Zombies are hot right now. Slow moving, fast moving, comic, scary, “Dawn of the Dead” style and stylishly dressed to kill — they seem to be everywhere I look.
But I just can’t get into zombies.
Recently, I’ve read a few zombie books and tried to get myself into the zombie fad but I’ve failed. I can’t wrap my head around the appeal of brain-eating, walking dead. Werewolves? Yea team! Vampires? No question. Ghosts, demons, evil wizards — check, check, check — all good — but Zombies have zero appeal.
I remember that when I saw the original “Dawn of the Dead” I was frightened, but I was far from charmed. It seems that what I really like is a dash of charm with my chills. I love the sexy monsters of “True Blood” so by comparison any zombie, — classic or contemporary, slow or fast, dull or funny, even in a Jane Austen remix — is going to suffer in a comparison.
I have two questions today:
If you love zombies, please tell me why?
If you don’t, tell me why you don’t love ‘em?
Share your thoughts on Zombies!
For me, zombies will alway be synonymous with Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Loved the song, hate the concept. Half rotten? Tattered? Evil smelling? Sorry but I can’t see anything to love there. 🙁
Glad I’m not the only one. I feel out of step right now. Really not a zombie-lover.
I am not a huge fan of zombies by themselves. Zombies like skeletons are minions. There needs to be a mastermind behind their creation.
I have enjoyed watching the walking dead. But I can see it as being something more than a simple zombie thing. Somewhere hidden in the story is an evil mastermind that created it all.
Ah, the evil mastermind! That’s the real hook. You are quite right! The evil genius is always the compelling character, so much more powerful than the minions (slaves, robots, skeletons, etc.)
I kind of like Zombies, but mainly because they tend to be associated with dystopian societies, and I love those sorts of settings for fiction. I really enjoy The Walking Dead TV series, but because the presence of zombies makes people totally change their code for living, and that’s where the real story is.
I guess I’ll have to admit to not seeing the show — yet. I was so turned off by previous zombie experiences, I didn’t give it a try.
But I do like your dystopian/zombie connection. It goes along with the idea of mindless minions and the role of the general population in a dystopian society.
I will say that the Walking Dead is worth watching, but more for the human characters than for the zombies. The story itself is about the rag tag humans quest for survival (kinda like Battlestar Galactica) with zombies just thrown in to thwart their quest (kinda like Xylons).
I’m a big fan of Dana Fredsti’s undead series, Plague Town and Plague Nation, but more because they’re action packed with a kick-butt heroine than for the zombies. In fact, I think zombie stories really lend themselves to more thriller-type/action stories. You can’t really do character development with zombies – they’re just the problem the live characters must face.
And then there’s Sean of the Dead – not quite up to Hot Fuzz but still funny and with a nice little theme (that we’re all being zombie-fied by modern life).
I did see Hot Fuzz, fun. But, I think you’ve hit upon my central problem with zombies — the lack of character development. Of course the aroma of rotting flesh isn’t a turn-on either. I may simply have to admit that I like werewolves (vampires, ghosts, etc.) a whole lot better than zombies.
Know thy self — (& your taste in MONSTERS).