THE zombie genre has enjoyed waves of popularity in various media including video games, books, comics, films, and TV series.
Over many years, there've been countless movies that span the whole spectrum of the genre from entertaining classics and shocking showcases to just plain bad or mediocre productions.
In conjunction with quirky Zombie Awareness Month in May, here's a small selection from a swarm of examples that have left an indelible impression.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
Dubbed the Father of the Zombie Film, American-Canadian director George A Romero's influence on the genre is undeniable and this seminal movie is what started it all.
Featuring horror, suspense, social commentary, and biting satire, this black-and-white film follows a group of disparate people trapped in a rural farmhouse under attack by a horde of reanimated, flesh-eating corpses.
It was made on a shoestring budget and initially derided for its explicit violence and gore which was considered too much for viewers at the time.
Since then, it has become a critically-acclaimed horror movie with Romero releasing several other equally influential movies in the same genre.
28 DAYS LATER (2002)
While previous movies never explained how the zombie apocalypse came to be and featured a lumbering mob of the undead slowly shuffling towards its victims, this British production directed by Danny Boyle ratcheted up the scare factor by introducing zombies that ran fast and were ultra-aggressive instead.
In the film, a biological weapon that induces uncontrollable rage is accidentally released and infects humans which causes the downfall of society.
Oscar-winning Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy, in one of his earlier roles, plays a man who wakes up from a coma to discover that the world has drastically changed for the worse and must carry on with a group of survivors.
28 Days Later's influence is seen in various other zombie movies such as director Zack Snyder's kinetic remake of Romero's Dawn of the Dead (2004) and the Brad Pitt-starring action horror flick, World War Z (2013).
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004)
British filmmaker Edgar Wright delivers a loving tribute to Romero's zombie movies in this offbeat outing.
Featuring a clever script, quippy dialogue, and well-made sequences, the movie is engaging throughout and accessible enough to satisfy a wide audience, including those who don't generally watch zombie movies.
Dubbed a romantic zombie comedy, it follows a down-on-his-luck salesman who has to save his girlfriend and survive with his friends during a zombie outbreak.
It paved the way for other unconventional zombie movies such as Fido (2006), Zombieland (2009), and Warm Bodies (2013).
ZOMBI KAMPUNG PISANG (2007)
The late filmmaker Mamat Khalid dishes out his brand of oddball humour and quirky sensibilities in this horror comedy that won the Special Jury Award at the 20th Malaysia Film Festival.
Taking place in one night in a rural setting, the zany outing follows the villagers of Kampung Pisang who have to figure out what's going on and survive an unexpected infestation of the undead.
Starring rocker Datuk Awie with Ezlynn, Que Haidar, Datuk AC Mizal, Soffi Jikan, and more, the movie was a modest hit which saw Mamat Khalid expanding stories and characters from Kampung Pisang into a successful franchise.
TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016)
This South Korean action horror movie directed by Yeon Sang-ho created quite a splash when it was released, becoming a critical and commercial hit.
Taking place mostly on a high-speed train from Seoul to Busan, the film sees actor Gong Yoo playing a divorced workaholic who is sending his daughter to see her mother on her birthday when a zombie outbreak occurs.
One of the few prominent Asian zombie movies, it features thrilling sequences with a story that has emotional depth and heart.