The Role Of Zombies In Cinema

Zombies have been portrayed in cinema and on television for almost a century, in which time the zombie has developed and altered to reflect the world around us, particularly our fears, worries and guilt. Zombies’ beginnings as meagre representations of Haitian voodoo have now been replaced with modern fears such as a rampant airborne virus or a toxic water supply resulting in contamination and death. These simple changes noticeably demonstrate the shifting outlook of society and prove that the Zombie is not solely a horror film favourite but a vessel for contemporary culture. Throughout its existence, the Zombie has become a manifestation of the fears and downfalls of society. Thus, the portrayal of the undead in the media serves as a window

28 days later was released in 2002 and chronicled the story of a man regaining consciousness in hospital to find that London had been overrun by rabid Zombies. The imagery featured throughout the film is extremely striking, an eerie cityscape riddled with ravenous beings, burning buildings, streets scattered with debris and wreckage. These images are undeniably evocative, and at the time of the film’s release, they were particularly reminiscent of the events of 911. However, it is important to realise that the majority of the scenes were already filmed before the September 11th attacks, and so it was not composed with the intention of resonating in such a manner. Todd K. Platts journal article remarks

It represents the ultimate fight between order and chaos. Humans have long endeavoured to assign a greater meaning to our lives, an idea of a better future or a serene afterlife to compensate for the troubles of human existence. For centuries, governments and leaders have utilised the prospect of a better life following one’s earthly existence as a means of maintaining power and social order “civil governments still believe that they cannot maintain moral order among the living if they do not uphold the prospect of a better life hereafter as a recompense for mundane existence” (Freud 17). However, in modern times the rise of atheism in society has resulted in this strategy becoming ineffectual. Thus, the steady growth of the Zombie industry could reflect modern culture’s religious doubts and anxiety concerning what happens after death. As a result of my own extensive research into the theme of the Zombie apocalypse, it is feasible to theorize that recent genetic experimentations and the advances in genetic modification have resulted in an ingrained fear that these procedures could go awry and result in a pathological virus. This type of outbreak is commonplace in recent Zombie themed narratives such as The Walking Dead, The Crazies and 28 Days Later; this could echo our inherent distrust of science and