The Film Rules: ZOMBIE FILM RULES

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas? Are the Zombie Film Rules accurate?

The results for the second half of the rules for Zombie Films.

The ten films that were tested:

1. White Zombie (1932)
2. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
3. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
4. Zombie (1979)
5. Warning Sign (1985)
6. Return of the Living Dead (1985)
7. 28 Days Later (2002)
8. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
9. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
10. World War Z (2013)

Continues from Part 1.

RULE #6 - Mistakes

"Because the guy who just shot himself, he's a doctor, a virologist." ~ Gerry Lane.
"What are you talking about?" ~ Captain Speke.
"He was supposed to be our best hope." ~ Gerry Lane.
"Well, he's not our best hope anymore." ~ Captain Speke, World War Z (2013).

6a. Standing around talking for no reason when endangered

Multiple - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead.
Played for laughs - Shaun of the Dead.
A little - White Zombie; Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
Doesn't happen - 28 Days Later.

6b. Grieving

A lot - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978).
Brief - Zombie; 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead.
Not dangerously - White Zombie; Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
No - The Return of the Living Dead; World War Z.

6c. Making accidental noises

Yes - Dawn of the Dead (1978); World War Z.
Maybe - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Played for laughs - Shaun of the Dead.
No - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Zombie; Warning Sign; The Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later.

6d. Being unable to smell decaying flesh

Yes - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Possibly - Dawn of the Dead (1978); The Return of the Living Dead.
Passable (due to age) - Zombie.
Doesn't come up - White Zombie; 28 Days Later; World War Z.
No decay - Night of the Living Dead; Warning Sign, Shaun of the Dead.

6e. Engaging hand-to-hand combat with zombies

Happens - Night of the Living Dead; Zombie; Warning Sign; The Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Accidental - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Shaun of the Dead.
Mostly avoided - White Zombie; World War Z.

Successful - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; World War Z.

6f. Hiding secret bite

No - White Zombie; Warning Sign; World War Z.
Open - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie.
Polite - Shaun of the Dead.
Someone for another - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Fails to pretend - 28 Days Later.
Not Bites - The Return of the Living Dead.

6g. Unwilling to kill the bitten

Hide - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Tries, unable - Shaun of the Dead
Unwilling - Dawn of the Dead (1978); The Return of the Living Dead.
Drastic measures - World War Z.
Over-willing - Zombie; 28 Days Later.
N/A - White Zombie; Warning Sign.
Unclear - Night of the Living Dead;

Ends in death - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Survives - Dawn of the Dead (1978); 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead.
Successful - World War Z.

6h. Unwilling to kill the undead

Yes - Night of the Living Dead.
Fight over - Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Hesitates/Other does it - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; 28 Days Later.
No - White Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; World War Z.

Survives - 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead.
Ends in death - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Cure found - Warning Sign.

6i. In-fighting

Yes - Night of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Constant - Shaun of the Dead.
Join bad group - 28 Days Later.
Tension - The Return of the Living Dead; World War Z.
Little - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie.
No - White Zombie.

6j. Fighting at all

Mutual death - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Death - Night of the Living Dead.
Kills many humans - 28 Days Later.
Some - Warning Sign.
With bad group - Dawn of the Dead (1978).
No - White Zombie; Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead; World War Z.

6k. Having sex

Doesn't happen - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; The Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead; World War Z.
Kiss - Zombie; 28 Days Later.
Miss warnings - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Empty/no issue - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Previous sex saved lived - Warning Sign.

6l. Being cowardly

Leads to own death - 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
Some - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978).
N/A - Zombie; Warning Sign.

6m. Betraying the group

Yes, Death - 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead.
No - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.

6n. Going anywhere they shouldn't go in a slasher film

Down to the Basement

Literally happens - Night of the Living Dead; The Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Version of - White Zombie; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Warning Sign; World War Z.
N/A - Zombie; 28 Days Later.

Killed - Night of the Living Dead; The Return of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Endangered - World War Z.
Temporarily safe - Shaun of the Dead.

Upstairs

Enter castle - White Zombie.
Roof of building - Dawn of the Dead (1978); World War Z.
Roof space - The Return of the Living Dead.
Second story - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
N/A - Zombie; Warning Sign; 28 Days Later.

Saved - World War Z.
Killed another way - The Return of the Living Dead.
Safe - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).

For a Shower

No showers - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); The Return of the Living Dead; World War Z.
Male - 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead.
Female - Zombie.
Couple - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Workplace - Warning Sign.

Missed news - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Turned in the shower - Shaun of the Dead.
Killed immediately afterward - Zombie.
Fine - Warning Sign; 28 Days Later.

Into old sheds or outbuildings

Doesn't happen - Night of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
Version of - White Zombie; Dawn of the Dead (1978); The Return of the Living Dead; Warning Sign.
Everything is - Zombie.

Running off to the “safety” of the forest

Forest (crash) - Zombie.
Island - Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Graveyard - The Return of the Living Dead.
Doesn't happen - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Warning Sign; 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead; World War Z.
Unsafe - Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Anywhere alone

Yes - White Zombie; Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Usually accompanied - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); World War Z.

Endangered - White Zombie; Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Killed - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie.
Bitten - Shaun of the Dead.
OK - 28 Days Later.

Anywhere Remote, Isolated or Confined

Everywhere is - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Warning Sign; 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
Graveyard - The Return of the Living Dead

Any Old, Abandoned or Presumably Haunted Buildings

Premise - Night of the Living Dead.
Doesn't happen - Warning Sign; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
All the buildings are old - White Zombie; Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead.
Occasionally - Dawn of the Dead (1978); 28 Days Later.

Endangered - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; 28 Days Later.

6o. Relying on anything they shouldn't in rely on a slasher film

Communications devices

Good - World War Z.
Unreliable but work - Warning Sign; The Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead.
Radio trap - 28 Days Later.
Down - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Dawn of the Dead (2004).
None - White Zombie; Zombie.

Lighting

Good - Dawn of the Dead (1978); World War Z.
Work, attract zombies - Shaun of the Dead.
Out - Night of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Not an issue - White Zombie; Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later.

Vehicular Transport

Helicopter/Fuel - Dawn of the Dead (1978).
Traffic jams/blocked roads - Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
Car crash - Night of the Living Dead; Zombie; Warning Sign (crashes into building); 28 Days Later (blown tyre); Shaun of the Dead (deliberate to upgrade).
Cars explode off-screen - The Return of the Living Dead.
Aircraft crash - World War Z (plane & helicopter).
Fine - White Zombie.

Their Own Legs

Trip - Barbra (Night of the Living Dead); Roger (Dawn of the Dead (1978)); Peter (Zombie); Joanie (Warning Sign); Tina & Ernie (The Return of the Living Dead); Shaun (Shaun of the Dead); Ana (Dawn of the Dead (2004)); Joanie (World War Z).
Collapse - Neill (White Zombie).
N/A - 28 Days Later.

The Authorities

Partial collapse/helpful - Dawn of the Dead (1978); The Return of the Living Dead (Local); Shaun of the Dead; World War Z.
Former authorities (heroes) - Dawn of the Dead (2004) (policeman)
Former authorities (villains) - 28 Days Later (soldiers).
Current (heroes) - Warning Sign (Local).
Current (villains) - The Return of the Living Dead; Warning Sign (Federal).
Incompetent - Night of the Living Dead; Zombie (New York).
None - Zombie (on an island).
Afraid - White Zombie.

Weapons

Ammunition worries - World War Z.
Limited - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Hand-held - Shaun of the Dead.
Fine - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later.

Escape Routes

Few but good - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
Blocked - Night of the Living Dead; The Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later
Lack of - Shaun of the Dead.
N/A: White Zombie; Warning Sign (Federal).

6p. Being over-confident

Yes, but gets away with it - Gerry (World War Z).
Yes, but - Frank (28 Days Later); Shaun (Shaun of the Dead).
Doesn't get away with it - Harry (Night of the Living Dead); Roger (Dawn of the Dead (1978)); Burning bodies (The Return of the Living Dead); The Government (Warning Sign); CJ (Dawn of the Dead (2004)); The Israelis (World War Z).
No - Zombie.
Just the villain - White Zombie.

6q. Making a plan that is too complex

Yes - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Warning Sign (Federal).
Simple but changing - Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.
Too simple - Night of the Living Dead; The Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead.
Not really - 28 Days Later.
No plans - Zombie.

6r. Making a plan

Fine - Warning Sign (heroes); 28 Days Later; World War Z.
Falls apart - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
No plans - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Zombie.

6s. Assume they're safe

Not safe - Zombie; Warning Sign; The Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later; World War Z.
Safe for a while - Dawn of the Dead (1978).
Doesn't come up - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).

6t. Be happy

OK, when happy - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Dawn of the Dead (2004).
No one is - Night of the Living Dead; The Return of the Living Dead; World War Z.
Endangered when happy - White Zombie; Zombie; 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead.
N/A - Warning Sign.

6u. Just one last thing

No - White Zombie; Warning Sign; The Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead; World War Z.
Yes, killed - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie.
Yes, endangered - 28 Days Later.
Yes, but necessary - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).

6v. Never assume anyone or anything is dead

Premise - Warning Sign.
Assume dead - Zombie; The Return of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Returning villain - 28 Days Later.
Conflict - Shaun of the Dead.
Doesn't happen - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; World War Z.
Fine after the beginning - Dawn of the Dead (1978).

RULE #7 - Standard Plot.

"Listen, there's a bunch of people from the cemetery who are stark, staring, mad, and they'll kill you and eat you if they catch you. It's like a disease. It's like rabies, only faster, a lot faster. That's why you've got to come and get us out of here now... right now!" ~ Burt Wilson, Return of the Living Dead (1986).

7a.  Normal life

Yes - Zombie; Warning Sign; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z (action background).

A little - White Zombie, Night of the Living Dead; Return of the Living Dead.

Flashback only - 28 Days Later (Home movies).

Already collapsing world - Dawn of the Dead (1978).

7b.  Sudden outbreak

Slow - Zombie; Warning Sign; Return of the Living Dead.

Seems so to the characters - Night of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.

Already underway - White Zombie; Dawn of the Dead (1978); 28 Days Later (time jump).

This film is a (semi-sequel, so the outbreak appears in the previous film.)

7c. Meetings

N/A - Warning Sign.

A few - White Zombie.

Planned - Shaun of the Dead.

Aborted - World War Z.

Various groupings - Return of the Living Dead.

Yes - Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; 28 Days Later; Dawn of the Dead (2004).

7d. Civilisation will collapse

Quickly, but not completely - World War Z.

Quickly - Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Briefly - Shaun of the Dead.

Partially - Night of the Living Dead.

No, but mob - White Zombie; Warning Sign.

Off-screen - 28 Days Later.

Post-film - Zombie; Return of the Living Dead.

Beginnings - Night of the Living Dead.

Already - Dawn of the Dead (1978).

7e. Looting becomes scavenging

N/A - White Zombie; Warning Sign.

Immediately - World War Z.

Comfortable apocalypse - Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Beyond that point - Dawn of the Dead (1978); 28 Days Later.

No yet - Return of the Living Dead.

Weak - Night of the Living Dead.

7f.  Gangs/bandits/cannibals

Former military - 28 Days Later.

Raiders - Dawn of the Dead (1978).

Doesn't happen - Night of the Living Dead; World War Z.

Limited - Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004).

None - White Zombie; Zombie; Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead.

7g. Finding a place to hole up

No - White Zombie; World War Z (apartment).

Yes - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later (apartment & camp); Shaun of the Dead (The Winchester); Dawn of the Dead (2004) (the mall); World War Z (ship).

7h.  Avoiding connecting to people

N/A - White Zombie; Warning Sign.

Yes - Night of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later.

Already connected - Shaun of the Dead.

Sort of - Return of the Living Dead; World War Z.

Varies - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Dawn of the Dead (2004).

No - Zombie.

7i. Suicidal

Multiple - 28 Days Later.

Yes - Dawn of the Dead (1978).

Doesn't really happen - White Zombie; Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.

Only at the end - Warning Sign; Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead.

7j. Undead loved-ones

The Plot - White Zombie.

Doesn't really happen - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Warning Sign; Dawn of the Dead (2004); World War Z.

Limited - Shaun of the Dead.

Yes - Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later.

7k. Mindless sacrifice

Yes - Mr Beaumont (White Zombie); Zombie; Shaun of the Dead; Dawn of the Dead (2004);

No -  Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Warning Sign; Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later; World War Z.

7l. Limited food/water/bullets

Water - 28 Days Later (causes move from the apartment).

Bullets - White Zombie.

Limited - Zombie; World War Z (the soldiers).

Ambiguous - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Too soon - Night of the Living Dead; Warning Sign; Return of the Living Dead; Shaun of the Dead.

7m.  Escape from a place

Forced to - Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; 28 Days Later; Shaun of the Dead (The Winchester); World War Z (Israel).

Various - Return of the Living Dead.

Plan to, forced to go early - Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Plan to, failed - Night of the Living Dead.

Locked in - Warning Sign.

N/A: White Zombie.

7n. Armoured vehicle

Army does - Shaun of the Dead; World War Z (the soldiers).

Create armour for vehicles - Dawn of the Dead (2004).

No - White Zombi; Dawn of the Dead (1978) (Semi-trailers); Zombie.(jeep); Warning Sign; Return of the Living Dead (police car); 28 Days Later (taxi).

7o. Don't let me turn/save a bullet

Shoots self when bitten - Michael (Dawn of the Dead (2004)); Speke (World War Z).

Asks to be shot - Roger (Dawn of the Dead (1978)); Brian (Zombie); Cal (Warning Sign); Tucker (Dawn of the Dead (2004)).

Plan suicide when trapped - Shaun of the Dead.

Won't let others turn - Selena (28 Days Later.)

Suicide while turning -  Return of the Living Dead.

NA - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead.

7p. Injury

Badly, heals quick - Segen & Gerry (World War Z).

Injured at end - Jim (28 Days Later.)

Injured, slows group, dies - Karen (Night of the Living Dead); Ernie (Return of the Living); Dead Tucker (Dawn of the Dead (2004)).

Injured, slows group - Zombie.

Injured, left - Schmidt (Warning Sign); Ed (Shaun of the Dead).

Dawn of the Dead (1978).

nO - White Zombie.

7q. Heroic sacrifice

None - White Zombie; Night of the Living Dead; Dawn of the Dead (1978); Zombie; Warning Sign; Return of the Living Dead; 28 Days Later; World War Z.

Yes - Ed (Shaun of the Dead); Tucker & CJ (Dawn of the Dead (2004)).

7r. Death of the last survivor

Survives/reunited - White Zombie; Shaun of the Dead; World War Z.

Survivors/ends on a death - 4 survivors, Michael suicides (Dawn of the Dead (2004)).

Ends on death - Night of the Living Dead.

Survivors - 2 (Dawn of the Dead (1978)); 2 (Zombie); Warning Sign; 3 (28 Days Later)

Everyone dies, wind down - Return of the Living Dead

RULE #8 - There will be social commentary

"As Bertrand Russell once said, "The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation." I think we can all appreciate the relevance of that now." ~ Shaun.
"Was that on a beer mat?" ~ Liz.

"Yeah, it was Guinness Extra Cold." ~ Shaun, Shaun of the Dead (2004).