...A zombie (Haitian French: zombi, Haitian Creole: zonbi) is a fictional undead being created through the reanimation of a human corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, where a zombie is a dead body reanimated through various methods, most commonly magic. Modern depictions of zombies do not necessarily involve magic but often invoke science fictional methods such as radiation, mental diseases, viruses, scientific accidents, etc.[1][2] The English word "zombie" is first recorded in 1819, in a history of Brazil by the poet Robert Southey, in the form of "zombi".[3] The Oxford English Dictionary gives the origin of the word as West African, and compares it to the Kongo words nzambi (god) and zumbi (fetish). One of the first books to expose Western culture to the concept of the voodoo zombie was The Magic Island by W.B. Seabrook in 1929. This is the sensationalized account of a narrator who encounters voodoo cults in Haiti and their resurrected thralls. Time claimed that the book "introduced 'zombi' into U.S. speech".[4] Zombies have a complex literary heritage, with antecedents ranging from Richard Matheson and H. P. Lovecraft to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein drawing on European folklore of the undead. In 1932, Victor Halperin directed White Zombie, a horror film starring Bela Lugosi. Here zombies are depicted as mindless, unthinking henchmen under the spell of an evil magician. Zombies, often still using...
Words: 435 - Pages: 2
...targeted. Humans can barely coexist with one another, and in my new film the zombies have now joined the picture and attempt to create a “life” for themselves. I want this film to that humans are the actual danger and zombies are just doing what they were taught when they were human, to survive. A new society is beginning to take place and some are not equipped with handling such different...
Words: 1637 - Pages: 7
...prevalent in our daily lives. Unlike other crazes such as Aliens or Vampires, Zombies and Zombie Apocalypse scenarios have captivated millions of individuals for over 50 years. Zombies originated in Haitian Folklore around the 19th century, however it was not until the late 1960s that the Zombie Craze took off. Now forty-seven years after the Zombie Craze began people are still fascinated with the dead rising and taking...
Words: 1267 - Pages: 6
...Question #2: George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) was initially poorly received, but is now regarded as a landmark film. Please discuss some of Romero’s aesthetic choices (lighting, camera work, casting) and the ways in which they reflect the reallife horrors of the time. Night of the Living Dead (1968) by George A. Romero was heavily criticized at the time of release for its uncensored content, but it revolutionized the horror film genre while influencing many horror directors. When this transitional film first premiered in 1968, renowned film critic, Roger Ebert found it as “an expression of acute nausea”. Ebert was disgusted and wondered how someone could make such as horrifying movie (Hoberman and Rosenbaum, 1991, p. 123). In 1960’s, the scary monsters or evil villains such as the Frankenstein were typical in the horror films but this Romero cut has been associated with the term of “splatter film” used to describe horror genres that depict graphic violence and gore for many years (Williams, 2003, p.21). After the end of Civil War, 1968 was the most violent year in American history (Hoberman and Rosenbaum, p.125). It was in a time of very high tensions in both international Cold War politics and social turmoil; domestic racism, gender stereotypes and patriarchal nuclear family. Also the civil rights movement was beginning to blossom along with the protestation of the Vietnam War, which many believed was unnecessary and entirely avoidable. Romero has...
Words: 1240 - Pages: 5
...doing the original film justice. Critics as numerous as they are harsh, so taking on a remake is no easy feat. When looking at the 1978 cult classic Dawn of the Dead and its 2004 remake, there are obvious differences and similarities. The original uses dark humor and wit to entertain audiences, while the remake uses more gore and violence, but both share a similar premise. While the original will always be a classic, but the remake puts a fresh spin on it to draw in younger audiences. The original Dawn of the Dead was first released in Italy in 1978 and then in the United States in 1979, grossing approximately $55 million worldwide up against a $1.5 million budget (The Numbers). The film, directed by George A. Romero, was quickly hailed a classic and one of the best zombie films of the century. The film follows group of survivors who are fleeing Philadelphia, which has been overrun by the reanimated much like the rest of the country’s major cities. The group commandeer a helicopter and eventually seek refuge in a large mall, where they reside for several months....
Words: 1227 - Pages: 5
...George Romero's 1968 classic „Night of the Living Dead“ redefined the portrayal of zombies, who previously arose as a result of voodoo mysticism, and introduced the flesh eaters. Henceforth, his flesh eaters became the primary structure of the genre. Although the term used in the film is „ghoul“, Romero's movie introduced the theme of zombie in the contemporary fiction. The story revolves around Ben, Barbra, and five other characters trapped in a farmhouse in Western Pennsylvania, which is attacked and surrounded by a large group of undead monsters. „Night of the Living Dead“ was influenced by the events of the 1960s, such as the civil rights movement and Vietnam war. It was created as a social critique, with the dead returning to life as a...
Words: 382 - Pages: 2
...development of video games, clothing lines, make-up designs, and adrenaline rush in horror films in our generation. From George Romero’s (1968) film, Night of the Living Dead zombie movie to present day zombie movie, Ruben Fleischer (2009) film, Zombieland, zombie movies have become very popular because people want to experience a zombie apocalypse. The success of this film delivers entertainment, interests, and desires for the people that are big fans of zombies with survival guidelines throughout the movie on how to survive a zombie apocalypse. Balaji, Murali. Thinking Dead: What the Zombie Apocalypse Means. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2013. Print. This book discusses how over time zombies have become popular to American culture. Zombies became so popular that it “has a way of seizing upon our anxieties and apprehensions and delivering content that reflects these fears while still entertaining us” (17). Present day America calls the entertainment of a film, adrenaline. In this case “the time is ripe for the rebirth of zombie culture” (17), to deliver the adrenaline to all audience, especially the younger generation. The facts from this book will be useful to my essay since it describes the adrenaline they deliver to the audience to be entertained and who they target their entertainment on, the younger generation. Boluk, Stephanie and Lenz, Wylie. “Generation Zombie. Essays on the Living Dead in Modern Culture.” Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2011. Print. The thesis...
Words: 1090 - Pages: 5
...George Romero is one of the most creative innovators of the zombie film genre and uses the scary images of zombies feeding on human beings to depict a crumbling American society. The America Romero focuses onfocused on by Romero is one where consumerism and racism have become very rampant creating inequalities (Gagne, 1987). Romero does not explicitly show the inequalities in the movies but he uses symbols to show the societies levels that perpetuate poverty, often the poor African Americans. In his interview with the NY Times, Romero said that his zombie movies are symbols of revolution, a generation consuming another. This paper will discuss the theme of consumerism/consumption as portrayed in the Romero’s films in reference...
Words: 1344 - Pages: 6
...notable horror films, Nosferatu (1922) Horror is a film genre seeking to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's primal fears. Horror films often feature scenes that startle the viewer; the macabre and the supernatural are frequent themes. Thus they may overlap with the fantasy, supernatural, and thriller genres.[1] Horror films often deal with the viewer's nightmares, hidden fears, revulsions and terror of the unknown. Plots within the horror genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force, event, or personage, commonly of supernatural origin, into the everyday world. Prevalent elements include ghosts, aliens, vampires, werewolves, curses, satanism, demons, gore, torture, vicious animals, monsters, zombies, cannibals, and serial killers. Conversely, movies about the supernatural are not necessarily always horrific.[2] Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 1890s–1920s 1.2 1930s–1940s 1.3 1950s–1960s 1.4 1970s–1980s 1.5 1990s 1.6 2000s 2 Sub-genres 3 Influences 3.1 Influences on society 3.2 Influences internationally 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links [edit]History [edit]1890s–1920s See also: List of horror films of the 1890s, List of horror films of the 1900s, List of horror films of the 1910s, and List of horror films of the 1920s Lon Chaney, Sr. in The Phantom of the Opera The first depictions of supernatural events appear in several of the silent shorts created by the film pioneer Georges...
Words: 4774 - Pages: 20
...supernatural entities that have captured man’s imagination since the legends of these creatures were born. Everyone knows what a vampire is and what a zombie is (at least what they have heard of seen) but are they real? Surprisingly they are to some but no in the sense you would think. If you were to ask someone what a vampire is, you would probably get the standard answer, “Pointed fangs, thirst for blood, undead” etc. According to howstuffworks.com, These legends most likely originated in ancient Mesopotamia, with the Assyrian legend of the Lamatsu. The Lamastu was a demon goddess who would creep into a house at night and kill or kidnap babies and would also suck blood from young men, hence the vampire legend. There are many legends which contain an ancestor to the vampire legend. In Greek mythology, Lamia, a once mortal half woman half snake, would suck blood from infants. These are all examples of “early vampires”, the modern vampire was more directly influenced by the folklore of eastern Europe. One name for an eastern European vampire is Strigoi. These type creatures were also called Vampir, or Vampyr, hence the English word vampire. In the 17th and 18th centuries a wave of vampire hysteria rolled across Europe. During this time people reported seeing dead relatives walking around and attacking the living (howstuffworks). The best block in the evolution of the modern vampire is of course, Dracula, Bram Stoker’s character. His character can’t stand...
Words: 621 - Pages: 3
...unlike zombies that feed on human flesh. Sure both are incredible creatures that we like but, if a situation were to happen where you can become a vampire or a zombie, who would you be? Vampires and Zombies are creatures that harm humans and show many similar and differences within them. Vampires are known to drink blood by...
Words: 695 - Pages: 3
...“When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth (Romero, 1978). From shuffling corpses to gallons of fake blood, the 1978 "Dawn of the Dead" and its 2004 counterpart, demonstrate the vast difference in horror films of today and those of the 1970's. While the original was a catalyst for a paradigm shift in the world of horror cinema, the 2004 remake is a bold reminder of how far the genre has come. While sharing a title and an overall basic plotline, the similarities stop there. Separated by more than two decades, these two films are a prime example of the speed at which technology and society are advancing. If horror films have said anything about society, it is that society’s fascination with violence and gore transcends generations. When George Romero released his sequel to his classic “Night of the Living Dead” in 1978, it was considered extremely graphic and horrifying to audiences, to the point of controversy (Triggs, 2006-2012). Today, the original film does not have the same effect on viewers and is thought of as campy and almost funny. The 2004 film shows that as time moves on, the same techniques used in the original will no longer captivate the imaginations of audiences. With the rapid advancement of technology and how readily available it is, movie-goers expect more from films. Movies as a whole have become extremely violent and graphic. This shows a change in what society considers acceptable entertainment. The horror genre as a whole has shifted...
Words: 1133 - Pages: 5
...Time and History It’s been a hundred years since Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the vampire and its tales have swept the world in a whirlwind craze. Since, there has always been a fascination with the mystery of a vampire. Someone wearing plastic fangs, a cape, and black evening clothes will instantly remind you of the mythological creature. The much feared creature is and was portrayed in a number of ways. In the early days when they were just folklore, vampires were blood sucking predators and feared pale stalkers. In Vampire God: the Allure of the Dead in the Western Culture (2009), discussing the popularity of vampires in society, Mary Y. Hallab says that the folklore vampire is constantly compared to the other supernatural beings like witches and werewolf’s, and today’s concept is also a confused being, a zombie? A lover? Hallab states that “vampires are only those figures—folkloric, mythical, or literary—who are dead humans who are still capable of behaving as though they are alive.” Today, vampires have become a culture of their own, and are a huge part of mainstream pop culture. The Twilight Cullen’s and Sesame Street’s Count Dracula have a whole new appeal on adults and children. The appeal is not always good. According to Vampire Gothic, which is about vampire gothic cultures in United States, Teresa A. Goddu discusses a teenage vampire clan that was discovered in Murray, Kentucky, that was found participating in role-playing games such as drinking each other’s...
Words: 3787 - Pages: 16
...is a concept that many of us at some point or another in our life will get obsessed with. The thought of what we know and love to be destroyed by a nuclear war or a natural disaster, or a zombie apocalypse is intriguing. Our minds have a defense mechanism in a way to think about the “what ifs” of a situation so that if they do happen we are not as disappointed or shocked. And I guess that is why thinking about different ways that an apocalypse could happen is our brain in a way getting prepared for that which may happen. Over our lifetimes we see a lot of apocalypse books or movies that peek our imagination and make us ask ourselves if we would...
Words: 1013 - Pages: 5
...ideological perspective The television has been around us for centuries and it has become a major source of information to society. Spreading information amongst the people means spreading a particular kind of ideas. These ideas or beliefs provide people with a way of understanding the world and they are referred to as ‘ideology’. It is believed that the media is used to set certain ideology in society. Consequently, television, as a part of the media, has its own role in putting through these ideas. In this essay I am going to explain what ideology is and how it affects society through television. I am also going to give an example of creating particular ideological perspective using the American horror drama television series The Walking Dead (AMC, 2010) developed by Frank Darabont. Ideology, as I already mentioned, is a particular set of ideas. However, we call ‘ideological’ only the ideas that relate to the distribution of social power. (Branston, G. and Stafford, R., 2010, p. 172) There are different ideologies, such as religious, political, etc. and each of them imposes its own way of seeing the world. Yet, ‘ideology’ was first defined by classical Marxism. Karl Marx claimed that our society is capitalist, i.e. it is divided into two major groups: the dominant class (the richer/ bourgeoisie) and the working class (the poorer/proletariat). The higher class are the people with power, the people who own enterprises, the employers. On the contrary, the lower class, are the...
Words: 2435 - Pages: 10
