Alan Smithee: Many swear by Romero's zombies

Dear Mr. Smithee: My 14-year-old son and I watch a lot of movies together. This was great when we were watching James Bond movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger movies and the "Matrix" movies. However, he's now into zombie movies. I am not much into gratuitous blood and gore. Can you suggest any zombie movies that have some artistic merit that would justify spending the time watching them?

PAUL FLEITZ, DAYTON, OHIO

Dear Old Dad: What red-blooded American son, especially at the pivotal age of 14, isn't into zombie movies?

And can a film legally be a zombie movie if it lacks gratuitous blood and gore? I have my doubts.

Zombies come in all shapes, sizes and foot speeds.

The purist swears allegiance only to George Romero, who surmised that zombies, since they were crawling out of graves, would be motor-challenged and move no faster than Boris Karloff's ancient Egyptian mummy, Prince Im-Ho-Tep.

The best Romero movies are the original black-and-white "Night of the Living Dead" (1968) and, especially, the full-color, full-camp "Dawn of the Dead" (1978), with the living taking refuge in a shopping mall that eventually is invaded. Both are steeped in social commentary that can generate artful, post-screening discussion.

My once-wee sons, D.W. and Cecil B., are gigantic fans of the 1980s "Evil Dead" movies, which drip with sarcasm. I am less amused.

A subset of the zombie film genre involves diseases that turn victims into raging killers. They are also fleet of foot.

I am a big fan of "28 Days Later" (2002) and "28 Weeks Later" (2007), involving a rapidly infectious virus of sorts in England. Both are very bloody, and I highly recommend them.

You might try stomaching "Dead Alive" (1992) just because it's one of director Peter Jackson's earliest efforts.

After seeing a few regular zombie movies, I'd suggest the two of you take a gander at the brilliantly funny "Shaun of the Dead" (2004).

And if you decide to be super-serious, watch the very indie "The Signal" (2008), which, while not exactly a zombie movie, is about people affected by some strange otherworldly electronic disturbance.

The film that I would recommend that also probably has the least amount of gore is the British sci-fi "Lifeforce" (1985). It's considered more of a vampire movie, but it involves zombies and has a talented cast that includes Steve Railsback, Peter Firth and Patrick Stewart.

Oh, and do yourself a favor and convince your 14-year-old to watch "Bubba Ho-Tep" (2002). It is a mummy movie, but it is very funny and stars Bruce Campbell ("Evil Dead") and Ossie Davis as nursing home residents who think they are Elvis and John F. Kennedy, respectively, and who battle the walking dead.

ALAN

P.S. You get an "I Heart the Dead" button commemorating the unworthy "Diary of the Dead" and a traveling kit from "The Ruins."

Send e-mail to alansmithee@ajc.com. Include your name, city and daytime phone number.