You might think that the idea of a zombie love story is unique to the recent film Warm Bodies, but there was actually a movie that came out back in the early 90s that pulled off a similar concept with a better sense of humor and a lot more heart. It was called My Boyfriend's Back, and it was glorious. There's a teenage guy who has been hopelessly in love with the same girl since he was six years old, and he finally works up the courage to tell her how he feels about her. And then he is promptly shot trying to protect her in a gas station robbery, fatally wounding him. So imagine his surprise when he wakes up in the cemetery, seemingly fine just a little paler and with a taste for brains. Without a doubt, the best part of the film is how they treat his zombification. He heads back to his parents and starts going to school again, where it's pretty much business as usual. Sure, there's some casual anti-zombie behavior, but things go back to normal alarmingly quickly. I mean, when he shows up for class late (on account of being dead), his teacher tells him, "just because you're dead does not mean you can come waltzing in here whenever you like." It's a sweet, clever story that manages to combine black comedy with romance seamlessly, and it doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
