Zombie Movies

[tofu]

Does anybody else here like Zombie movies?

I'm not a big fan of horror movies per se, but lately I've really started to like the subgenre that involves zombies and I'm talking specifically about the new version of Dawn of the Dead and the British flick, 28 Days Later. The reason I like them, I think, is that I can suspend my disbelief more for zombies than I can for supernatural stuff.

It seems to me (and this is why I post this message) that what is portrayed in those films is just barely within the realm of possibility. They both deal with a contagion, either a virus or a bacteria, that alters behavior, and makes people violent. Such things exist, they're called Lyssaviruses. Rabies is a well known example. Of course the movies take considerable license in depicting the speed of infection, but other than that I've actually started to think that they are reasonable depictions of the panic and civil collapse that would follow from a very severe outbreak of some new disease.

So what do you think? Do you think there is any accuracy at all in these movies?

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

....zombies....mmmmmm....zombies

[Doodler]

Meh, no thanks...I may have an attitude when I post here, but I've got very little tolerance for graphic violence.

Oh, I've been able to help out in hospitals with familiy members staying there with various illnesses, I've dealt with just about every bodily fluid you can imagine at some point. I can even handle looking at baby pictures of my neice before the surgery that put her intestines inside her abdomen (she had a birth defect that formed them outside of her body). I don't lose it at the sight of blood when I'm helping someone who's injured.

But I remember the last Dead movie I saw (Day of the Dead), left a 17 year old me waking up in a cold sweat for over three months afterwards with horrifying nightmares. Even seeing some of the previews for the current remake of Dawn of the Dead leave me in shivers for a couple hours.

I can't explain it for the life of me, but zombies creep me out in the worst ways.

[tofu]

I can't explain it for the life of me, but zombies creep me out in the worst ways.

Yeah. I don't like being scared either. I think it's just the geek in me, or maybe the sci-fi fan in me that likes to think about what could happen. And like I said, I know that the transmission rates in these movies are exaggerated (and hey, it was even exaggerated in Outbreak) but other than that, I just find it interesting to speculate about what would happen to civilization if some bad disease hit us.

I guess the point of this thread was just to see if anybody else felt the same way.

[Gillianren]

All I know is that Terry Pratchett has made the exact same joke about zombies in two books--according to certain traditions, zombies aren't actually the dead; they're living people who've been fed a certain fish part and a certain rare root. This has given way to the "zombie fish and chips" joke twice. Also to speculation on both occasions as to how one determines such a thing.

[Charly]

I think they are popular movies becausethey are one of only a few to give a decent depitcion of a post-apocalytic future.

Land of the Dead was quite good in this aspect.

I also quite like the remake of Dawn, although the graphicness was quite tame.

I think watching "The Thing" when I was about 10 steeled me to graphic gore, and this is still the only movie I ever have nightmares about (I am nearly 30 now). I think its concept over gore which is more scary anyway. Zombies dont really do it for me at that level.

[Charly]

Just thought. I was going to start a new thread, but that would mean 2 zombie/firefly threads, so this is as good a place as any.

In one episode of Firefly, a Reaver surviver turns into a Reaver. Mal mentioned that this is common. We now know it is a virus of some kind. Does thats mean the virus can be transmitted? Could one or more of Fireflys crew be infected?

[Enzp]

Sorry, I don't find them scary, just ludicrous.

[PhantomWolf]

My problem with Dawn of the Dead is the speed of the spread. I think that in a real situation it would have been locked down a lot faster, those carrying it being isolated faster. It only takes the heroes a short time to figure out the situation, yet no one else did and was able to quarentine the victims stopping the spread? The second problem is that it was able to travel the world so quickly. Such a thing would have had to have spontaneously erupted in many continents and islands all at the same time because there would be no way it could travel with such a short incubation period.

[Halcyon Dayz]

Think biological weapon.
The Aliens are coming!!!

[R.A.F.]

I think watching "The Thing" when I was about 10 steeled me to graphic gore...

"The Thing", was an amazing movie.

Question for tofu...have you seen "Shaun of the dead"?

[tofu]

have you seen "Shaun of the dead"?

Yeah it was pretty funny. I tend to like British comedy.

[Yoshua]

Just thought. I was going to start a new thread, but that would mean 2 zombie/firefly threads, so this is as good a place as any.

In one episode of Firefly, a Reaver surviver turns into a Reaver. Mal mentioned that this is common. We now know it is a virus of some kind. Does thats mean the virus can be transmitted? Could one or more of Fireflys crew be infected?

Comment on the bottom. Contains spoilers for Serenity so if you have somehow not yet seen it, you are warned.


































Well in that episode it's basiclly said that being forced to watch the horrors the reavers committed caused him to become one himself. The original reavers became like they did due to some chemical the Alliance used on Miranda to pacify the colonists there. But that was Mal's opinion, while a great leader, I am not sure he is neccessarily correct about what happened. Could be the Reavers keep a supply of the gas (I know Reavers are totally insane, but they still know how to operate, maintain and modify complex equipment). They'd perhaps expose some folks to it, kill off anyone who didn't become a reaver or recruit those who did. Just my thoughts.

[Charly]

..... They'd perhaps expose some folks to it, kill off anyone who didn't become a reaver or recruit those who did. Just my thoughts.

Perhaps is because people dont normallylive long enough.

This guy hid, and was exposed.

Perhaps this sort of thing happened before and Mal drew the wrong conclusion.

[Vermonter]

I didn't really like 28 Days Later, not because of the gore factor, but of something else. They weren't zombies in the classical sense, but more like humans with mental problems. It was "the rage" that caused the problems in 28 Days Later. But yeah, it spread waaaaaay too fast. Same thing with the new Dawn of the Dead. The infection spreads really fast for no reason, and doesn't stop. You'd figure that the folks in charge would be able to contain it in at least some respect.

[Jakenorrish]

I love the Romero flicks (Night of the living dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead and Land of the Dead, though Land of the Dead wasn't a patch on the earlier three - even so it was still very good.) The thing to remember when watching them is the social comentary he makes (like the consumerist society lampooned so superbly in the shopping mall in 'Dawn') and remember that the Zombies are not the villains.

In the films, its quite obvious that by working as a team, the surviving humans can overcome the Zombies, but the human instincts of jealousy, greed and ego take over and lead to their demise, not the Zombies bloodlust. The zombies are just meant to be a very graphic representation of the problems that the human race is facing in our future.

'Night' was a groundbreaking film, in that it featured a black man and a woman as the leading characters and none of the main cast survived. Its ending is a brilliant comment on the sixties and the struggle of equal rights back then. Day of the Dead is the grimmest, and probably the most disturbing, but the 'meddling with nature' message in it certainly hits you with quite some force.

I've not seen all of the remake of 'Dawn' the part I saw looked like a very fast paced action movie, not including the satire of Romero's work. The original couldn't possibly be bettered, as it is a masterpiece, but Shaun of the Dead was an excellent and funny tribute, the beginning where it played about thirty seconds of 'Dawn's music was a nice touch. In fact the great man liked it so much that he gave the co-stars of 'Shaun' cameos in his own 'Land'.

[Chip]

Does anybody else here like Zombie movies?...

I'm not a big fan but can recommend the greatest of all zombie movies: "I Walked With a Zombie". Produced by Val Lewton and directed by Jacques Tourneur, (who also created the original "Cat People", "Curse of the Demon" and "Leopard Man"; all classics.)

Don't let the "funny" title put you off. Like other Lewton/Tourneur films its big on weird atmosphere and spooky, creepy qualities. A real classic.

On the actual funny side, "Ghostbreakers" which starred Bob Hope actually had some zombie stuff in it too.

[PhantomWolf]

While nowhere near the quality of the classics of Zomiedom, one thing I do think the Resident Evil movies got right was the spread and confinment factor of the Zombie disease.

[Maksutov]

I've watched a number of John Tavolta films and have come to the conclusion that I don't like zombie movies.

[Doodler]

I've watched a number of John Tavolta films and have come to the conclusion that I don't like zombie movies.

Thank you, the Coke flowing into my sinuses cleared them up nicely. Much appreciated.

[N C More]

I've watched a number of John Tavolta films and have come to the conclusion that I don't like zombie movies.

I dunno, I find that Disco Zombie movies can be a lot of fun...in a Saturday Night of the Living Dead kinda way, that is!

[Gemini]

Army of Darkness

[HenrikOlsen]

All three Evil Dead are good.

[Paul Beardsley]

A year or two back we had a fun discussion here following the release of the Dawn remake - which included "What would you do in that situation?" ideas. It was decided that we'd wear denim or some similar material that is hard to bite through, and we'd find a pharmacy and see if antibiotics could stop the spread of the disease in bite victims. (Well, it beats chopping someone's arm off!)

I think every Dead film has added something to the mythos, and I've enjoyed them all - except Land, which I haven't seen yet. The only film I couldn't watch all the way through is the sequel to the first spoof, Return of the Living Dead 2!

[Jakenorrish]

I think every Dead film has added something to the mythos, and I've enjoyed them all - except Land, which I haven't seen yet. The only film I couldn't watch all the way through is the sequel to the first spoof, Return of the Living Dead 2!

I saw return of the living dead and didn't think much of it. Shaun of the Dead was a better spoof / homage in my humble opinion.

The Evil Dead series are excellent. A real rollercoaster ride. As far as the 'Dawn' remake, I think there are certain films that should be left well alone. The Texas Chainsaw remake was absolutely pitiful!

[Paul Beardsley]

I saw return of the living dead and didn't think much of it.

Fair dos... but I did like the idea of Night of the Living Dead movie being based on actual events, particularly because the "actual events" were a lot less dramatic than the film itself (i.e. a few corpses jigging about but not causing any actual danger).

There were other rather clever ideas, including the half dog coming back to life, and the wonderful dialogue when a medic examines the victims of the reanimating gas.

Medic (aside to other characters): "The patients appear to be in advanced stages of rigor mortis."

Victim (overhearing): "Are you saying we're dead?"

Medic: "Let's not jump to conclusions."

As far as the 'Dawn' remake, I think there are certain films that should be left well alone.

I am glad they did not leave this one alone!

The Texas Chainsaw remake was absolutely pitiful!

I haven't seen it, and I have no plans to. However, the trailer is of interest because it features a remixed version of the Tim Buckley hit, "Song to the Siren".

[Doodler]

A year or two back we had a fun discussion here following the release of the Dawn remake - which included "What would you do in that situation?" ideas. It was decided that we'd wear denim or some similar material that is hard to bite through, and we'd find a pharmacy and see if antibiotics could stop the spread of the disease in bite victims. (Well, it beats chopping someone's arm off!)

I think every Dead film has added something to the mythos, and I've enjoyed them all - except Land, which I haven't seen yet. The only film I couldn't watch all the way through is the sequel to the first spoof, Return of the Living Dead 2!

Duct tape body armor. Two layers, flexible, tough enough to give you a split second to respond when teeth make contact.

[Dave Mitsky]

In "Night of the Living Dead" there was no "zombie virus". Dead humans being reanimated, sometimes in states of major decompostion, and then functioning in any manner is not even remotely possible to my way of thinking. That doesn't mean that zombies flicks don't make for a good horror movie genre, however.

Dave Mitsky

[Lianachan]

I find it hard to be scared of something you can leave miles behind simply by slightly increasing your stride.

I suppose the relentlessness might come into play, but still......

I do like some zombie films, though. Werewolf ones are my favourite monstery horrors!

[PhantomWolf]

I find it hard to be scared of something you can leave miles behind simply by slightly increasing your stride.

I suppose the relentlessness might come into play, but still......

I do like some zombie films, though. Werewolf ones are my favourite monstery horrors!

You obviously haven't see the new "Dawn". The Zombies in that, run!!!!!