Sovereign Series: Undead Collection – The Zombie
The original “zombie” has a fascinating history in Haitian and West African mythology. And some of that is included here in this collection (see “Rainbow”) yet the type of Zombie I am talking about is the one who chases after you and wants to eat your brain.
A genre of modern times first crafted in the seminal Night of the Living Dead by the great George A. Romero (Note: some say that Richard Matheson’s story I am Legend inspired the film) – the Zombie has developed into a distinct horror genre of it’s own.
Form witchcraft being back a ghoul to full out pandemic Zombie apocalypse’s there is clearly something here to be said about the times. Our times. Human Nature. Civilization and the idea of its destruction – The fantasy, or horror, has created, in my opinion, an allure. A sense of freedom – from life – by the idea of life going haywire – I must slow down. I’m getting into Apocalypse talk now (hint hint). But back to the zombie…
We’ve seen a distinct genre created out of a cultural myth, from a small black and white film (it’s inception) to is growth and explosion and now maybe now it’s twilight – all in the span of say 40 years. Amazing stuff.
What I’m saying is what comes next? We’ve reached the Zombie Apocalypse – we have explored all the metaphors of living dead ghouls – to slow walking to fast running climbing brain eating infectious monsters. Has the genre completed itself? Has it come full circle?
No. It hasn’t. It will never end – maybe that’s what it’s all about – it never ends. It never ends (See The Walking Dead). So what comes now?
Inspiration.
Old or new it will be something. All it takes is one simple idea – and a bite… and Brains.
And you have the Zombie.
- Night of the Living Dead (Film) 1968 George A. Romero
- Dawn of the Dead (Film) 1978 George A. Romero (Remake) 2004 Zack Snyder
- Shaun of the Dead (Film) 2004 Edgar Wright
- The Walking Dead (Graphic Novel and TV Series) 2003 & 2010 Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
- A Zombie Survival Guide & World War Z (Book(s)) 2003 and 2006 Max Brooks
- 28 Days Later (Film) 2002 Danny Boyle
- Dead Alive (Film) 1992 Peter Jackson
- The Serpent and the Rainbow (Film) 1998 Wes Craven
- Army of Darkness (Film) 1993 Sam Raimi
