The streets have suddenly and inexplicably been filled with ravaged killers, hungry for flesh of the human kind. Overnight, it seems as though, the world has been turned upside down as civilization begins to crumble with no explanations as to why the dead have began walking and slaughtering. A group of survivors have entrapped themselves inside a mall, or perhaps it is a Wal-Mart – it matters little. They live for weeks, months even, locked in their safe house, plotting an escape route to the “Promised Land”, a place where no reanimated corpses pray on the living. They stock up on food, weapons, and any other necessities they might need, but mostly weapons. The relentless killers have gathered around the compound, waiting for a crack so that they may slip in and feast on blood. They are hungry and their numbers grow as the days get longer.
Finally, the day has come and the survivors make their escape. Things do not go as planned, and many are hurt, wounded, or killed, only to turn into killers themselves. The one or two remaining survivors eventually get to their location after many struggles, but it is not the haven they had been promised, and more walking dead begin to close in.
This scenario can be found in many zombie stories and flicks; it is the quintessential plot. These kinds of tales have grown in popularity over the years, horrifying millions. So I ask myself this: what is it about these creatures from the graves that are so captivating?
There seems to be a large mass of the human population that enjoys having the crap scared out of themselves. For fun. And I can include myself in this grouping.
I’ve always been a fan of horror movies - the classics rather than the new wave of blood, gore and guts. But zombies have always been something that has scared me to death. After reading World War Z about three years ago, I think I permanently scarred my subconscious; I don’t go more than a few months without having a having a dream that has to do with zombies.
A friend of mine and I have spent countless conversations plotting for when the “Zombie Revolution,” as we call it, will begin. According to my friend, this will occur soon (this prediction was based on absolutely no scientific data or facts whatsoever).
I know that I could not survive a zombie outbreak on my own. I would be the idiot female who would break down in the corner of her apartment and cry for my mother as the zombies surrounded me. I’m not a fast runner, which means I would be screwed if the dead were fast, as in the new zombie movies. I’m not very strong, so bashing the reanimated in the head with some weapon would hurt me more then it would hurt them. And I have no grasp on how to use any weapon. I’m doomed.
But if I did survive that first initial outbreak, I would be sure to find my zombie expert of a friend, who has a plan already mapped out and reminds me constantly that it is not a fight; it’s about survival.
My friend is not the only zombie-obsessed person out there, nor is he the most extreme. A fellow I used to work with was also a self-proclaimed zombie expert, proud of his high score he received on some made up quiz on Facebook that is supposed to test one’s zombie survival skills. And that quiz, along with hundreds more, were created by other zombie fans. The web is littered with web pages devoted to these creatures. A Google search for “zombies” resulted in 20,200,000 results. Zombieland, the newest zombie movie (considered more of a comedy than horror flick), grossed $25 million its opening weekend. Millions have read The Zombie Survival Guide. I’ve seen a book dedicated to zombie specific haikus. There is an artist who, if one sends him a picture of oneself, will then paint an original painting of that person as a zombie, complete with brains leaking from the head. Cities all over have Zombie Walks, where participants dress up as the walking dead, groaning and mumbling “brains,” and carrying signs that say things like “Will Work for Brains” and “Legalize Zombie Marriages.”
There is something utterly terrifying about those that are called zombies.
Just imagine that for a moment: People wandering the streets, only they aren’t really people - they have risen from the dead with only one purpose: to feed on human flesh. The only way to stop these things is to somehow destroy their brain, having no feelings or even morals; they multiply ridiculously fast since their victims turn into mindless killers as well, even with one bite. And you have no idea why this is happening.
So, where do these stories of zombies come from?
It seems as though the origin of this modern monster can be traced back to Haiti, found in voodoo legends. These zombies were slaves, controlled by powerful sorcerers, but they were not dangerous cannibals. It was these stories that inspired writers, and this mindless creature from Haitian folklore eventually evolved into the creatures we know and love today, thanks mostly in part to “The Night of the Living Dead” in 1968. George Romero did not create the first zombie movie, but he was the first to envision the reanimated cannibals that roamed the streets of populated towns and cities, not just in some remote location, for reasons that are initially unclear.
Not all zombie tales have the same explanation for why the undead feast among the living, and some do not explain the horrific phenomenon at all. Common reasons for reanimation include radiation (Night of the Living Dead), mad cow disease, rabies and other diseases, magic (The Simpsons and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), moon dust (Fido), and quite possibly the most frightening of all, biologically engineered viruses (28 Days Later and Resident Evil). This last scenario is so terrifying because it is a situation that is easy to imagine as actually happening; science is evolving all the time and weapons are becoming more powerful and destructive. It is the most likely of situations, and sends shudders down my spine.
Zombie outbreaks usually result in an apocalyptic outcome. They grow rapidly in numbers and are hard to destroy, which creates a catastrophic threat to mankind. Zombie epidemics are never small scale incidents that can be quickly contained. This outcome of world destruction leads into my next point.
Just because movies, books, and art tell stories of brain-hungry monsters does not mean that these creatures are simply horrific make-believe stories. An example of this can be seen in the Zombie Apocalypse scenario. This can be used to symbolize the fragility of the human race, how we as a constantly growing population are frail in the events of a catastrophe and may not always prevail. Nuclear war, mankind, asteroids, and natural disasters such as earthquakes. These things are man’s greater threats.
Taking a deeper look at specific zombie movies can reveal an underlying message or theme.
To begin on a light note, Fido (2006) is a movie set in the fifties in which technology has been used to control the zombie’s hunger for brains and turn them into slaves. It’s a light-hearted comedy about friendship and family, not so much horror. But it is worth mentioning because it explores the zombie as a misunderstood being, just a slave expected to do its job.
The Night of the Living Dead is the original zombie horror movie. Made in the sixties during the Cold War, Americans lived in fear of a nuclear war. Angst of the real threat of the end of the world was addressed with this film and by the use of the walking dead.
Dawn of the Dead (1978 and 2004) takes place in a suburban shopping mall, survivors of a zombie outbreak having locked themselves inside it. This setting reeks of consumerism, implying that consumers turn into zombies as they mindlessly buy what they are told to buy.
The last movie I’ll quickly discuss is 28 Days Later (2002). The premise of this story revolves around the “rage virus” which turns normal people into savage beasts. This virus has been created in a lab by man, which is then accidentally introduced into the population. This movie flirts with the theme that mankind is destined to destroy itself, unable to suppress the need for more – more knowledge and more power. Using science to create such a destructive virus gives them that. Until they go and mess it up.
And isn’t that what we’re doing with biological warfare?
It all circles back to fear. Zombies represent some sort of fear or uncertainty. The Zombie Apocalypse shows us how brittle our race can be when faced with unexplainable and unplanned events.
Just look at Haiti. One earthquake, a force that cannot be predicted or prevented, devastated a whole country. Natural disasters are things that the human race is most vulnerable to because are not in control. Mother Nature is. In the larger scope of things, we, people, are just pawns in this circle of life and we can be destroyed, just like everything else. We can perish in earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, asteroid collisions, or zombie attacks.
I will conclude with one last piece of advice: if ever faced with a real zombie epidemic, do not rely on guns alone. It will always backfire. Get a machete, and learn to love it.
Wanna read more about zombies? Check out my Top 5 zombie books!
1. World War Z by Max Brooks - terrifying and well written
2. The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks - are you ready for the zombie revolution?
3. Monster Island by David Wellington - nice take on a zombie story
4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith - I love classics, so paired with a zombie twist turns it into a new kind of classic
5. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - aimed at young adults, so if you're here, then you already like reading that kind of thing ;)
Notable Mention: Zombies Vs. Unicorns - What will happen when zombies and unicorns clash? I can't even fathom the possibilities!
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