2) Dawn of the Dead
Sequel to: Night of the Living Dead
Time between movies: Ten years
One striking thing about the difference between Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead is how they feel as though they were made by completely different directors. The man behind the first movie is heavily indebted to Hitchcock and black-and-white horrors of old, while the guy behind the second film seems less keen to ape any one style and more interested in making a statement.
What the two films do share is a mark of quality, with Dawn of the Dead arguably just edging out the excellent Night as the best film George A. Romero has been responsible for. It’s not just a zombie movie; it’s a message movie that skewers consumerism and the frailty of contemporary society, with a zombie getting its head lopped off by helicopter blades as a bonus.