According to Wikipedia's list of zombie films there 240 zombie movies made between 1920 and 2002. Between 2003 and the upcoming World War Z (scheduled for later this month) there is a whopping 400. Again this is all according to Wikipedia which we all know posts a "no guarantee of validity", but since I have cited them before for more important things, we'll stick with them for this. These numbers come to 2.93 zombie movies a year for an 82 year period and 40 movies a year for a 10 year period. Do know what I get from this? Our modern society really likes zombies.
And what's not to like about zombies! They're cuddly, cute, and...... flesh-eating, mindless, animated corpses. Ok! So there is a lot to not like about them. However they have stumbled their way into our media and our minds over the last ten years with a relentlessness which they are known for. It's amazing how far it's spread. I was not surprised when the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement saying "CDC does not know of a virus or condition that would reanimate the dead (or one that would present zombie-like symptoms)." However, about a year before the statement came out the Public Health Matters Blog at the CDC posted the following: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse. They have since posted other material that teaches preparedness using a zombie theme including the graphic novel Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic. So, about a year behind the CDC I figured I should get on the bandwagon and play a tune to please the masses.
First, let me say that I am not a fan of zombie related film or other cultural motifs. I will say that this topic was rather entertaining to look into. In my research I found different references which say that zombies in general came from Haitian folklore, particularly around voodoo. However, these references also point out the the flesh-eating kind were the spawn of film and popular culture - the first film cited being "Night of the Living Dead" by George A. Romero. The original zombies were like bound servants to the voodoo master, spirits forced to remain on earth which the shadow man could ensnare. I will say that the original story is sufficiently macabre to raise the heckles on anyone (except perhaps your hard core voodoo witch doctor), but then the horror industry got a hold of the idea. I heard Dan Wells talk on his podcast Writing Excuses that zombies were not just terrifying because they are all of the things I've mentioned above, but also that they can be anyone. Zombies means having your loved ones come after you. Zombies mean that those you loved ones are not just lost, but now are the monster. That can be a truly terrifying thought. The webcomic Looking for Group illustrates this well in this mildly graphic strip - you cannot trust even those that look innocent.
It's amazing thought how much the genre has permeated many elements of culture. I just finished reading The Beyonders series by Brandon Mull and in book two they cross a land that was ravaged by worms which turned corpses into puppets that longed for human blood. Brandon Sanderson summarized his first book ever published, Elantris, as "zombies in prison." I didn't hear that until after I read the book and realized that while he never called them zombies, that is exactly what they were. Larry Corriea, includes zombies in both of his major series: in Monster Hunter you first hear about them when a voodoo witch creates them to get back at some kids, and in the Grimnoir Chronicles (an alternate history) they were the last ditch effort of the Kaiser to win the Great War (WWI).
Interestingly enough, along with using zombies as a horror troupe, it appears that there are some that look at life (or unlife) from the zombies' point of view. Both Beyonders, and Elantris use zombies that retain some form of intelligence, treating their condition as almost a form of dementia which degenerates after a period of time. Also, there is the fairly new film Warm Bodies which puts a fun twist on not just zombie stories but also Romeo and Juliet. As I said, I am not a zombie movie kind of person, but that one is one that I would watch. I'm sure there are others out there, but those are just the ones I'm familiar with.
So what has gotten society on the zombie bandwagon? I'm not sure if I know. It could be looking for a new way to scare up some trills. Or perhaps, it has always been used as a way to address bigger social/world problems - such as disease, genetic mutation/experimentation, terrorism, religion - you name it I'm sure you could work it into a zombie story. I have to agree with Doc and Rodger from The Whiteboard though.
And what's not to like about zombies! They're cuddly, cute, and...... flesh-eating, mindless, animated corpses. Ok! So there is a lot to not like about them. However they have stumbled their way into our media and our minds over the last ten years with a relentlessness which they are known for. It's amazing how far it's spread. I was not surprised when the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement saying "CDC does not know of a virus or condition that would reanimate the dead (or one that would present zombie-like symptoms)." However, about a year before the statement came out the Public Health Matters Blog at the CDC posted the following: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse. They have since posted other material that teaches preparedness using a zombie theme including the graphic novel Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic. So, about a year behind the CDC I figured I should get on the bandwagon and play a tune to please the masses.First, let me say that I am not a fan of zombie related film or other cultural motifs. I will say that this topic was rather entertaining to look into. In my research I found different references which say that zombies in general came from Haitian folklore, particularly around voodoo. However, these references also point out the the flesh-eating kind were the spawn of film and popular culture - the first film cited being "Night of the Living Dead" by George A. Romero. The original zombies were like bound servants to the voodoo master, spirits forced to remain on earth which the shadow man could ensnare. I will say that the original story is sufficiently macabre to raise the heckles on anyone (except perhaps your hard core voodoo witch doctor), but then the horror industry got a hold of the idea. I heard Dan Wells talk on his podcast Writing Excuses that zombies were not just terrifying because they are all of the things I've mentioned above, but also that they can be anyone. Zombies means having your loved ones come after you. Zombies mean that those you loved ones are not just lost, but now are the monster. That can be a truly terrifying thought. The webcomic Looking for Group illustrates this well in this mildly graphic strip - you cannot trust even those that look innocent.
It's amazing thought how much the genre has permeated many elements of culture. I just finished reading The Beyonders series by Brandon Mull and in book two they cross a land that was ravaged by worms which turned corpses into puppets that longed for human blood. Brandon Sanderson summarized his first book ever published, Elantris, as "zombies in prison." I didn't hear that until after I read the book and realized that while he never called them zombies, that is exactly what they were. Larry Corriea, includes zombies in both of his major series: in Monster Hunter you first hear about them when a voodoo witch creates them to get back at some kids, and in the Grimnoir Chronicles (an alternate history) they were the last ditch effort of the Kaiser to win the Great War (WWI).Interestingly enough, along with using zombies as a horror troupe, it appears that there are some that look at life (or unlife) from the zombies' point of view. Both Beyonders, and Elantris use zombies that retain some form of intelligence, treating their condition as almost a form of dementia which degenerates after a period of time. Also, there is the fairly new film Warm Bodies which puts a fun twist on not just zombie stories but also Romeo and Juliet. As I said, I am not a zombie movie kind of person, but that one is one that I would watch. I'm sure there are others out there, but those are just the ones I'm familiar with.
So what has gotten society on the zombie bandwagon? I'm not sure if I know. It could be looking for a new way to scare up some trills. Or perhaps, it has always been used as a way to address bigger social/world problems - such as disease, genetic mutation/experimentation, terrorism, religion - you name it I'm sure you could work it into a zombie story. I have to agree with Doc and Rodger from The Whiteboard though.
Perhaps it's the age of terror we live in, where horrific violence is almost an every day occurrence. People want to be able to strike back at the evil in this world and zombies are the perfect target. Think about it, they are clearly evil, easily identified, and often move slowly. It takes a lot to drop a zombie, so people can really work out their frustrations while knowing that they are doing something good. This my explain the rise in, books, movies, and video games, Besides the media outlets, there are even physical activities like zombie walks, zombie runs, and even Humans vs Zombies - a huge group of "schools, camps, neighborhoods, military bases, and conventions" which allow people to "fend off" a zombie Apocalypses. My brother and his wife took part in a number of these games. Also, my wife will regularly "run from zombies" for exercise using the Zombies, Run! app, an interactive story line featuring you as a runner for an enclosed based trying to survive the hordes of zombies. So, not only are zombies therapeutic, they are healthy.
So, what does it take to survive a zombie Apocalypse? That has been the discussion for quite a number of years. I personally like the information given in this short video posted by the singing banana himself - Dr. James Grime and featuring Thomas Woolley. It turns out, mathematically, the best thing you can do to survive an outbreak is run. If you goal is to preserve society, the modelers suggest "hit hard and hit often." I guess it's time for me to get in shape and keep my blunt instruments handy.
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