Zombify it

(Warning: this post contains no educational technology benefit whatsoever).

As friends on Twitter will know, I have a bit of a zombie film obsession. Sure, I like arthouse cinema, The Double Life of Veronique and Wages of Fear are amongst my favourite films, but given the choice, I'd opt for a Romero most nights.

Anyway, the other night, rather than watch some rubbish TV, I created my top ten zombie films in a wiki. A small point - this is why TV is in trouble, because people can do this kind of thing easily, and it's much more fun.

I also commented in a tweet that there were very few films which wouldn't be improved by the introduction of zombies into the plot at some point, in my view. Don't believe me? Just think how much more interesting these films become when we zombify their tag lines:

• Sex and the City: Get carried away. And eaten.
• Bolt: A hero is unleashed, along with a deadly chemical that brings the dead back to life.
• Confessions of a shopaholic: All she ever wanted was a little credit, now she's dying for a refund
• He's just not that into you - erm, actually this doesn't need changing, just reimagine the title.

So the next time you're stuck watching a dull film (a romcom, or heaven help us, a musical) play this game: How could zombies be introduced into the plot? I guarantee that it will become much more enjoyable.

Comments

[Mark Curcher]

Martin
Everything could be improved with some Zombies in the plot - not just movies. As I work on the first TMA of H807 - how I wish there were some Innovative Zombies I could reference into the paper.
As a fellow runner - you must have had the Zombie Runner feeling when you hit the wall on a LSD run.

[Martin]

Hi Mark, yes, we really don't have enough zombies in courses do we? You could make a serious attempt at explaining the centralisation/decentralisation dilemma for institutional IT services by reference to zombie survival tactics.
And to other readers we should explain that an LSD run is a long, slow distance one, not a drugs pick-up :)

[Ed Webb]

I came here looking for the killer - er - undead app that would zombify my screen in the tradition of http://www.cornify.com/. You have disappointed me. For this, I shall eat your brains. Yep.

[Brennig Jones]

Sex And The City crossed with Invasion of The Body Snatchers! Or the sub-zombification of Night of The Comet. I think you've saved me from hours of boredom!

[Jim]

Martin,

Excellent top 10, though I have to admit I am truly surprised Night of the Living Dead didn't make it over 28 Days later or Shaun of the Dead though (or even the Dawn of the Dead remake). I mean, the 1978 Dawn of the Dead is my favorite too, but Night of the Living Dead is the great race allegory, and starts the whole thing rolling. Also, it uses the radio so beautifully, and creates amazing scenes with simple description. like when the explosion of the oil tanker on the highway is described so poetic and quintessentially zombie. I think this film needs to be in your top ten. Please reconsider :)

I'm also amazed Return of the Living Dead trumped Fulchi's Zombi, I like Return of the Living Dead, but I'm not sure it would beat out Zombi. I'm also surprised Redneck Zombies didn't make the top ten :) I'm gonna have to publish my own when I can find time to blog again.

Great stuff, and now I have three new Zombie films to see: rec, Cemetary Man, and Versus. You rule!

PS I'm kind of insulted you don't think this post has any educational content at all, it kind of threw me into an existential crisis.

[Martin]

@Jim - I let Dawn stand for the trilogy really, as otherwise three of the top 5 would be Romero. Have rectified and put the trilogy as No 1.
Zombie Flesh Eaters (as I will get you to call it one day) is higher than Return!
Haven't seen Redneck Zombie - is it good? I don't really like 28 days beyond the first 20 mins so would swap it out easily enough.
Re. your existential crisis - you have managed to create a blog where the combination of 80s B-movies and Wordpress extensions seems like a natural, indeed urgent, ed tech analysis. Some of us are more one dimensional I'm afraid.

[Jim]

Redneck Zombies is terrible, but that's why I like it. As for my existential crisis, just having fun with you ;)

Have you seen White Zombie lately? It isn't necessarily a brilliant film, but it is particualrly independent for its moment, and the lead zombie (or the most famous zombie) is obviously Romero's inspiration for his own zombies that I would have to say the 1968 Night of the Living Dead is an obvious homage and quote of this film.