Day 31: The End

So today is the final day of 31 Dayz of Zombies, but I think that zombies are fun for the whole year round. Here is a list of zombie fun that I may not have mentioned throughout the month, but are definitely something to check out- no matter what time of the year.

 Shaun of the Dead
Blood Creek
Zombie Farm
They Came back
Xombie: Dead on Arrival
Zombie Strippers
severed
Wasting Away
Last of the Living
Night of the living dorks
ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction
I sell the dead
Sugar Hill
Inyuasha: The Movie 3 Swords of an Honorable Ruler

 So, are there any zombies that I've missed out on?

Day 30: Guilty Pleasure

So maybe zombies are always a guilty pleasure- they certainly are mine, but this particular zombie gem is definitely my dirty little secret. Or at least it was, until I shared it here with you. Can you say Hentai… Anyone… If you don't know what it is, look it up (just not while the kids are around). No this isn't REALLY Hentai, but it is damn close.

My guilty pleasure: High School of the Dead

Storyline: A group of high school kids attempt to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Why is it a guilty pleasure? Well for one, it is animated and animated well! The blood splatters are genius, which makes it art; and the nudity, massive boobs, and *gasp* nudity make it just a little dirty. (maybe more than a little) But if you aren't scared or offended by a little sex, then it is an excellent example of anime with a lot of blood and zombies (of course, which makes everything better)!

So… what is your guilty pleasure?

Zombie Event: The Halloween Party

So for twenty-ish more minutes, it is the Saturday night before Halloween. This event is not something that you have to register for and you don't have to wait in a line for hours to get in. For this event, all you need is a group of friends and the fun-loving spirit of the season. On THIS night, even the most "normal" if individuals can embrace their inner zombie nature.

So whether you are at the club, a crush downtown, or just a friend's house- Have a great and safe Halloween!

Day 29: Best Zombie Music

Today, I offer you a choice between the best of the best. I will let you decide.
Zombies ate my imaginary friends (this song has a few versions available, but I REALLY enjoyed this Foster's version. So that is what I am presenting to you.)

Zombie love song (This song was presented to me by my darling sister who knows how much I love a good zombie).

So what do you think? Which zombie song do you think is better? Can you think of a better nom for Best Zombie Music?

Friday Night Flick

Tis the season for zombies... Unfortunately, our time together is nearly at an end and so i thought we would go back to the beginning. Tonight, for the Friday Night Flick, we are going to watch the original 1968 version of George A Romero's  Night of the Living Dead. If you've been reading, you have heard me preach the praises of Romero and his visionary dead movies and this first movie is an exemplary example. Check out the twitter feed for comments. I'll be watching this one a little earlier-probably around 4.

Day 28: Best Twist

Zombie stories follow a pretty standard path- there is a zombie, some chasing, some biting, and the creation of more zombies. No matter what twist you put on the story, it still amounts to a similar path. So why (with our notoriously short attention spans) can we watch zombie movie after movie, play games, and then read books all following that same theme?

It's the twist that does it. It is the twist that makes zombies fun. So what is the best zombie twist? The best deviation from the ab-normal theme that we love so well?

I offer you two choices: Fido and Ahhh! Zombies.

Fido is the story of a boy and his dog- only the dog is a zombie who has a strangely affectionate relationship with mom. It's like lassie if lassie were a flesh eating monster instead of an overly intelligent collie. The movie is devoted to the personification of the zombie as a creature with feelings (an idea that was displayed at the end of Shaun of the Dead when the two main characters share a video game). Zombies as a caring pet? Definitely and interesting twist.

Is that the best twist though?

In Ahhh! Zombies, a group of kids are turned into zombies by eating contaminated ice cream cones. Strange to begin with, but as it progresses; you realize that these kids don't know that they are zombies. The story follows them around (looking perfectly normal) as we see the world from their point of view with occasional black and white glimpses of their true forms. The movie itself is a good time and it is a twist worth sharing.

So what do you think? Which is the best twist on the zombie theme?

Day 27: Best Kill (Zombie)

Zombies kill people- I mean, that is what they do. So to pick out one best out of the billions of zombie kills in history is a daunting task. However, there is a zombie movie that has a collection of some of the best kills by a zombie ever. Dead Alive (1992) is a really great zombie movie and has kill after amazing kill. This is actually a pretty recent acquisition into my zombie and I nearly overlooked it- but I am SO glad I didn't. So today, your choices come from the same zombie movie.

Here is the trailer, sadly you have to search out this amazing zombie gem all on your own- but it is worth the search.

Now honestly, can you think of a better kill by a zombie in a movie than the choices presented here?

And now for a commercial Interruption...

The first time I saw this commercial (and this is a real one this time) I fell in love. I'm a Dell kind of girl, but Toshiba nearly won me over with this one!

Day 26: Best Kill (Human)

I watch a lot of zombie movies, and for this one you will just have to take my word for it. The best kill by a human in a zombie movie is from the movie Le Horde- and it is the reason why this movie is one of my favorites.

Question: What do you do when you see a zombie?

The answer is, you run. Or you shoot it. You do not engage. HOWEVER, that is NOT what happens in this movie. In this amazing bit of zombie destruction, the woman actually engages the zombie and proceeds to I can only describe as "ghetto stomp" this zombie. Seriously though, I want to be this woman when I grow up… No, really.

Want to see?

Okay, just to be fair, do you have a nom for best kill by a human in a zombie movie?

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Day 25: Best Zombie Love Story

What would you do if your mother turned into a zombie? What about your wife or husband? What about your child? What do you do when someone you love becomes one of the Living Dead?
Maybe this wasn't what you were expecting from this post, but honestly I can't think of a greater love story than the one we share with our families.

And the truth is, in the event of a zombie apocalypse those are the choices we would have to make.
Survival of the Dead explores that idea. In the movie, there is a small town who has decided to accept the zombie population back into their fold. Instead of delivering that final headshot, the members of this town have captured and semi-tamed their undead in the event that one day there will be a cure. Instead of thinking purely of survival- these people have hope for their loved ones. Of course, it ends up getting them all killed- but it is an amazing idea.

Now, it is possible that the people of this town are just attempting to hold on to what's gone (like we all have at some point in our lives); but it does beg the question: What if?

So know you've heard my nom for best love story….What's yours?

Day 24: Best zombie franchise

Best is a hard word to define, probably because the word is subjective and really only has the meaning we give it. Never-the-less, I am spending this week devoted to searching out the best. I have, however, decided that I just can't do it alone (there is a song there – If you are a musical fan). So starting with this post and continuing through the week, I will offer you a choice. I will give you the information, and you can draw your own conclusions (shout out).

Today's Best- Best zombie franchise: I submit, for your reading pleasure, a choice of two powerhouses "The Dead" movies and the cross media phenom Resident Evil.

Beginning with Night of the Living Dead in 1968 (before I was even the thought of a flash of a glimmer in my daddy's eye) George A Romero gave birth to the zombie nation. Night of the Living Dead, as well as Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead, produced remakes twenty years after their inception and numerous re-imaginings. If you have seen a zombie movie, it was probably based on an idea sparked from a movie in this franchise. After the turn of the century, Romero continued his evolution of the zombie with Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, and Survival of the Dead. Each movie pushed the idea of what a zombie is, can be, and can do one step farther- finally culminating in the creation of a survival instinct in the undead. This franchise has spent forty years writing the definition of zombies in the movies.


But…
We are a multi-media society, so can any franchise that is so specifically focused really be named…the best? Which is why I offer you Resident Evil.

Who could have known in 1996 when the first video game was released into the market that this simple zombie video game would go viral? However with years of success (seven incarnations of the game thus far), increasingly violent kills, and drastically improving graphics- Resident Evil enthusiastically took over the big screen in 2002. The movie, surprisingly, met with enough success to spawn 4 more big-budget live action movies (and one in the works for the coming year) as well as a Japanese short film. Box office for the five existing Resident Evil Movies is estimated at 201,637,032 in the US and 674,764,589 worldwide. The franchise invaded the comic book market- being published through big boy publishing houses Marvel Comics and Image and the games have been adapted into novellas as well. True, the franchise has not added any real pertinent information to the world of zombies- but what it DOES is make MONEY- which speaks for itself.

So, now that you've heard the story, which do you think is the best zombie franchise?

This Week...

This week is all about the best of Zombies.

So come share your thoughts ,answer questions, and tweet about the very best of zombies.

best zombie demotivational poster-->

Day 23: Best Zombie Movies that aren’t really zombies

So now-a-days just any old move sporting flesh eating humans can be called a zombie movie- but are they really? Some of these creatures take on the shambling walk of the undead; they seem to attack only those who are "normal", and can take extreme amounts of damage- almost requiring the necessary head shot. Here is my list of top 5 faux-zombie movies- most of them are pretty amazing.

28 days later- Awesome movie. "Repent, the end is extremely f*cking nigh!" Genius really, but no zombies. The creatures in this movie are living humans infected with "rage". They kill because they are royally pissed off and eventually- they die of starvation. Zombies do not starve because they are dead, these creatures DO because they are alive. Hence NOT zombies.

Planet Terror- Another one of my favorite movies! This one is in my personal collection- it is gruesome and dark and I LOVE it! However, despite the hoard of seemingly mindless individuals seeking to eat and/or maim normal folk, there are no real zombies. The people in this movie aren't dead- merely mutated into icky looking versions of their former selves.

Doghouse- This is a British film that I absolutely LOVE. Funny as hell. A group of guys goes out to this town and encounters a town full of apparently undead man haters. Only they are not dead, they are alive and in the process of mutating into amazing super human killing machines. Another example of biological warfare gone horribly wrong.

Quarantine- I'm torn on this one, honestly, but I am pretty sure that the "zombies" in this movie are alive too. There is an AMAZING scene where one guy walks on a compound fracture and you can see the bones as they grind and twist- but I don't think he is dead. In fact, these people are infected with a version of Rabies- actually a common theme. (although I do have to mention that the screaming made me want to punch Jennifer Carpenter in the face.)

Mutants: This one is French and was actually one of my very first in a long list of beloved French horror films (very messed up people, the French). This one lives up to its name. The murderous mindless hoard in this one is yet another group of horribly mutated individuals. What makes this movie great is the slap of honesty. The woman in this movie is only rescued because she tells the government that she is immune to the disease that causes mutation.
 

All of these movies are GREAT examples of horror films- but not really ZOMBIE movies.

So, take a look at some of your favorite zombie movies. Are they really zombies or just mutants in zombies clothing?

Zombie Event: Zombie Walk

Columbus Ohio annually hosts a zombie walk to support the Mid Ohio food bank. Participants in the two mile walk dress in their best zombie attire and stalk the streets of Columbus in search of brains. But their zombie shuffle is not as aimless as it may seem because participants are encouraged to bring in non perishable items for donation to the food bank.

For more information on the food bank or the 2012 zombie walk, visit the Mid Ohio Food Bank website @
http://www.midohiofoodbank.org/.

Day 22: What I <3 about Zombies

So, in case it has not already been made painfully obvious, I LOVE zombies. And it's not just during this time of year, when zombies are so popular with the world; I love zombies all the time. But why?
There are a number of different reasons why I love zombies.

Firstly, they satisfy my darker side and my love of blood and gore, without being a senseless type of violence- which I don't really enjoy. They make me laugh when I feel stupid and offer mental stimulation when I'm feeling less than inspired.

Zombies come in all the forms of artistic expression that I enjoy- books, movies, and animation- and I can find a zombie no matter what form I'm in the mood for.

The idea behind zombies themselves speaks to both halves of my nature- the creative side that enjoys the idea of wild magic and the more serious side that enjoys all the possibilities that science has to offer.

I enjoy zombies because unlike other popular monsters, creators have given them a very real theoretical plausibility. Unlike most of the others, zombies are a monster that we (as humanity) COULD really create for ourselves. And that is part of their horror.

And of course there is their horror that draws me in. They are something that I DO find scary. Not usually in their everyday incarnations- jumping out at people at well-timed moments or coming en masse to the local school yard- but the idea of them I find terrifying.

Zombies are a good time and after devoting an entire month to them, I have come to realize more fully that they are, in fact, my geek.

So speak up, why do you love zombies?

Friday Night Flick: SARS Wars: Bangkok Zombie Crisis

This week's Friday Night Flick is another foreign one AND its one I personally have never seen before. Originally entitled, Khun krabii hiiroh, SARS wars: Bangkok Zombie Crisis follows Khun as he attempts to find a kidnapped girl in a building infested with zombies before the government sterilizes the area. Honestly, I haven't really been a fan of the movies that I have seen from Thailand, but this one has been hanging out in my DVD queue for more than a year. I'm hoping it will satisfy the itch I'm needing to scratch.

Since I haven't see this one yet, the only thing I have to go on is a semi broken description off of IMDB.com- but I hope you will share it with me via twitter feed tonight @ 8:30PM EST tonight!

Day 21: Zombies I was Inspired By

So initially, this post was supposed to be "H8 bc it sucked", but the only thing I could think of that sucked was the post itself. I LOVE zombies and there are a few that disappoint me or piss me off- but I don't hate them. So I decided to be more positive and talk about the zombies that inspired me.

Zombies have inspired me in a number of different ways. Literature, like Jane Slayer, has inspired me to write (Snow white and the Seven Zombies can be found at http://wlcm2adrisgenius.blogspot.com/2011/06/snow-white-and-seven-zombies.html); events, like Run for Your Lives, has inspired me to exercise (if you can believe it); Ideas from Creators like George Romero and Robert Kirkman have inspired me to think about zombies and survival in new and interesting ways; and in a quirky way, movies like Severed and ZA: Zombies Anonymous, have made me think about the real world around me.

And that is why, rather than complain, I chose to share my inspirations instead.

So I know it sounds strange, but IS there a zombie that has inspired you?

BREAKING NEWS!

Breaking News! Mother*ucking Zombies are Real!

Want proof?

Visit http://www.lostzombies.com/video/2035037:Video:3139 for the latest zombie sightings.

Day 20: Ending makes you Angry

    Part of what I enjoy about zombies is the intelligence behind their conception. Yes they are horror movies, and yes they can be based on some extremely "out there" story lines - but if you break them down they have some AMAZING ideas underneath. So usually, I can find the genius in most zombie features- but occasionally, the stupidity is so glaring that it is impossible to ignore. Examples? Of course! (Love/Hate relationship)

Zombieland- so I love this movie- right up until the end. Witty, intelligent characters who have a good bead on how to survive the zombie apocalypse- and then we go to Pacific Playland, break down the fence that is keeping the zombies out, turn on all the lights, crash our truck, and then get trapped on a ride that leaves you dangling like a worm on a hook while the zombies amass below.

AMC's Walking Dead- Loved the book! Was digging the series- right until we made some half ass retarded decision to go into a major city swarming with zombies and check the local CDC. I mean really…isn't the CDC where they research disease AND where all the infected people were instructed to go? Obviously everyone there is dead. What were you thinking? I'm totally hoping season 2 redeems the utter failure.

So yeah, those bits of random stupidity make me angry.

But can let it go..move on..to love zombies another day. But I want to know… is there a zombie movie who's ending that makes you angry?

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Day 19: Why Zombies Scare you…

Why are zombies terrifying? I mean, really, what is scary about an infinite number of mindless creatures who's soul goal is to devour your flesh from your still breathing writhing body?

Well aside from the obvious, the reason why zombies scare me is not the pain of being ripped to shreds or the fear of living a life constantly on guard- what terrifies me is the loss of self.

The idea of becoming one of the mindless, soulless hoard is utterly horrifying. There is a reason why all those people in the movies beg to be shot before they turn, it's because the really messed up part about zombies IS the idea that you lose everything that makes you YOU. You become that grey creeping thing that eats your wife and children and then wanders for all of eternity searching for something to feed a hunger that will never be sated. Its lifetime after lifetime of a torment that you don't even know is torment- or maybe you do.

Maybe there IS just a of you left to know how truly miserable and excruciatingly horrifying your existence is really is…

And that to me…is scary.

So, what is it about zombies that scares you?

Day 18: Makes you flinch/ cover your eyes

I like to think that I am one tough cookie. I pride myself on being the one person in the room that doesn't flinch- but there are a few occasions where I just don't live up to my own personal standard. I can honestly can say that I don't flinch often, but the zombie movie that made me consistently flinch is Dawn of the Dead (2004)
If you've seen it, you probably know the scene. Yes, friends it is the death of zombie baby.
It is just WRONG to kill children- which is why most movies don't do it- at not least where you can actually see it. It is also probably why this movie doesn't actually show anything either. Unfortunatly, I did not know that until I stopped flinching/ covering my eyes during that part of the movie.

So fess up, what zombie movie makes you flinch/cover your eyes?

And now for a commercial interruption....

Escaping from zombies?
Dress to impress with buttons from Mutant Cactus.

Day 17: Love, but haven’t seen in a while

So I am all for instant gratification, so usually when I want to see a movie I either order it or go pick it up- so this was actually kind of difficult for me. While I was thinking about this post I realized that there was, in fact, a movie that I had been missing.

This summer, I was introduced to Evil Dead the Musical. The musical is an amazing mix of the first and second evil dead movies and I watched those movies in preparation for the play (which I have yet to see up close and personal). What I realized though, was that during my review, I left out a crucial piece of the Evil Dead puzzle- Army of Darkness- the third and final movie of the franchise. Army of Darkness still stars the amazing and strange acting talents of Bruce Campbell and his "boomstick", but adds a period twist when Ash is pulled into an evil vortex which lands him smack dab in the middle ages.

This movie was one of my very first zombie movies and I haven't seen it for a while. After starting this blog, I am definitely feeling the need to revisit it- especially because I want to confirm whether the movie actually classifies as a zombie movie. No matter what, I am sure I will enjoy it.

So what is the zombie movie that you love, but haven't seen for a while?

This Week...

This week is all about feelings!

Not just fear and horror, but those fabulous goose pimply joyous feelings that keep us coming back for more. So keep checking in and feel free to post your comments to anything that sparks your interest!

Day 16: Best Zombie Book that is going to be a Movie

So as I've mentioned, I love the genre of classical novels that have been converted to full length horror stories. I think it's an amazing use of genius. My introduction to this genre is probably the book which opened every one's eyes- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

I have always been a fan of the Jane Austin classic- but this re imagining seemed to be written just from me and included all of my favorite things- an exciting and intelligent heroine, zombies, and of course, Mr Darcy! What's not to love?

And now I find that this brilliant piece of literature is going to be converted into a movie. Slated for 2013, there isn't even a solidified cast list yet- but I wait with baited breath for what I hope will be a worthy reproduction.

In the mean time, check out the book, which is available in book stores everywhere!

Day 15: Zombie Movie that you know all the Words to…

So, you know that you have seen a movie one to many times when you can quote the whole thing line by line- when you have become that person that NO ONE wants to watch the movie with because you provide a running commentary throughout the whole thing. We all have that movie, maybe you have more than one.

For me, that movie is Land of the Dead (2005). It is one of my fall back movies, you know, the one I watch when there is nothing to watch?

For some, this movie might be considered a step back from the Dawn of the Dead remake produced the year before. It doesn't include the amazing acting talents of Ving Rhames or Mekhi Phifer , but it does include a more subtle casting, including John Leguizamo (who is awesome) as well as French star Asia Argento. What makes this movie is the progression of zombie evolution. As mentioned in previous posts, this movie includes the character "Big Daddy" who leads the zombies into battle and introduces the BRILLIANT idea of zombies and their ability to cross water!

Overall, its genius- if a little campy.

Is there a zombie movie that you know all the words to?

Zombie Event: Zombie Run

What's better than one chance to run from a snarling pack of zombies?
ANSWER: Repeated chances to run from a snarling pack of zombies. And the Zombie Run provides just that chance- in multiple cities.

Find out more about the run @ http://runforyourlives.com/

Friday Night Flick: Dead Snow

So this week, as promised, something a little farther off of the radar. Tonight's movie is a film from Norway entitled Dead Snow (2009) or Død snø in the original Norwegian. Not only is this movie foreign to begin with, but it also involves the sometime taboo subject of Nazis. In this case, Nazi zombies on a killing rampage in search of their stolen treasure.
As plots go this movie is pretty standard- a group of high school/ college aged kids take a trip to a secluded cabin where their teenaged hijinks get them into trouble. Despite the run of the mill plot, this movie distinguishes itself with some amazing scenes (as well as some disgustingly fun ones involving bathroom humor). Even if you don't speak Norwegian, this movie is a really good time.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Day 14: Zombie Taglines

Taglines are a form of marketing where a single phrase is used to represent an entire idea. That phrase should be catchy enough to stick in a person’s mind as well as short enough to fit on… say… a movie poster. All movies have taglines some of them are brilliant pieces of marketing which fulfill their purpose to the maximum extent- others fall far short of the mark.
 

Zombie movies have some of the most interesting and mind catching taglines in the business- probably because zombie movies are free to have some of the most outrageous story lines in the business.

Some of my favorite taglines:

Just when you thought it was safe to be dead- Return of the Living Dead Part 2 (1988)

Those Damned Dead just won’t Die! – Last of the Living (2009)

And my favorite…

He’ll Steal your heart….or eat it! – Fido (2006)

So, is there a zombie tagline feasting on your brains?

I feel so violated....

Well, I was hoping to share Friday  night  flicks with you this evening via live twitter feed. Unfortunately, it seems at some point last night, my brand new twitter account was HACKED!!! duh duh duh! Twitter tech is currently working n getting the account back up and running, but there is no real ETA for if  and when they will get it together.  Once the feed becomes avalib, I will repost it  here on the site!

Day 13: Favorite Director

So my answer should be obvious, I mean…can there really be any doubt on who my favorite director? REALLY, is there any other?
George A Romero.

 Creator of:
Night of the Living Dead
The Crazies
Dawn of the Dead
Day of the Dead
Land of the Dead
Diary of the Dead
Survival of the Dead

All of which added something new and unique to the world of zombie lore. Without Romero, zombies wouldn't be what we know them as today. His vision gave zombies fear, intelligence, and a desire for survival beyond the constant hunger usually attributed to them.

So who is your favorite zombie director?

BREAKING NEWS!

Breaking News!
Now get your zombie fix even faster... follow me on Twitter @31dayzofzombies!

Weekly Comic

Page Two of Living Dead Things...

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Day 12: Favorite Foreign Zombie Movie

Foreign Zombie movies are always a treat, and I have seen many great ones. I think the first foreign zombie movie that really impressed me was Dead Snow. It's a Norwegian zombie flick with a Nazi twist. My favorite part involves bungee jumping using a zombie's entrails. Despite awesome scenes like that, it doesn't hold a candle to my favorite foreign movie- which hails from France! Amazing right? You think snails, romance, the Eiffel tower are the only good things to come out of France? Well then, my friend, you would be wrong.

Hoard, La Hoard in ze French, is an ass kicking good time. Giving no explanation for how or why, suddenly this apartment complex is infested with zombies and together 3 renegade police officers and a group of murderous criminals struggle to escape. This movie has 2 (count them 2) instances of zombie stomping, both of which are nothing short of AMAZING!

If you never watch another foreign movie in your life, THIS one is the one. It is streaming on Netflix … go watch it, watch it now!

So what is YOUR favortie foreign zombie movie?

And now for a commercial interruption…

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Day 11: Favorite Viral Plague Movie

I am a huge fan of "the dead" movies- they will probably all appear on this list at some point throughout the month. Today I hail Day of the Dead.

Why? Because this is one of the only "dead" movies that gives any real indication as to what caused the zombie crisis. In Day of the Dead, the zombie apocalypse is brought on by disease. Starting with flu like symptoms, followed by nose bleeds, presumably death, and uncontrollable biting. However, as with most viral "zombie" movies, it is difficult to tell whether or not the virus has killed these people or they have just gone to another level of psycho. This movie is given the benefit of being dead mainly because it falls into the dead series of movies.

What is truly terrifying about these zombies is their speed and agility- not only are these zombies fast as hell, but they can also do tricks (climbing on walls and doing summersaults). This movie also gives zombies a level of intelligence- as with Night of the Living Dead, these zombies can be seen using tools to capture and kill their prey. Day of the Dead even gifts their zombies with a "soul" if you were. Example: "Buddy" is a quirky kid in love with Sgt. Sarah in life; his infatuation continues post mortem and is coupled with a protective instinct that saves her life more than once.

Despite the fact that the movie contains the acting talents of Nick Cannon, it is a fun movie filled with zombie mayhem and some interesting twists on what it means to be "a zombie".

What is your favorite viral plague movie?

Day 10: Favorite Voodoo Movie

My favorite voodoo movie is an amazing piece of British cinema entitled Boy Eats Girl. It is a brilliant combination of a teen love story and zombie hijinks.

Nathan, star of the movie and zombie #1, commits suicide after apparently finding the girl of his dreams with another guy. His mother – in true mother form- raises her son from the dead using a book, stolen from the crypt of a church. There is a dance, where the entire class is infected. Zombies begin their killing rampage, but Nathan retains his humanity and fights to protect his beloved. Plus there is a threshing machine- and who doesn’t enjoy a good threshing?

This movie takes all the things I love about zombies and rolls it into an hour and twenty minutes of fun and gore. This one is streaming on Netflix- and if you haven’t seen it, it is definitely one to check out!

This week...

Part of the fun with zombies is the fact that their origins are not completely set. Zombies can be created through a number of different occurrences- the most common are magic and science. Now, although these origins are not always laid out in crystal clear terms in modern movies, there are a few movies which can clearly be classified as either a zombie plague movie or a movie in which zombies were created by voodoo. Of course these movies, like most others, run the gamut of a being huge piles of crap and being awesome. And AWESOME is what we are here for!

This week we are going to explore zombie movies and all the aspects about them that make them great, from some of our favorites, to our firsts, to the ones we know all the words to.  It’s going to be a great time so take a survey, read a blog, and post your own comment your favorite zombie stuff!

Day 9: 1st Zombie Movie

Hmmm, thinking back into the ancient past to find my very first zombie movie.
The first zombie movie I remember seeing is "Night of the Living Dead" of course. It's probably the first for a whole generation of zombie fans. I watched it with my parents when I was probably 12. I hated it. It was in black and white and I was WAY to grown up to be scared by some old fashioned antique.

In retrospect… children are IDIOTS! What the hell was wrong with me? First of Romero's AMAZING zombie series and probably the beginning of America's love affair with the genre; it made zombies something more. These zombies were nothing to fool around with. Not the average walking dead. I mean when they came for Barbara- they really did! Bloodhound zombies that hunt you down, they run to give chase, and ...what's that… that zombie has a brick! WTF! Reiterates my idea that what is terrifying about zombies is their humanity. Without CGI magic or extreme makeup FX- Romero scared the s*#!t out of us!

So tell me, what was your introduction into the glorious world of Zombies?

Zombie Events: Zombies vs. Pirates

 Zombies devour pirates! Or at least that is how I imagine it happened.
Today was the date for Columbus' North Market's 5^th market to market ride- this week's edition Zombies vs Pirates. Riders were encouraged to join either "team zombie" or "team pirate" and take the 13 mile ride from the North Market to The Hills Market.

Although I only actually saw one zombie on my visit there today, I still enjoyed the fabulous atmosphere and the great food.

To see more activities at the North Market, visit their website @ http://www.northmarket.com/activities-and-events/2011-10-08/harvest-festival

Day 8: Zombie that you were disappointed by…

I find that the key to enjoying zombies is to know what to expect before you jump into it. As a genre, it is common for movies to be made with an extremely low budget AND if they have a high budget, they spend that money attempting to make the movie LOOK like it had a minuscule budget. It has also become, almost a joke, to exaggerate the foolishness we all love; and so you have to expect that there can be moments of poor (sometimes non-existent) acting alongside some extreme characterizations.

If you love the genre, you not only make allowances for those eccentricities, you revel in them.

However, there are times when –even knowing what to expect- a zombie movie will let you down.

My most recent experience with this was while watching the movie "Zombies, Zombies, Zombies". This movie is about a group of cracked out prostitutes which take some tainted cocaine and then attack the local strippers. Genius, right. I LOVED it! With lines like, "who let the motherf*@king zombies into the motherf*@king strip club!" and the constant string of tearing flesh, it was shaping up to be a great time.
All that came to a screeching halt though, when the "hero" injects himself with the antiserum which will stop the zombie plague.

The master plan? To let the zombies into the club so that they can eat him- thus saving the world. It was a letdown. I admit it. I haven't been this disappointed in the ending of a zombie movie since ZOMBIELAND- and this movie had none of ZOMBIELAND's redeeming qualities.

You know when someone hands you a dirty sock and tells you to smell it- that is what this is….

So what zombie has disappointed you?

Friday Night Flick

For my first Friday Night Flick, I decided to test the waters with something a little more mainstream. So tonight, I am watching Resident Evil.

This movie is based on the popular video game of the same name. It was made in 2002 and stars Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez (who I love). It is also the very first in a long and successful string of franchise movies- with a new on slated to come out in 2012.

As far as mainstream movies based on video games go, this one is pretty good. It speaks to the geek of many on a very successful level by faithfully presenting favorite aspects from the game alongside some pretty good zombie mayhem. Of course, this was the near the beginning of the CGI revolution and so some of the effects actually LOOK like they came straight out of the video game; but that’s the good thing about zombie movies- they are constantly evolving.

Anyway, this movie is a good time and fun for all ages (almost) and if you are looking for something to watch tonight it is defiantly something to check out – if you haven’t already seen it. And don’t worry, next week we will slide a bit farther off the radar and check out something a little more obscure.

In the meantime, let me know what you think…

Like it?

Hate it?

Day 7: Zombies that Make you laugh

Well, I have what could be considered a sick sense of humor. I find A LOT of things funny that probably shouldn't be; but I am going to go out on a limb and say that all zombie products should make you laugh- at least a little. Whether it is written into a script as a joke or a lude characterization, or it makes you laugh at yourself because you jumped at that crucial moment- part of the point of zombies is the joy we get from them.
    Books like "Pride and prejudice and zombies" and "jane slayer" bring a smile to my face through the witty combination of beloved classic romance with the slaughter of mindless zombies.

    Movies like "Zombieland" and "Shaun of the Dead" bring joy to my life with their ability to laugh at their own absurdities.

    Games like "Stupid Zombies" (a free ap for ipad and droid) let players blow off a little steam while decapitating wayward zombies in level after fun filled level.


So today, forget your fears, and let me know what it is about zombies that makes you laugh!

BREAKING NEWS!

Zombies are Awesome! 8-bits are Awesome!
8- Bit Zombies...SUPER AWESOME!

Day 6: Best Survival Plan

    How do you survive the zombie apocalypse? The answer is to have the best plan. Now in decades past, there have been some excellent plans, such as a visit to the mall (Dawn of the Dead- 1978)- genius in its simplicity. Although that plan no longer holds water with the birth of boutique centered malls and the depressing lack of gun shops. However, one plan stands out as genius in our day and age. The Walking Dead (comic series- not AMC failure) provided me with my own personal zombie escape plan. Initially, I had planned to live in the local Walmart (everything you need in one stop), but I have to agree that a prison is unmistakably brilliant.

What about the prisoners, you say? Well, as Robert Kirkman (writer) posits, our nation is full of bleeding hearts that would release all of those crazed criminals into the general populous in some laughable gesture designed to give them a "fighting chance". So the prisons, fully equipped with food, guns, defensible structures, backup generators to provide hot water, and protected land for planting later down the line, will be free to inhabit!

baring stupidity, one should be able to survive the zombie apocalypse in relative comfort (with occasional trips to walmart).

Anyway- that's the best plan I've found. You got a better one?

Weekly Comic

This is page one of Living Dead Things...a teaser from my favorite independent comic triple (?) threat, Victor Dandridge Jr.



Tune in next Wednesday for page two and check out more work from the artist himself @ http://vantageinhouse.blogspot.com/

Day 5: Favorite Quote

Zombie movies are filled with some of the most amazing gems of wisdom ever produced. Some of them are intelligent witticisms that make you laugh ("The first rule of Zombieland: Cardio. When the zombie outbreak first hit, the first to go, for obvious reasons... were the fatties"), sometimes they make you think, and sometimes they bring you full circle.

One of my favorite personal quotes is from a speech in the 2004 version of Dawn of Dead:

Hell is overflowing, and Satan is sending his dead to us. Why?
Because, you have sex out of wedlock, you kill unborn children,
you have man on man relations, same sex marriage.
How do you think your God will judge you?
Well friends, now we know.
When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.

I love this quote because the quote itself is a quote from the original version of the movie made in 1978 and the speech is given by that versions star- Ken Foree. You would never know it if you haven't been exposed to both versions of the movie and it is a nod to the great George A Romero who wrote the original screenplay but had absolutely nothing to do with this remake.

What is your favorite quote?

Day 4: Least Favorite Zombie Portrayal

Children are creepy…agreed. All by themselves, there is always something a little extra disturbing about children in any horror movie. However, my least favorite zombie portrayal is, in fact, given by a pack of kids.
Wicked Little Things is a movie about zombie children were killed (sacrificed) during a mining incident in PA. It's really a fun premise. I love movies where they artists/producers/directors take their personal lives and experiences to create something horrific to share with the world. This was obviously a story someone heard as a child and thought it would make an amazing horror movie- and possibly it could of. I don't blame the kids. I think when you deal with kids in horror movies, there has to be a line that you can't (or just probably shouldn't) cross since kids at a young age can't readily distinguish between reality and the fiction of a movie.
So these kids, with grimy hands and faces painted white wield pick axes and murder their way through the Pennsylvania mountain side. For kids, they did a great job. But it all had kind of a "children of the corn", mob mentality, follow the leader feel. They just weren't great zombies.

So what is your least favorite zombie portrayal?

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Day 3: Favorite Zombie Portrayal

Zombies are zombies, right. They are, kinda by definition, a mindless hoard of the walking dead. However, there are cases where the zombies are actually more, and it is those portrayals that are some of my favorites. Movies like, Collin, Day of the Dead, and Survival of the Dead put a different spin on the plain old mindless zombie. My favorite comes from the 2005 version of Land of the Dead. In that movie, Big Daddy is a leader among zombies. Although most of the zombies in this movie have tried to maintain or recreate a semblance of humanity, Big Daddy goes a step further and seeks not only to create a community among his kind, but also to preserve their safety. He "communicates" with his fellow zombies through grunts and demonstration. He rallies his people to his cause and storms the hub of humanity in attempt to win their freedom from the constant raids and violence that have been visited them.

What is your favorite zombie portrayal?

Day 2: Five facts about zombies

5. Zombies stink! So you can always smell them coming.

4. Fast zombies are the worst. Chubby people beware.

3. Zombie bites are fatal- so if you've been bitten, give up now.

4. If it looks like a zombie, moans like a zombie, and bites like a zombie- it's a zombie.

5 Zombies are like roaches. If you see one, there are a million more hiding under the toaster.

 

So what do you know about zombies?

Day 1: Definition of a Zombie

    Zombies are unique, unlike vampires, werewolves, or creatures from the black lagoon; zombies have alternate origins and definitions. Zombies can be created through either magic (such as voodoo) or science (such as a viral plague). And although current pop culture sees zombies as "the living dead"- occasionally, that mindless zombie feel is attributed to the living. Another interesting aspect is that despite their lack of individuality - zombies have been given individual goals for their afterlife- among them the pursuit of brains, flesh, and spread of contagion.


For me, zombies are the undead- which means that, at some point, they were DEAD. I love the idea that the same power that provides basic reanimation also allows the zombie to evolve past being just re-animated dead tissue with no capacity for individual thought. I enjoy the idea that zombies are driven by more than just the need to feed and propagate. I think zombies are terrifying because of their humanity- not because of their lack of it.


That being said- that is just my definition of a zombie…what's yours?

Introducing: 31 Dayz of Zombies

    So, it's that time of year again- the time of year where we all want to be scared stupid. And what could be scarier than…ZOMBIES! Now I love zombies- every blood splatter makes my heart smile just a little, every shrill scream of terror fills me with joy, and every tickle of fear that runs the length of my spine makes me giggle deep down inside. For the next 31 days (starting October 1^st) this site will be dedicated entirely to ZOMBIES. Answer questions, read posts, take surveys, be introduced to fun zombie products and art- take the time to enjoy all things ZOMBIES. It's going to be fun!