What is a Zombie?

WHAT IS A ZOMBIE?

So, What is a ZOMBIE?

"A zombie (Haitian Creole: zonbi; North Mbundu: nzumbe) is an animated corpse resurrected by mystical means, such as witchcraft.[1] The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotised person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli. Since the late 19th century, zombies have acquired notable popularity, especially in North American and European folklore."



Now the above description is apparently the true definition of a ZOMBIE but over the years this definition as regards to films, book and TV has changed massively, From the original classic White Zombie where the above description fits nearly 100% to the next years Movie adaptation of World War Z where the zombies seem to run faster than Superman! I have to say that out of all the horror genres and sub genres Zombies are definitely my favourite whether it be the latest big movie release or i see the cover of a new straight to DVD zombie movie i am always intrigued.The trouble is with the event of the great comic book and TV series The Walking Dead it seems to has spawned a ton of really bad Zombie movies with nearly every title now renamed for release featuring either "ZOMBIE"or "...of The Dead" in the title very much the same way that the slasher genre was given a new lease of life with the release of Wes Craven's SCREAM franchise also spawning a ton of slashers, some good, some bad and some damn right ugly!!

Frankenstein's Monster, Jason Vorhees, Michael Myres and Freddie Krueger, now are these Zombies? The debate in the horror community has raged on for years and will continue to do so for years to come no doubt, there are many many for's and against, They are all or have been become resurrected dead corpses at one stage or the other, with Frankenstein's Monster being blasted with Electricity therefore man made thus not actually infected with a plague or a virus so does that count? Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers were all originaly created for one movie intention but all spawned a massive load of franchise movies and within this the filmmakers created various ways of bringing them back to life some great and some down right ludicrous but all make for great movies, so yes to all of the above in the respect that they are resurrected corpse's but as with Frankenstein's Monster no virus, bites, Government experiments or plagues, so Zombie's or not?The Debate goes on......

ZOMBIES, RUN!!! OR RUNNING ZOMBIES???

Now here's a question that gets people going, should Zombies Run?

Zak Snyder with his remake of Dawn of the dead had the idea that fresh reanimated corpses still have the reactions and muscle capabilities of the living therefore having all the same speed and quick reactions of their living counterparts and eventually slowing  down overtime to the classic shamblers that we know and love today, unfortunately though the studio apparently wasn't happy with this so he had to stick to runners, Some say that the first running zombies were in 28 days later if in fact they were zombies or just infected(see what i mean about what is a zombie???) but i do remember in the Romero Original Dawn of the Dead the 2 kids that burst through the door do run pretty quick, me personally love both, i love the classic zombies in one of my all time favourite movies Night of the living dead, although these are never refereed to in the film as "zombies" these are your classic shamblers, to me the idea of slow zombies is terrifying, en mass and you are trapped as they are in Night of the living dead what a shit scary scenario, slow paced awaiting death, where as if in Night of the living dead they had all been runners the film would have probably been half as long and not as good, hail to the shambler's!

Runners on the other hand are equally scary but on a different  level scary as hell, i mean imagine hearing as we have seen in many a film the low slow drone of hundreds of The Dead then seeing them running up the street towards you or over the brow of a hill, all you could do is run but where the hell would you go? If it were shambler's you would have a fighting chance but with runners you are just a human fox chased down by a pack of zombie hounds just waiting to rip every last part of flesh from your bones, Hail to the runners!!

So with this post i asked "What is a Zombie?" and i really don't know either, some say it truly is the description at the top, some say a Zombie is Romero's creation so i feel the debate will rage on for ever, I do however know that over the last couple of years it is has become saturated and hugely popular, not just in movies as before but in comic books, TV shows and even best selling literature that is to become a movie adaptation in next years World World Z Which is already dividing opinions as whether it will be great or terrible, but all i really know is that i love zombies, from my very 1st viewing of Dawn of the Dead on VHS i was hooked and continue to be, so basically as long as they keep making them rise from the grave(although you don't see that very often now!) i will keep trawling through the countless films, over the past few years and as a life long zombie fan i am pleased to see such stuff as The Walking Dead TV show breaking cable TV viewing records as well as stuff such as great Zombie films such as The Dead and La Horde emerging as well as remastered Blu-Ray releases of some Fulci Classics, so keep on keeping on and be sure to read your Zombie survival guide in case the end of the world is upon us,

Many thanks,

Jonny T.

*******STOP PRESS!!**********

In a bizzare incident whilst i writing this piece i had a phone call that basically went  i answered and a voice said "Hi is that Jonny T?" i said yes and "You don't know who this is do you?" is said no and then he replied "It's Ken Foree!" to say i was shocked was an understatement! Basically my good mate Big Man Gav is at a Memorabilia convention at the NEC in the UK where Ken is attending and he managed to get him to give me a call and say hi, what a lovely man!!! He did say at the end of the conversation to make sure i put in this post that i had spoken to him and i am not going to argue, many many many thanks to Ken and Gav for making it happen, what a legend!



MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD FULL MOVIE.



Trailers for more great zombie movies!

DAWN OF THE DEAD(1978)



ZOMBIE FLESHEATERS(ZOMBIE 2)

The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue(Let sleeping Corpses lie)

Dellamorte Dellamore(Cemetary man)

The Horde(La Horde)

The Dead

Return of the living dead.

Day of the Dead