie, you don’t have to be the fastest runner- just faster than the guy behind you.