It is my belief that there is no greater creature, real or imagined, than the zombie. More misunderstood than Frankenstein’s monster, more sinister than a Werewolf and far creepier than any vampire, the zombie burrows deeper into the human psyche than all other monsters combined.
With the release of 28 Weeks Later, I thought this would be a good time to explore the legend of the zombie. I will do so with a review of the aforementioned film; a DVD review of another zombie film, Versus; and a book review of The Book of the Dead, The Complete History of Zombie Cinema. This is the third in the series.

The Book of The Dead: The Complete History of Zombie Cinema

Author: Jamie Russell

The Book of the Dead: The Complete History of Zombie Cinema explores how the zombie entered into the history of cinema and examines the social context of that entry. It also includes a Zombie Filmography that details just about every zombie film ever made.

The one thing that most fascinates me about film is subtext, particularly as a social commentary. The zombie is ripe with this factor. Whether you see the zombie as a symbol of mass conformity, loss of control or pure apathy, there is no question that the zombie has an almost limitless ability to be used for social and cultural symbolism.

The Book of the Dead begins with the zombie’s origins in voodoo, dating back to the 19th century. It would be nearly a century after the introduction of the concept of the zombie through the explorations within books and magazines that the zombie would be introduced into the medium of film.

The zombie stayed with its voodoo origins for the most part until the 1950’s when it was forced to adapt to changing times. With the rise in science fiction films, the cause of zombies went from voodoo magic to toxic waste. To this day, one is more likely to find a zombie caused by toxic waste than voodoo.

Still, the zombie was never given proper respect until a man by the name of George A. Romero presented Night of the Living Dead in 1968. With a deep subtext and unique film style, Romero gave birth to the modern-day zombie. Yes!

Having seen this film as a fetus (my mom was pregnant with me when my dad took her to see it), I would naturally cite Night as my favorite zombie film. After all, where would the zombie be without it? I shudder to think.

The Book of the Dead follows the zombie through the years and all around the world. It explores the zombie in Italian, Spanish and Asian cinema – and all places in between. But as it does, it details the social and cultural implications of each film.

For example, early voodoo-related zombies tended to symbolize racial divide with the zombie representing the Western World’s fear of ‘primitive’ rituals and superstitions. Toxic-waste created zombies symbolized the fear of nuclear war. Romero’s zombies tackled issues that include The Civil Rights Movement, consumerism and the restructuring of social order.

Two of my favorite films, Shaun of the Dead and 28 Days Later, are great examples of how the zombie can be used for social commentary. Shaun has its characters oblivious to the impending zombie threat. It parallels how we tend to be oblivious to each other, totally apathetic to what goes on around us. 28 Days Later, while technically not a zombie film (I will never think otherwise!), exposes the issue of rage in society. It attempts to show how our anger towards other people has possibly gotten out of control.

I know there are many who argue that zombie movies, and horror films in general, are merely an excuse to be gory; that they are for perverse people who enjoy watching people die. To them, I say CENSORED!!!! Beyond the social commentary of the zombie lay a philosophical approach where the zombie is used to question our very existence. It explores the temporariness of our physical selves, ranging in exploration from grim to comic. There is so much more to zombies and horror films than just blood and guts.

But even where there is only just blood and guts, that in itself is a commentary. It is a rebellion against a societal expectation that says such things should not be shown.

The world is full of cruelty and violence. Anti-horror people would argue that such films add to it. I argue that they diminish it. I fail to see how we could explore such issues without exposing them. You cannot express fear of the potential for societal flaws to become inescapable situations with flowers and smiles.

We all need to get messages, but we each prefer to receive them in different ways. Some prefer to get theirs through religion; others arts; others science. Some prefer positive, beautiful images. There are those of us who prefer to seek out messages in the dark, gory and unpleasant subtext of zombie films.

If you are one of those people, you owe it to yourself to read The Book of The Dead. Zombies rule.

Grade: A++