I grew up on these. VHS hiss, pizza rolls, and a stack of zombie tapes taller than my cat. I still watch them. Some nights I want scares. Some nights I want dumb jokes and goo. The 80’s gave me both, and then some.
Need a blow-by-blow of one of my marathon nights? I scribbled it all down in this first-person watch-through.
Let me explain. I’m a softy for fog, synth beats, and fake blood. But I’m also picky. These movies changed me. They also bug me at times. That’s okay. It’s part of the charm.
The Ones That Live Rent-Free in My Brain
The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
This was my “oh wow” moment. Punk kids in a graveyard. “Send more cops.” Tar Man oozing down the steps, hungry for “braaains.” Linnea Quigley dancing on a tomb—wild and weird. The soundtrack slaps. It’s funny, nasty, and kind of sad by the end. I still hum that gloomy end theme while I clean my kitchen. Why? No clue. Habit.
Day of the Dead (1985)
Bleak. Cold. So good. A bunker full of angry soldiers and tired scientists. Dr. Logan feeding “Bub” like a proud dad. Tom Savini’s effects look too real sometimes. Rhodes yelling “Choke on ’em!” burned into my head. It’s slower than I remembered, but the mood grabs you by the throat and won’t let go.
Re-Animator (1985)
Is it “zombie” in a classic way? Close enough for me. Green serum. Jeffrey Combs giving that stare only he can give. A dead cat fight that made me jump the first time. It’s gross, dark, and also funny. I laughed even while I covered my eyes. Mixed feelings, sure, but I keep rewatching it.
Night of the Creeps (1986)
Alien slugs make frat boys into brain-munchers. Detective Cameron mutters, “Thrill me,” like he’s smoked the whole town. A flamethrower shows up, and suddenly it’s a party. It’s silly, yes, but it’s sweet under the goop. Like a late-night radio show that knows your name.
Speaking of broadcasts that can curdle your blood, give the micro-budget nightmare Pontypool a spin.
Evil Dead II (1987)
Deadites, not pure zombies, but on my shelf anyway. A chainsaw hand. A laughing deer head. Blood that sprays like bad soda. It’s a cartoon, but sticky. When my friends visit, this is the one I put on first. It cracks the ice fast.
Night of the Comet (1984)
Two valley girl sisters in empty L.A. The sky glows red. The mall is open—no lines, only zombies. It’s light, fun, and very 80’s. Big hair, big jackets, big heart. I show this to folks who say they “don’t like horror.” They usually smile.
If you’re on the hunt for even gentler gateway ghouls—think the vibe of Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island—I rounded up a few animated-friendly gems right here.
Fulci Time: City of the Living Dead (1980) and The Beyond (1981)
Italian fever dreams. Fog, church bells, and that sticky doom feeling. The Beyond has a painter, a hotel, and a room that should’ve stayed sealed. Spiders, eyes, worms—stuff that makes your skin crawl. The plots drift like smoke. But the mood? It clings to you.
Dead & Buried (1981)
A sleepy beach town that feels wrong. That’s the vibe. I won’t spoil the turn. Just know it’s quiet and cold and worth your time.
Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988)
Goofier. Kid-friendly, almost. More gags than guts. I put it on when I need easy laughs and a warm blanket.
Redneck Zombies (1989)
Shot-on-video chaos. Mud, bad jokes, and homemade gore. It’s rude and rough. Not for everyone. I watch it like a roadside snack—greasy, fast, and somehow perfect at 1 a.m.
What I Love (And I Mean Love)
- Practical effects. Rubber, latex, and corn syrup do things CGI can’t. They feel heavy.
- Synth scores that thump like a slow heartbeat. A single note can put me back on that old couch.
- Big ideas hiding in junk food. War, greed, rage, grief—yep, it’s all there under the slime.
- Punk bite. The Return of the Living Dead doesn’t care if you approve. It just goes.
What Bugs Me (But I Still Watch)
- Pacing. Some scenes slog. You wait, then you get a shock. I like it; others hate it.
- Thin roles for women in a few titles. Lots of screaming and running. We can admit that and still enjoy the good parts.
- A mean streak now and then. The gore can feel a bit cruel. I pick my mood before I press play.
How I Watch Them Now
I own the nice discs, but sometimes I stream the fuzzy versions on purpose. The grain and hiss make it feel right. If it’s fall, I stack three movies, pour cheap soda, and let the night crawl by. My cousin’s a teen; I started her with Night of the Comet, then Return of the Living Dead. She asked why everyone hangs at graveyards. I said, “Because the 80’s.”
That urge to marathon never dies—I even spent an entire weekend queuing up undead flicks on Paramount Plus, which you can read about here. If you’re based around Chicagoland and feel like taking the creepy vibes out on the town once the credits roll, browse the nightlife and community listings collected at Backpage Evanston—there you can sift through real-time posts for meet-ups, events, and other after-dark mischief to keep the momentum going.
New to 80’s Zombies? Start Here
- Party night: The Return of the Living Dead
- Dark and heavy: Day of the Dead
- Offbeat and slick: Night of the Creeps
- Dreamy and eerie: The Beyond
- Not-too-scary hangout: Night of the Comet
For an even deeper dive into goo-soaked trivia, poster art, and behind-the-scenes tales, shuffle over to AllFlesh and lose yourself for an afternoon.
Tiny Gripes, Big Heart
Do these movies show their age? For sure. Fashion, phones, jokes—time stamped. But the craft still sings. Foam latex moves like skin. Blood hits the floor with weight. And when Bub learns, even for a second, I get a lump in my throat. Weird, right? Maybe not.
You know what? These films make me feel alive. Strange for stories about the dead. But it’s true. I press play, the fog rolls in, the synth hums, and I’m home.
By the way, if you ever find yourself wanting a little undead flavor in your late-night texting life—think cheesy one-liners and playful moans instead of VHS hiss—you might get a kick out of exploring modern sexting chatbots. Check out this guide to sexting bots to learn how to summon these digital companions safely, discover the best platforms, and keep the conversation spooky-fun without crossing any lines.