Can you believe it, the 1990 was over two decades ago! How time flies. A era in which the Playstation came hutling into our living rooms, Kenan & Kel were seen as heroes, Hannibal first shared his love for liver and fava beans on screen and everyone was asking themselves the ultimate question, “Who let the dogs out?” But enough of this nostalgic trip down memory lane, it’s time to load the shotgun, ref up the chainsaw and plough through the hordes of 90′s sufferling undead as we take a look at the top 5 zombie films of everyone’s favourite decade.

5. Bride Of Re-Animator (1990)

“He’s going to be uncontrollably spastic!”

Following the huge success of Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator (1985), Herbert West is back in this crazy sequel. Whilst a pale comparison to the original much-loved zombie classic, Bride Of Re-Animator proves to be a fun ride drenched in gore and stuffed with re-animated undead creatures. It’s totally bizarre and  continues to explode into a twisted and warped movie that all fans of zombie cinema are bound to love.

4. Army Of Darkness (1992)

“Groovy.”

This film would’ve been higher on the list if it wasn’t for one small technicality; it’s not actually a zombie film. However, as it’s close enough and since it stars Bruce Campbell, it’s simply too awesome to leave off the list. The famous Chin is at his best in the third of the Evil Dead trilogy fighting the powers of the Necronomicon several centuries in the past. Whilst not quite up to the standards of Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn, Army Of Darkness rams up the blood-soaked humour to 11 and delivers comedy gags harder than a deadly blast from a trusty boomstick. One of the single most entertaining and re-watchable films ever made, this has to be a favourite in any cult cinema fan’s collection.

3. Night Of The Living Dead (1990)

“They’re coming to get you Barbara!”

Remakes. They suck. Everyone knows it. But once in a blue moon, a remake/re-imagining/re-invention/re-whateverthehellyouwanttocallit proves to be worthy of your well earned cash and time from your busy undead-slaughtering schedule. One such example is Tom Savini’s brilliant take on the classic that first gave the rotting undead the taste for warm living flesh.  With an all cast star and some simply outstanding special effects (well, it is a Savini film!), the 1990 Night Of The Living Dead remains a strong film 22 years after it’s initial release. It’s no surprise that George A. Romero’s original public domain masterpiece has spawned countless imitations, and rip-offs from an endless slurry of re-releases to the dreadful 2006 3D remake, an animated ‘re-imagining’, a ‘comedy’ dub (Night Of The Day Of The Dawn Of The Son Of The Bride Of The Return Of The Revenge Of The Terror Of The Attack Of The Evil Mutant Hellbound Flesh-Eating Subhumanoid Living Dead, Part II) to adult spoofs. However, despite all this, Savini’s 1990 remake remains head and shoulders above the horde of brainless, but fun, cash-ins.

2. Dellamorte Dellamore (1993)

“I’d give my life to be dead.”

From a remake to one of the most original zombie films of the decade in question. This Italian entry into the crypts of zombie cinema rears it’s decaying head several years after the great Speghetti Zombie cycle came to an end, but despite this (or maybe because of this) Dellamorte Dellamore (aka. Cemetery Man) has a completly different feel to it unlike any zombie film you may have seen. With a constant stream of WTF-inducing moments, necromantic zombie love and a plot that just keeps getting stranger, Dellamorte Dellamore is an underated classic that just gets better and better with each and every viewing. Dellamorte Dellamore is out this coming Monday on a region-free DVD from Shameless Screen Entertainment. Click here to pre-order yours from Amazon.

1. Braindead (1992)

“I kick arse for the lord!”

There really is no competition. Peter Jackson’s gore-fest Braindead is one of the best undead films of all time and just has to be crowned the ‘Greatest Zombie Movie Of The 1990s.’ It’s got everything you could possibly want from a film and so much more. The slapstick comes by the bucket load like the gallons and gallons of blood. Forget The Lord Of The Rings, Jackson was at his peak making independent gross-out cinema with Bad Taste and Meet The Feebles coming a close second to the hillarity and enjoyability of Braindead. One liners, horrid monkeys, a controling monster of a mum, ear-desert, zombie sex, zombie baby-abuse and that ever-trusty lawnmower. A masterpiece dripping with guts and gore.

Honerable Mentions:

- The Return Of The Living Dead III – Despite the praise it recieves in zombie circles, I personally have never been a fan. Of course, I’m in the minority when I say I prefer II to this!

- BioZombie / Junk – Liked Braindead? Then you’ll love these fun slices of Asian madness – lots of gore, lots of fun to be had.

- Das Komabrutale Duell - More gore! Forget plot, forget character development, forget everything you’ve learned about film. Along with the Violent Shit series, Das Komabrutale Duell is German Splatter at it’s best. A no budget film that’s covered in so much blood, it’s often hard to see what the hell is going on!

But which is your favourite 90′s Zombie film? Leave a message below or better still head here to vote on the ultime 90s zombie poll!