Top Ten Best Horror Movie Soundtracks

Different kind of music listeners have their own favorite musical genres and music lists. If you are a horror fan, you probably enjoy music that evokes creepiness,weirdness and terror. You can find these pieces on some of the best horror movie soundtracks. Below are the top 10 horror movie soundtracks that you should have in your collection if you love horror movies and the music that enhances their mood. Needless to say, these albums are best experienced in the dark.

1. Halloween: 20th Anniversary Edition

The soundtrack contains the staccato rhythmic devices of Mike Oldfield's classic Tubular Bells, combines them with dissonant The Exorcist-sounding score, and overlaid them with a few simple Grand Guignol-esque synth chords. The results are tracks that unsettle you as it gives you musical pleasure.

2. Jaws: Anniversary Collector's Edition Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

The theme music is so well known, that it automatically elicits a flight or fight reaction. Some say the movie will not nearly be as effective without that theme (a hallmark of a great soundtrack), and won composer John Williams his first Original Score Oscar. So much of Williams’ score depends on the nearly silent tension buttressed by deep, probing notes. It is what empathic movie scoring is all about.

3. The Exorcist: Music Excerpts From (1973 Film)

The soundtrack contains unsettling music and strange sounds from Penderecki and various other artists(including Jack Nitzsche). The classic tinkling of the Tubular Bells haunts you with its insistent sinister rhythm. 'Five Pieces For Orchestra' is absolutely beautiful with an eeriness hard to forget. 'Night Of The Electric Insects' is so full of emotion and thought that one can often become lost in the notes that pour out of the speakers. On 'Polymorphia' the stringed instruments are used to their utmost in the many different sections of the piece. But it is the perfect chord that seizes the finale of the whole piece that will blow you completely away.

4. Psycho: The Complete Original Motion Picture Score

The soundtrack composed by Bernard Herrmann is known Much for the razor-sharp, slashing strings that accompanies the iconic shower scene. Herrmann evokes dread and tension with just a few notes, or captures Janet Leigh's flighty panic in pizzicato as she hits the fateful road to the Bates Motel after impulsively stealing a large sum of money from her employer.

5. Friday the 13th

Harry Manfredini's score is built around eerie whispers that foreshadow the killer's identity and make use of Manfredini's own voice. The soundtrack features music from Night Ranger, The Hives, The Kills and the classic "Friday the 13th theme" by composer Steve Jablonsky. The theme evokes the bloody slashings of the movie.

6. The Omen: Original Motion Picture Score (Deluxe Edition)

With help from orchestrator Arthur Morton, Goldsmith uses splashes of sound to great effect, bending pitches and inserting bursts of atonality until even the cheerful sections (very few) sound spooky. This soundtrack, which won Goldsmith an Oscar for Best Original Score in 1976, plays an enormous role in setting the tone for the classic horror film about an ordinary couple who unwittingly adopt the Antichrist. Composer Jerry Goldsmith won the only Oscar of his long career for this score, whose highlight is the chant "Ave Satani," or "Hail Satan."

7. A Nightmare On Elm Street I & II

Charles Bernstein's score eschews traditional orchestral approaches while employing state-of-the-art synthesizers and sound effects to convey the horror of Craven's suburban dreamscapes. The inorganic, dehumanized tones produced by the composer's synthesizers underscore the narrative's detachment from waking reality. In A Nightmare on Elm Street II, the composer is Christopher Young. The children's song will haunt your thoughts long after you see the movie. The slow, simple chant of jump roping young girls on the street is fantastically horrifying.

8. Suspiria: Complete Version

You get everything in this amazing soundtrack - creepiness, horror, laughter, gaiety, and death. It all blends together in this tremendous music by Goblin. The music also mixes genres, rap-lovers as well as Bach fans have something to enjoy here. Goblin really succeeded more than ever in creating a dark and sinister atmosphere that's perfect for horror movies.

9. Sleepy Hollow: Music from the Motion Picture

Danny Elfman’s frightful score contains dramatic string passages, crashing percussion, and a children's choir . They all contribute to an eerie movie score that never settles on a singular theme. "Into the Woods" is the disc's creepiest moment, where the sounds of strings, brass, and a choir create a web of suspense. There are no dull moments here; whether driving and powerful ("Introduction") or mysterious and ethereal ("Sweet Dreams"), Elfman's score is--as usual--superb.

10. Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Wojciech Killar's score for Bram Stoker's Dracula contains music that is suspenseful, silly, scary, sensual, soft, and spiritual. Furthermore, the music possesses an uncanny subtlety. Even when it rises in intensity, there is still an underlying gentleness that is unmistakable. A whisper on your skin that belies the gravity of the score as it lives and breathes life into the very essence of the film.

The Walking Dead TV Episode 4 Review

The Walking Dead TV Episode 4

Review by Bill Bedlam

Episode 4, "Vatos" is the first episode that Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead, wrote for the television series, and man did he write a good one!

The episode itself is a major divergence from the original comic continuity, with the inclusion of a Hispanic gang who Rick and his group of survivors run across in their attempt to find Merle and retrieve the bag of guns Rick left behind in the first episode of The Walking Dead. As with the prior changes made to the show from the comic storyline, it didn't feel shoehorned in whatsoever, and although the concept of the "bad guys" who are really misunderstood good guys isn't anything new, its set-up is an important aspect of The Walking Dead's mythos in that you cannot take anybody you encounter for face value.

Also in this episode, we get to see more examples of how living in the zombie apocalypse can just play hell with a person's mental stability. We see Jim digging graves for no other reason than a combination of a bad dream and too much exposure to the sun, which ends up with Shane once again stepping in to take control of the situation. Thankfully for Jim, it ends much better for him than it did for Ed.

For those of you who have been waiting for a full-on zombie attack, wait no more! As the survivors are sitting down for a fresh fish dinner around the campfire, a group of walkers invade leaving carnage in their wake! We see the expected munching of wife-beater Ed and the surprisingly early demise of Amy. Amy's death came as a surprise to me, because it comes much sooner then it did in the comic, but it was great to be surprised yet again by the television series! Her death captures another important aspect of the comic, in which nobody is ever safe. NOBODY!

With only two more episodes left of the inaugural season, I'm dying to see where we will be left with the season finale. I have my guesses on where it could in contrast to the comics, but as we're seeing, anything can happen!

The Walking Dead TV Episode 3 Review

The Walking Dead TV Episode 3

Review by Bill Bedlam

Episode 3 of The Walking Dead, "Tell it to The Frogs", again reaffirms the greatness of the series with another massive increase in viewership! The phenom television series is spreading like a zombie epidemic, picking-up new watchers with every episode, and for those who have been in the know, it isn't a surprise.

Case in point, lets look at episode 3:

As I pointed-out in my review for The Walking Dead episode 2, I mentioned the difference in tone of the first two episodes. Where episode 1 was methodically paced and had chilling feel to it, episode 2 was more face paced and intense. With episode 3, we have yet another tone with an emotional roller coaster of human drama. Watching the reunion of Rick with his wife, Lori and their son, Carl was a perfect example of the compelling drama that drove the comic series for so many years. Where Rick and his family were awash with disbelief and joy, you see Shane being torn apart. Besides the shock of seeing that his partner and best friend Rick has "returned from the dead", he also has to come to grips with the relationship he was having with Lori and Carl coming to a crashing end.

The reunion is short lived as Merle's brother, Daryl (played by Norman Reedus of THE BOONDOCK SAINTS) returns to camp and the news of his brother's fate. Understandingly, Daryl lashes-out, and once Rick and Shane calm him down, Rick decides he must return to the city to not only rescue, Merle, but to retrieve the bag of guns, ammo and his walkie-talkie to contact Morgan and Dwayne who we last saw in episode 1. Merle, being the shiny ray of sunshine that he is, doesn't have many sympathizers at the camp supporting his rescue, but ultimately T-Dog's guilt gets the better of him and he volunteers for the mission. Rick also enlists Glen, since he knows the ins and outs of the city, and is their best bet to help ensure their return.

In episode 3 we also get a glimpse into the day to day life of the survivors in the camp, and how they are coping with life in a world with none of the comforts that they have grown accustomed to. We see the women have been designated for laundry duty while the men hunt, repair their vehicles, and keep watch. During one particular scene of the women down by a nearby lake, the ladies discuss some of the things they miss most, from their washing machines to their vibrators. And hey, who wouldn't miss their sex toys during the zombie apocalypse?

A growing plot thread that is developing is Shane's struggle with the return of Rick, and the fallout of his relationship with Lori and Carl. As mentioned earlier, when Rick returns Shane becomes a conflicted man. You see both the sheer shock and devastation underlying his happiness to see his best friend back from the grave. You almost wonder if he's happy at all? My answer is, "hell no". We see the night after Rick's return, Shane keeping watch... watching, Lori's tent that is. You can see him getting twisted-up inside with the thought of her laying with her husband once again.

Later on, back at the lake where the women are doing laundry, a confrontation between Lori and Shane reveals that Shane lied to Lori about Rick being dead, and she warns him to stay away from her and her family. Here is where the story deviates from the comic. In the comic, Shane never lied to Lori about Rick being dead. It was just assumed by both that he was. I feel that this is something of a slight cop-out for the character of Lori for the series. While it maintains the guilt she feels for being with Shane, it absolves her from taking responsibility for her actions, being able to blame in on Shane's deception. I don't think it will really take away from the story in the long run, but that little change to her character makes her more of a sympathetic character then she is in the comics and may alter some of her more choice moments from the comic.

After this scene, you can see Shane start to come apart even further. An incident breaks out at the aforementioned women at the lake with the one older woman and her abusive husband. Shane intervenes and succumbs to his rage, brutally beating the guy to a pulp. Andrea looks on knowing that something is seriously wrong with Shane, and wonders if this guy is quickly becoming a loose canon.

Have you noticed something about this review yet? If you're thinking, "This guy has hardly mentioned anything about the zombies", then my friend, you are correct. The episode really had only one zombie moment with a walker coming close to the camp, feasting on a deer carcass, and the group dispatching it accordingly. But that's the thing about The Walking Dead. Yes, it is a show about the zombie apocalypse and hordes of walkers looking for fresh meat to feast on, but they're more of a backdrop to the show, giving cause to the survivor's effect, than being the main antagonists. The real story is about the survivors and how they... well... survive. So, like in the comics, some issues deal with the survivors dealing with the zombies and some issues deal with the survivors dealing with each other. And that being done as well as it has been is the reason The Walking Dead is just so damn compelling!

SCREAM (1996) Movie Review

SCREAM (1996)

Review by Bethany Ramos

Don’t answer the phone… This is perhaps one of my favorite horror movie lines from the last several decades, and for good reason. SCREAM has a wonderful familiarity for many of us who enjoyed it in the 90s, yet it still has the ability to make you jump in your seat. As a side note, you may enjoy revisiting this film since it features Courtney Cox and David Arquette, who are now divorced. Blast from the past!

SCREAM starts at a classic high school campus somewhere in the United States, although we can’t overlook the fact that all of the students appear to be in their 20s, reminiscent of the adultS cast as students in 90210. No matter. The point is that a maniac with a knife is on the loose, and for Sidney (Neve Campbell), her fate may be in his hands. SCREAM is directed by Wes Craven, who created the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET series and brings the same unique perspective to this horror film.

Yes, you will definitely find horror clichés in this movie, but you have to appreciate the self-awareness of the characters as they discuss what to do and not to do when a killer is on the loose according to classic horror movie "rules". In essence, you will get the “best practices” for a horror film, directly from the mouths of the lead characters. SCREAM, for that reason, brings a bit of cleverness to the horror genre, although you will still experience many of the same stereotypes and holes in the plot that seem almost ridiculous.

Bottom line? SCREAM is an enjoyable slasher movie that’s fun to watch even 15 years later as we await the new release of SCREAM 4 (or is that SCRE4M) next year. Most of all, don’t miss the scene with Casey (Drew Barrymore) trying to spend a quiet night alone watching a scary movie, when she makes the mistake of answering the phone. It’s a wrong number, but the caller keeps calling again and again, until he reveals that he is watching Casey from outside as she is alone in her house. Casey then turns to see her boyfriend bloody and tied up outside, where he is disemboweled before her eyes after she gets the caller’s horror movie questions wrong over the phone.

This is just a sample of what you can expect from the first in the SCREAM series, and remember, when watching this movie don’t answer the phone…

The Walking Dead TV Episode 2 Review

Review by Bill Bedlam

If episode two (Guts) of The walking Dead has proven anything to us, it's that:

A. Alot of zombie mayhem and compelling story can be accomplished in just an hour.

B. With another high rating of viewership for the second episode, AMC gave the green light for a second season, which means The walking Dead is here to stay!

With episode two, we begin to see some real departure in the storyline from the comic. As in the comic, Rick is helped by Glen but in the show he meets-up with a group of survivors trapped in the city. Among the group of survivors is Andrea, who is somewhat older than her comic counterpart, T-Dog, and Merle, played by Michael Rooker. After an encounter between Rick and Merle to establish who is running the show, the group puts a plan together to escape the zombie horde who are quickly working their way into the building.

For me, this was the real test of how I would feel about the changes made to the story. In episode one, elements seemed to only be tweaked to flesh-out more aspects of the world of The walking Dead, where in episode two, events playing-out and the inclusion of new non-comic characters were much different than the comic. Again, everything felt very organic and made sense for the show. Each new aspect which venture off the path set in the comics didn't take away from the story at all. I can't see any fans of the comic taking issue with the changes, because it doesn't hurt the story, nor change the characters whatsoever. The inclusion of the many new survivors delights me to no end, not because I'm eager to learn their backstory or get to know them, but I know their inclusion is pretty much going to allow for some awesome zombie chomping!

One aspect I found interesting about the pacing of the second episode is how it was drastically different from the first. Where the first was chillingly tense and almost methodical in laying-out the story, the second was fast-paced and heartpounding! In the comic book, each issue can be completely different in tone with story elements ranging from the survivors dealing with each other and their relationships, adjusting to the the world they live in now, to full-on zombie mayhem! I feel if that pace is maintained in the show, it will give The walking Dead that uncertain uneasiness and keep viewers on their toes throughout the series.

We also get to see some more characterization of Rick, having him start pulling the group together, which foreshadows the man he becomes in the comic. As far as the rest of the comic originated characters, such as Glen, Andrea, Amy, Lori, Shane, and Dale, we get some more glimpse into the type of people they are, which will be more fleshed-out as we go on.

Finally, lets talk about the zombies. I've noticed that the ones that exist in the world of The walking Dead are different from each other based on their state of decay. Some of the fresher ones move and function alot better than their more rotten compatriots. First and foremost, non of them are quite "runner zombies" as we've seen in the DAWN OF THE DEAD remake, or the gun-toting and almost human reasoning as we've seen in LAND OF THE DEAD, but these zombies have basic tool and problem-solving skills on par with a chimp. They seem to be able to "remember" aspects of their past lives, such as how to turn a doorknob and climb a ladder, as well as know that a rock will help break a window all of which is all fine by me. I think that gives them the element of danger where the survivors will learn that simply hiding and waiting is not going to be an option for long once the zombies find them.

All in all, I'm really digging the show. With episode two, The walking Dead is still on the right track and has me glued to the TV from start to finish. As we go into episode 3, I'm interested in the reunion between Rick, Lori, Carl, and, Shane. From what we've seen of the relationship which Lori and Shane have been developing in Rick's absence, it should be bittersweet and lead to some serious tension among the survivors!

THE LAST EXORCISM (2010) Movie Review

THE LAST EXORCISM (2010)

Review by Gunter Jameson

Whatever THE LAST EXORCISM is, it is not predictable. Director Daniel Stamm and writers Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland came up with a great twist on a mostly dead horror sub-genre, exorcism movies, and made the tired material somewhat new again.

In THE LAST EXORCISM, which is due on DVD January 4th, a former child preacher turned agnostic, Reverend Cotton Marcus (Patrick Fabian), receives a letter requesting his help with the exorcism of a teenage girl named Nell (Ashley Bell). Since Marcus no longer believes in the reality of demonic possession, he sets out to show that exorcisms are nothing but hoaxes by performing a fake exorcism as a film crew follows him, documenting his tricks and slight of hand. However, once he’s pulled off his fake exorcism, Nell begins to act in erratic and unexplainable ways, leading Marcus and the film crew to believe that she is in fact possessed by a demon.

The film is shot in the shaky-cam, documentary style of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and CLOVERFIELD, which adds to the overall sense of claustrophobia and terror. And as the Reverend and the film crew dig deeper into each unexplained event, more and more questions arise. Each time the reverend feels that his job is done and that the possession was simply some sort of mental illness, his theories are obliterated, leaving more questions than answers.

Although the exorcism genre has had doubting evangelists before, Marcus’s doubt is not melodramatic or overplayed, thanks to the superb acting by Patrick Fabian. And Ashley Bell is able to bring real creepiness to her character by deftly maneuvering between a sweet and innocent teenage girl and the demonically possessed in a way that draws the audience in and leaves them questioning, as well as Marcus, the true impetus behind her increasingly horrifying acts.

However, although both Fabian and Bell do a fine job and the initial setup is original, the balance of the film falls flat, especially the hugely disappointing ending which is par for the course for this type of fake documentary-style film. Although, at some points, the documentary style adds to the feeling of anxiety in the audience, at other times it is simply confusing, leaving the audience to sort out exactly what is happening rather than cringing in terror. The end result is a movie that is innovative in its approach to the genre and has great potential to transcend the usual teen horror fare at the box office, but ultimately doesn’t deliver on its promise due to its necessarily limited documentary-style point of view. All-in-all it’s not a horrible film, but it is disappointing, knowing that it could have been so much better.

THE MIST (2007) Movie Review

THE MIST (2007) Review

Review by Bethany Ramos

THE MIST is yet another Stephen King theatrical adaptation by Frank Darabont, further proving that they both make a good match when it comes to creating a quality horror film. This movie will not only keep you on the edge of your seat, but it will take you on an emotional journey that will stick with you long after the credits roll.

THE MIST begins with a storm, where David Drayton hides with his family in their basement to stay safe from the bad weather. When they wake up in the morning, they find that a tree has crashed through their front window, and they have lost power. David and his son go into town for supplies, leaving his wife at home. When they get to the grocery store, David realizes that something has gone horribly wrong. A bleeding man runs into the grocery store screaming about something in the mist, which is when David and the other grocery store customers see a thick mist rolling toward the city.

David soon discovers that he’s trapped inside the grocery store since he can’t go out into the mist and risk unspeakable horrors. David and the customers stay hidden inside the grocery store, with tensions mounting as time goes on. However, the survivors soon realize that there are creatures lurking inside the grocery store that are just as frightening as what may lie outside in the mist. These fears cause many of the cast members to unravel as they fight to stay alive, with David ultimately deciding to escape to get to his car and get free of the mist.

Overall, the entire cast is compelling and shows different aspects of how human nature reacts in adverse circumstances. This movie is a unique horror film since you become truly invested in the characters until the bitter end. The only criticisms of this film would be that some of the plot points are utterly predictable, but the film offers a deep emotional connection that will leave you thinking about it days afterward.

For those of you who can’t get enough of what Frank Darabont brings to the horror genre, he has now collaborated to bring the zombie epic The Walking Dead to AMC. This is a show following the storyline of the zombie apocalypse, where you will again get to know a group of survivors and most certainly become emotionally invested in their journey along the way as they survive the zombie disaster that has hit their town. These days, many of the best plot lines have hit the small screen, giving you one more reason to become addicted to a TV show that you just can’t quit watching. As a whole, the series takes a few detours from the original graphic novels but remains true to the characters and the theme of the books.

AUDITION (1999) Movie Review

AUDITION (1999)

Review by Tom Parnell

What draws us to horror movies? Is it the feeling of being scared while in a safe and comfortable environment? Is it the heart-racing shock of imagining what could be lurking in the shadows? Or is it a kind of perverse schadenfreude as innocent victims suffer a fate worse than death on the screen in front of us?

These may seem like quite weighty questions for a mere film review, but anybody intending to watch Japanese director Takashi Miike’s AUDITION should be prepared to find themselves pondering them.

Prolific filmmaker Miike has explored cartoonish violence in films such as ICHI THE KILLER and the DEAD OR ALIVE series, but AUDITIO is all too real, which is where perhaps the horror is created. Everything that happens in AUDITI could happen; the main character is familiar and believable, his motivation understandable and his surroundings homely and comfortable. If Miike had chosen to add a ‘based on true events’ caption at the beginning I doubt few viewers would have questioned it.

The film begins with widower Shigeharu Aoyama being encouraged by his teenage son to find love again. Shigeharu’s friend, film producer Yoshikawa, suggests they hold a fake audition for an actress to play Shigeharu’s wife in a fictional film, and from there he can woo the applicant of his choosing.

Despite opening with the death of Shigeharu’s wife the beginning of the film has quite a positive feel and could easily have gone on to be a story of unconventional romance and clichéd ‘learning to love again’. Miike is not one for clichés and this is far from where the story is headed.

What does happen is that into this seemingly innocent story an unnerving undertone is introduced, in such a subtle manner that at first the viewer would be hard pressed to say exactly what it is that is making them uncomfortable. Miike’s style is reminiscent of David Lynch’s as he slowly builds tension and makes the mundane seem somehow surreal. Our expectations are continually confounded and the sinister atmosphere increases, until the film’s dramatic, difficult and disturbing crescendo.

It is difficult to review this film entirely without giving something away, although I defy anybody to predict the ending accurately. What I will say is that AUDITION ends with one of the most difficult movie scenes I have ever had to watch and I’m still not sure how I should feel about it. What I would say is that I don't believe it is entirely gratuitous.

AUDITION is a good film and I would definitely recommend it, it is engrossing, stylish and subverts the viewer’s expectations. What I would be uncomfortable in saying is that I enjoyed it all. Nothing is more tempting than being told something may be too extreme for you to see, but if you do watch AUDITION be aware that you may very well end up seeing more than you wanted to.

ANTICHRIST (2010) Movie Review

ANTICHRIST (2010)

Review Joe Johnson

ANTICHRIST, directed by Lars Von Treir, never made it to the big screen, at least at my local multiplex, and with good reason! It is difficult film to watch and therefore does little to appeal to a mass audience. Having seen the trailer for this in 2009 I was immediately excited at the prospect of seeing what looked like a pretty grim horror, somewhat of an understatement I later found out. I waited patiently for the picture to debut but it never materialized. This only added to my anticipation when I found it nestling lonely on a shelf in my local Blockbuster months later as I assumed it had been deemed too scary for cinema audiences!

Scary is not really the right word to describe ANTICHRIST. Party poppers are scary when they make you jump, ANTICHRIST is downright disturbing. It follows just two unnamed characters, a husband and wife simply referred to in the film as ‘he’ and ‘she’, played by William Defoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg respectively. At the start of the film their son falls from his bedroom window to his death, neglected by his mother and father who are getting it on in a variety of locations around the house at the time.

The couple are understandably traumatized and, in seek of some respite, they take a vacation in a deserted cabin in the middle of a forest (personally I’d have choose a sunny beach with a cocktail bar but each to their own). While exploring the forest he and she both experience odd visions and rather than becoming closer and helping each other, they actually become alienated, when they’re not romping that is! The film is, visually, a work of art and some of the images associated with death and decay are truly disturbing. A talking fox does lighten the mood, even if its monologue to Defoe is somewhat ominous.

As the film proceeds the pair become increasingly mentally unstable and ‘she’ performs unspeakable acts of genital mutilation on both herself and her once loving husband while he sleeps. These scenes are incredibly graphic and all the more harrowing, as they lack the melodramatic pomp of Hollywood hits like HOSTEL, instead presenting them in stark, full frontal reality. All the while the scenes are played out against a juxtaposing cacophony of an opera soundtrack. Even if you are a die-hard horror fan this is a difficult watch, and I find hard to fathom gaining enjoyment from watching ANTICHRIST. As an artistic, sensory experience however it is unparalleled.

The Walking Dead TV Episode 1 Review

The Walking Dead Episode 1

Review by Bill Bedlam

So, were you one of the 5.3 million people to tuned-in to the premier of The Walking Dead on AMC? If you weren't (and you should hang your head in shame), you missed out on a historical moment in not only in the history of the zombie genre and comic book adaptions, but television as well!

Now you may say thats a bold statement, but I can back it up with ease.

First of all, any doubt of the show being faithful to its source material can be put to rest. From the opening scene of Rick's grisly encounter with a diminutive zombie, to his shoot-out with crazed gunmen, as well as his first venture into the city on horseback is like watching the comic come to life!

Although I knew exactly what was different from the comic, the changes were all very organic and enhanced story elements, rather than trying to "improve" on them like so many other comic adaptions in the past. Obviously, the creative team knows the old saying, "if it's not broken, don't mess with it".

I sit here now trying to figure-out where to start with this review, but it's almost impossible to pick out just one aspect of awesomeness. Do I begin with the gore and violence that go hand and hand with a zombie apocalypse? How about the spot-on characterization of Rick Grimes and Shane? Maybe I could talk about the brilliant tapestry of the world of The Walking Dead that really makes you think the zombie apocalypse could happen? Or how the terror and tension of just about the entire episode never gives you a moment to breathe? I could go on and on about any one of those for quite some time, but what stood-out to me about the episode most was that you are sucked in immediately, not only because it's a great story, but because you actually find yourself caring for these characters. Just like in the comic, Rick and the others are so very human and you easily relate to them. You sympathize with their struggles both physically and emotionally, while fearing for them with the constant threat of the ravenous undead lurking behind every corner!

This a great start for The Walking Dead. Although I try to avoid reading other reviews before I finish mine, the articles I have seen have been nothing but praise from critics and fans alike. This is a true testament to not only the phenomenal talent behind the show, but to the dedicated effort on AMC's part of marketing the hell out of the show before it's premiere.

AMC is streaming episode one on their site now, and it is also available on Hulu, in case you missed it. But really, you should have no excuse other than being in a coma if you did miss it, so get to that streaming video now so you're ready for episode two this Sunday.

To me, we're looking at a historic moment in zombie genre history! There have been plenty of movies, both good and bad over the years, but Kirkman's The Walking Dead weekly television series may be the greatest thing to happens to zombies since George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!

Well, thats it for this week's review. I'll be back next week with another for episode two!