Karen: With the Walking Dead finale this Sunday, and some recent talk of the ever-popular Marvel zuvembies, it occurred to me that we have never really discussed this topic in any depth. So take your pick, we can look at films, TV, books, comics -what's the best depiction of zombies and/or a Zombie Apocalypse?
I miss Voodoo zombies! But I guess we're all too politically correct to ever portray that form of Zombie ever again. Kolchak: the Night Stalker did a fine episode with this, the ironically-titled "Zombie." ;) Perhaps the only time in TV history where a zombie takes public transportation in a major city.
ReplyDeleteThat Kolchak episode was among the first things to jump into my mind, Dex! It's always the perfect, shining example of a terrified, deeply reluctant, "detective"-type hero doing what has to be done simply because no one else is going to. That scene where Carl's crammed into a junked station w/ the dormant zombie as he tries to. . . deactivate it. . . is a classic, CLASSIC horror moment where you know EXACTLY what's going to happen, and the anticipation (of Zombie wakin' up) is what makes it so perfect. . .
ReplyDeleteOo-- but gotta get HBGirl to school for now. . .
HB
Never the biggest fan of zombies (and I guess I should have added the current, over decade-long zombie craze to my comments in the "Just don't get it" post last week).
ReplyDeleteHowever, I did like that episode of Kolchak that C.K. and HB mentioned.
But my vote goes to Simon Garth from Tales of the Zombie - that was an interesting take on the zombie idea, i.e., viewed from the point of view of a zombie who tries to do the right thing.
Wish I could remember that "Night Stalker" episode, might have to hunt it down on the net.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have been caught up in "The Walking Dead" since episode 1. Of course, the living characters actually carry the show; but the dead are omnipresent. The zombies are remarkably convincing, often cringingly so. And, it gives fun jobs to lots of Hollywood extras ( granted, it is filmed in Georgia- maybe they are Georgian extras)...
Zombies? Never heard of them. Are they similar to zuvembies?
ReplyDeleteI tend to lean old school when it comes to zombies. I think 'Night Of The Living Dead' (or 'NOTLD' as the kids call it) is still the best zombie movie we'll ever get. Re-watched it last Halloween, sill creepy 45 years later. 'I Walked With A Zombie' was a favorite when I was a kid.
I've only watched a few episodes of 'The Walking Dead', but my friends invited us to work their 'Walking Dead' both at a con last year. Visit this link and scroll down to see "Charlie Brown as Daryl Dixon"!:
http://charliebrownspecials.blogspot.com/2014/11/youre-at-comic-con-charlie-brown.html
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLike Edo, it was going to be one of my 'don't-understand-it' gripes a few days back. Never got the zombie appeal of late.
ReplyDeleteIs it a sly twisted joke on today's increasingly automatonistic society..? Or just a cheesy-cheap way to dress up at Halloween for high-school kids.
'Course if the question was 'Who's the Best Zumvembie?' I would say me, of course. :)
As for today's query, I'd say the quasi-zombielike Borgs from Next Gen.
Pet Cemetary and 28 days / weeks later are my favourites . And the Strontium Dog story "The Moses Incident".
ReplyDeleteGreat observation about the Borg, David. They are indeed quite zombie-like, right down to the implants and nano-probes that effectively eat your brains.
ReplyDeleteBest zombie? Fela Kuti's, of course. Duh.
ReplyDeleteWhile I really like the idea of all those George Romero films and updates like the Walking Dead etc, I find actually watching them all the way through a bit dull.
Although I did enjoy Shaun of the Dead (even if the filmmakers can't spell properly!)
-sean
Walking Dead is the best for me. Great characters and suspense/action! I read the first 75 issue or so, so it's the most I've read of any modern comic. The tv show is excellent, and different enough from the comic that you don't know what's going to happen.
ReplyDeleteSince David brought up "what is the appeal of zombies"-- I think it's maintaining your individuality when it seems like everyone else is conforming. Also I see a trend on tv of good characters taking up bad behavior, such as on this and Breaking Bad. In certain circumstances, are you justified in going past the normal moral boundaries of society? This is not just killing zombies, but other humans on Walking Dead. When you start stretching that moral line, as in Breaking Bad, how far does it go--when does a good person doing a few bad things just become a bad person? Perhaps society is dealing with that issue over the past few years, so it's coming out in popular entertainment.
Other zombie shows I liked: Warm Bodies, a cute zombie romance (ZomRomCom). Also Shaun of the Dead was a great show for the humour. I'd like to see Dawn of the Dead from 1978 again, the one in the mall, to compare it to Walking Dead. Here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN-L7NqFMdk
Certainly, the modern zombie is more of a ghoul -a flesh-eating demon rather than the original zombie, which was corpse turned servitor. but that new definition seems to have stuck.
ReplyDeleteI see the main link as being a human body without a human spirit -something truly dead inside.
I loved that Kolchak episode. One of the best.
For films, I lean towards the original Dawn of the Dead.
But I find post-apocalyptic scenarios no longer thrill me the way they did when I was younger. I think the realities of adult life have taken the luster off of the idea of the survivalist aspect. I enjoy taking hot showers and being able to zip over to the neighborhood grocery store to grab some guacamole and chips. An apocalypse-of any kind -would certainly ruin that.
Topic within a topic:Should zombies run? I say no.
ReplyDeleteAnd count me as a fan of Shaun of the Dead too. That movie was the 2nd date for my wife & I, so it has lots of sentimental value in addition to being a hilarious zombie parody. The British (region 2) dvd includes a "zombie commentary track."
Zombies never did much for me either. (Not that I guess they do much for anyone per se). I always thought their slow movement does not really make them all that threatening. I started watching the Walking Dead, but figured if it was me I would move way North and let the winter freeze them solid and systematically take them down. At some point there would just be militia hunting parties and it would be over.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy Shaun of the Dead as well.
And I get a kick out of playing "Plants vs Zombies" with my kids. Pea shooters and cabbage throwers taking down pole vaulting cartoon zombies is kind of fun.
What no love for Wonder Man?
Hiya,
ReplyDeleteEver notice that stock villains always seem to get upgraded?
Zombies become track stars.
Daleks learn how to levitate and overcome that little problem with stairs.
And vampires . . . twinkle. Not certain what the advantage is there but there must be one.
As to my favorite, Kolchak gets the vote. Not necessarily because of the zombie, which was good, but more because of Darren McGavin. The man made you believe that he believed.
The below link takes you to the first part of the Zombie episode.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJPCTWhucms
Thanks
pfgavigan
No hijacking intended, but wanted to pass along this goodie to my brother David B. Get ready to pony up some serious cash, though!
ReplyDeleteBack on topic, zombies also would have fit for me in that topic of a few days ago. I am, however, enjoying the conversation.
And, just a head's up that we will have conversation material on both days over the weekend. But ahead of that we have two pretty nifty posts coming your way to finish the work week. Stay tuned!
Doug
With discussion yesterday, has anybody read "Afterlife with Archie". I hear Jughead is a Zombie. Haven't picked it up; is it any good at all? I hear they plan on making it into a movie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link Doug, I saw that a week or two ago. Very nice..
ReplyDelete(..but I like my occasional BAB avatar better.) :)
Thanks for your thoughtfulness..!!
has anyone seen Fido? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457572/)
ReplyDeleteI recall at the time, I thought it was amusing.
Really, there's only so much you can do with this concept. I am still stunned that the Walking Dead TV show is one of the most popular shows on TV. AND it came from a comic book!!
Martinex1- I have been reading Afterlife with Archie, and enjoying the read. It's quite a departure from the usual Archie storyline, but all the characters are there. It actually shows some interesting facets to the cast, and in a different light. Incidentally, the artwork is quite good. Certainly worth a look...
ReplyDeleteNever a big zombie fan myself, but with the mention of the nightstalker zombie episode, brings back memories of me and my brother glued to the set as kolchack nervously tries to rid the world of the zombie menace. Great television right there!
ReplyDeleteI love them all.
ReplyDeleteI am huge zombie fan.
In fact, I first watched Night of the Living Dead because I had recurring zombie dreams and thought it was a sign.
I love George Romero's critique of consumerism/capitalist power zombie oeuvre best.
I would put both Night of and Dawn of at the top of any zombie list and in my all-time favorite movie list.
Anyone watching iZombie? I haven't gotten to it, but it is on the DVR.
Also love the character Xombie, which was originally from Milestone comics, but now is in the DC universe.
Not a huge zombie fan but love the classic films. I even like fast zombies and, while a skipped the comic, am addicted to the Walking Dead show.
ReplyDeleteI Walked with a Zombie is a beautiful movie, and maybe my favourite "zombie-themed" work of art.
In terms of comics, Allred's iZombie (now a tv show) is the best-looking modern work but I recently became intrigued with the Marvel "Tales of the Zombie" series after reading interviews with Roy Thomas and Marv Wolfman in the Comic Book Artist magazine issue devoted to 70s horror. I haven't read any of these but they sport stories by Gerber, John Buscema and more so I'm going to check them out. Any opinions?