After reading a few of the blogs posted by my fellow students, I began thinking about what today’s society would consider a monster. Most of the films released under the horror genre today feature serial killers, genetically modified humans/animals, or physiologically altered creatures as the main antagonists. Now, while humans and creatures that have undergone some biological mutation would fit into Carroll’s definition of horror, the serial killer does not. Carroll argues that serial killers are something psychologically impure rather than biologically impure; therefore, they cannot be monsters according to his (narrow) definition. So, what are the most popular, frightening monsters in film today that would fit into Carroll’s concept of horror?
For me, the answer is easy: zombies.
Although what many consider the first zombie film (Victor Halperin’s White Zombie) was released in 1932, the zombie movie has been a staple at the cinemas since the 1960s. Beginning with George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), and Day of the Dead (1985), the zombie film has become an integral facet of the horror genre. Today, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of available books, films, television shows, miniseries, etc… concerning zombies. Some of these works are strictly categorized as horror while others like Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead and Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland (both mentioned by Bob below) are also considered comedies. In fact, Shaun of the Dead is even considered by some to be a romantic comedy...with zombies, of course. In addition, many authors today are inserting zombies into classic, canonical literature (i.e. Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) to make it more relevant and humorous for new generations. Others, like Max Brooks and his works The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z, are simply creating a new genre of literature centered on the zombie. Finally, in a strange twist of narrative and plot, many of the most recent zombie films (such as those in the Resident Evil franchise) no longer feature the zombies as the villains. Instead, they are simply the tools used by evil corporations who, in the quest for world domination, are developing technologies that can be used to control what is left of humanity. From this perspective, one can almost sympathize with the flesh-eating masses who are stumbling through the desert aimlessly (until there is fresh, living food available). Truly, the list of works and interpretations is endless!
Nevertheless, why are people so fascinated and frightened by zombies? Is it because they are humans who have been reduced to creatures whose bodies, while dead and decomposing, are still able to walk because their brains have been biologically altered by radioactivity, a virus, etc…? Is it because they represent a world without morals in which people come back from the dead as mindless corpses craving flesh? Or, is it because the inherent fear of humanity is actually the loss of all reasoning skills and that intrinsic (albeit intangible) thing that makes us human?
Whatever the reasoning behind society’s fascination with zombies, I feel this particular monster is here to stay. Case in point: AMC’s The Walking Dead
5 comments:
I agree with your points on why people find zombies so horrifying and also interesting. The idea of being pitted against hordes of some of the most dangerous monsters ever thought of is alone terrifying, but the fact that that mob of terror is made up of one's fellow countrymen, co-workers, neighbors, even family members adds an emotional aspect to the genre which goes beyond the traditional art-horror emotion. In zombie fiction, the non-zombiefied humans have to abandon their homes, jobs, loved ones, and, ultimately, the lives they used to live if they hope to survive. This situation not only pits characters against true monsters, it also often robs them of hope and isolates them from the rest of the world (even if it is because the rest of the world as the character knows it has ceased to exist, like during fiction about zombie apocalypses). Additionally, I think that the popularity of zombie fiction, which is, comparatively, a new thing, owes a lot to the fact that zombies have truly penetrated every aspect of the media more than other creatures, especially in the last decade or so. Indeed, I would even say that, in the world of art-horror monsters, zombies have risen to the top spot, and, regardless of the future of the horror genre, the walking dead have earned their place in the realm of classic monsterdom.
I agree too. Zombies are scary because they don't feel anything--with vampires, Dracula or whomever might be feeling charitable that day and let you go, and with werewolves they're human sometimes. But zombies don't really do much in the way of critical thinking, and they exist only to kill you, which is kind of flattering when you think about it. All those zombies in Zombieland weren't doing anything when the main characters weren't on screen, they were just hanging out look for victims. It would make me feel wanted. But the point is, that single mindedness, especially in people you used to know, freaks people out. Also, a helpful hint is to have a code word with your friends, so if one of them gets turned into a zombie, you can make sure that they are in fact a zombie before shooting him or her. This is especially useful if you have friends who sleepwalk.
My opinion agrees with Bob's, what makes zombies frightening is the fact that they were people once, and not that long ago. One of the greatest horrors a person caould face would be to have to look inot the face (granted probably a little rotted at this point than you would remember) of a friend, family member or lover and destroy them in order to survive because they are trying to destroy you. The horror and psychological tole that that would take on someone, anyone is unimaginable.
Zombies...horrifying indeed. Here you have the combination of the living and the dead in a decaying human body that wants to eat you. I think that fits Carroll's guidelines for a monster. I agree with what Holly said about them being even more frightening because they were human not long ago. This almost adds another dimension to the horror of them.
Zombies are terrifying, disgusting, and impossible monsters. I agree that they are definitely the new monsters on the scene. It also depends what story line you go off of to see how scary they really can be. Even in the zombie parody movies with the slow moving and stupid zombies, they would be terrifying. Like Bob and Holly said, if it were someone you knew and loved it would be intense and traumatic to face a zombie attack. They changed from being a living, breathing friend to a monster that wants to eat your flesh-- scary. In the ridiculously scary zombie movies where the zombies still have cognitive thinking and super speed, well you’re doomed. That is a frightening thought because it’s hard for you to outsmart them and they will not hesitate to eat you since they lack emotions and compassion. These zombies would be the ones to destroy the world.
Post a Comment