Imagine this. It’s day 3 trapped inside the Gordon Aikman and supplies are wearing thin. Will you wait it out another night or brave The Meadows? Don’t know? Well, you’d better think on it fast because when the zombie apocalypse is here, it’s do or die.
Warning: minor spoilers up ahead
Living in Edinburgh we’re not in the worst place for an apocalypse to break out; Scotland provides a convenient escape North to the Highlands, as well as close proximity to the sea — although if you’ve watched Zach Synder’s 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead then you know how that can turn out! That being said, the centre of Edinburgh is a tourist frenzy, so unlucky New Towners — you’re probably fucked. For those of us who do have a chance, then look no further; this will tell you all you need to know for when the apocalypse hits, because if you thought you could just hole up in Pollock, you’ve got another thing coming!
As a hard-core fan of The Walking Dead, I feel as though I’ve been consuming zombie media since before I could talk. Yes, I even endured season 11! But in its glory days, an episode of TWD couldn’t be beaten. It ignited my love for the zombie genre and forced me to start asking myself the important questions in life… would I be better off with Michonne’s katana or Negan’s wired baseball bat?
How did this genre come to be, you ask? Zombie folklore originated centuries ago in Haitian Vodou religion, linked to voodoo practitioners known as “bokors”. Anthropologist Wade Davis published a paper in 1983 in which he argued that tetrodotoxin (a potent neurotoxin found in marine animals such as puffer fish) was the primary compound used in concoctions made by bokors which could lead to zombie-like symptoms. Although, another interpretation is that zombie folklore may have been inspired by the horrific conditions of slavery in Haiti. It’s suggested that zombies were a metaphorical representation of humans who were denied agency over their own bodies and forced to endure the barbarity of enslavement, thus leading them to wish for death as an escape.
In 1932, White Zombie was released — the first ever zombie film — which appears to reflect this complex history, as it’s often interpreted to exhibit an underlying social commentary on US imperialism and a critique on subjugation and enslavement. The genre was then popularised by George Romero — director of Night of the Living Dead and the original 1978 Dawn of the Dead — who was the first to portray them as cannibalistic. From then on the films became detached from the Haitian origins as the concept began to take on a life of its own and so the cult following began.
There’s so much variety as to the depiction of zombies in films, even down to the fundamentals like how did the outbreak occur: fungus, virus or something else entirely? This is one of many reasons that makes the category just so exciting. Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later is a classic, which follows Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes up from a 28-day coma only to find the world in complete disarray. Only five years after, the sequel 28 Weeks Later was released and now fans are awaiting the newest instalment, as 28 Years Later is coming to us in 2025. Train to Busan is another great one, from Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, where the backdrop of the train facilitates some visually-unique action sequences.
Then you’ve got World War Z with Brad Pitt, which I’d commend for its creative ending and the Jerusalem scene, where the zombies form a wall by scrambling over each other — a strikingly novel moment. If we’re talking about original endings, then The Girl with All the Gifts most certainly deserves a mention, posing a philosophical question and a moral dilemma for you to chew on for days.
Then, there are zomcoms like Zombieland — full of absurd rules and a search for a Twinkie. Very different in vibe but just as hilarious, Shaun of the Dead (one of the Cornetto Trilogy) is an embodiment of classic British humour. How would we deal with an apocalypse? “Go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for this all to blow over.” There’s even a romance market with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Warm Bodies, the former of which involves a love story in a zombie-filled world, and the latter a love story WITH a zombie itself. You’ve then got I Am Legend or The Last of Us, which don’t technically count, but are often grouped in. Plus if you’re looking for a zombie book series, Charlie Higson’s The Enemy is a captivating read.
The zombie genre is amazing, so if you need to brush up on your knowledge — I’d recommend any of the examples above. Go watch some films, practise your survival skills, and ask yourself this: if it came down to it, which member of your family would you be willing to sacrifice?
“Zombie Head 2” by welovethedark is licensed under CC BY 2.0.