Are zombies awesome? You already know the answer.

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I haven't done this in a while, and it's a shame. Must do more...

I think zombies are just about the coolest beastie to ever grace the horror scene. I even did a presentation on them at university, as part of an exercise for the lecturers to teach us about public speaking (turns out I suck, but I knew that beforehand). In it, I discussed the history of zombies in culture, from voodoo magic's supposed ability to create them through to Romero's hit-and-miss films. I went into what they represented to different people - the anti-consumerism imagery of the original Dawn of the Dead, the instinctual, subconscious maliciousness in 28 Days Later, and the comedy/horror juxtaposition of Dead Rising. Won't go into the full speech here, mostly because I can't find my notes, and I can't remember what else I said.

I've had quite a few dreams about zoms in the past, including fighting them, running from them, and on one occasion being one. I have zombie games (Dead Rising, Left 4 Dead), zombie films (only the 28 ----- Later ones plus Shaun of the Dead), and zombie books, including a survival guide so that when the end inevitably comes and the dead rise from their graves, I'll be one of the survivors. In the pub on mondays, it has become a regular thing that we will discuss our survival plans. Strangely, most of us don't have girlfriends.

So what's the point of this post? There isn't one. Sorry from the rubbish ending, but I'm going to bed. I have work in the morning.

 

Zombies are dull...

Too much, "Uhhhhhhhhhhh" and "Mmmmmmhhhhhh"

 

My son and I love watching zombie movies.

 

Not sure about zombies personally, but I think I lean towards the 'meh'. Still, I wouldn't have thought of giving a speech on them.

Oh so context dependant.

 

It's more disturbing when the zombies are personally personified.
Capping a bunch of random zombies isn't really a horror film in the classical sense, but what about when they are close friends or even worse family members.
Are you able to bring yourself to put them down before they get you or does the emotional attachment prevent you from saving yourself ?

 

Thanks, Martaug. Completely forgot about that aspect in my main post... In CRPGs, zombies tend to be used very poorly - they're not treated as tireless, walking zombie-factories, but as weak XP-fodder, that sometimes say "Brains". The only difference between them and rats is that zoms are easy to see. It's a shame zoms aren't treated with the respect they deserve. In survival horror, however, they're terrifying. Think Resi, and Silent Hill. Also, Thief: Deadly Shadows did them well, although a large part of that was down to their surroundings - a ghost-ship, and a prison for the homicidally insane that also housed orphans. Spooky stuff.

 

I am planning on doing a zombie RP with some friends, mixing in some Warhammer 40k stuff and making them an Imperial guard unit...its going to be all about the hoards, and the occasional mutant or survivor gang!

Zombie apocolypse is such a great setting, and while very hard to make scary these days is great fun to play in. Especially if people really get into it rather than just thinking its target practice.

Zombies are one of my favourite creatures, its just a horrifying prospect having an entire city of them after the last few survivors. And I will enjoy forcing my players into great moral choices and deadly undead ambushes