brains... Brains... BRAINS!!

Ever wonder why it's so common a theme for the 'mindless' zombies to be seeking brains? They're simply the scarecrow from the wizard of oz, searching for some smarts. The only difference is that instead of having a convenient wizard to give them brains, they, in their faulty logic, think they can gain knowledge by eating other people's brains. It's really quite a sad story.

In all seriousness though, I find that the rise of the zombie in pop culture as our figurehead of the modern monster makes an interesting comment on our society. Have you noticed that Vampires, although still a popular figure, are no longer scary? I'm not just talking about the kind that glitter. Even in other shows (i.e. Vampire Diaries, True Blood, etc), the Vampire is more of a Romantic figure. They've become the Byronic Hero of horror, the misunderstood loner with their own set of morals, and have crept into daytime dramas. Zombies, on the other hand, are doing quite well in the horror film business (even if they touch on the comedic at times). We replaced a lethal intelligent being, with mindless drones of lethal beings. Is it that we don't find intelligence scary anymore? or is it that intelligence was just too much to handle.

I think there's an ingredient in the recipe for monsters that Carroll doesn't mention. Not only does a monster have to be threatening and bizarre, but it also has to be something that we think we can defeat. If there's no chance of human survival, what's the fun in seeing the human race struggle as it gets obliterated. If you really think about it, Vampires could wipe us out without much struggle. They're intelligent, have superhuman strength and other powers, and have very few limitations (oh, they have a curfew during the day, big deal). Zombies on the other hand, have their masses, and their mindlessness, but can be taken out with shotguns, machetes and other household items you can pick up at Home Depot. With Zombies, we've still got a chance.

My inspiration for this comparison actually came from 'I AM LEGEND'. As per usual, the movie was awesome, but the book was still better. In the book, the people that have been infected by the virus turn into Vampires, not Zombies. One scene in the book that I found particularly haunting was when the main character can hear his friend and neighbor calling to him from outside the house. This neighbor is calling to him, so that he can eat him. The ending is quite different too, but I don't want to ruin that for anyone. (you should all go read it!!) Overall though, Hollywood has once again made the cunning foe, into a mindless mass.