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Zombie Walks: The Dead Are Among Us
CasedOut
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I am sure you have all heard of Zombie Walks, if not they are large gatherings of people who dress up like zombies and roam the streets. See below.
Has anyone here ever been on a zombie walk? What is the appeal? I am looking for a little more than just "zombies are cool." I am looking for a deeper understanding of the psychology of it. Why do people want to form huge groups pretending to be flesh eating undead?
I have my own ideas on why people partake in these events, but I would like to hear some of your thoughts before I put my own down.
Has anyone here ever been on a zombie walk? What is the appeal? I am looking for a little more than just "zombies are cool." I am looking for a deeper understanding of the psychology of it. Why do people want to form huge groups pretending to be flesh eating undead?
I have my own ideas on why people partake in these events, but I would like to hear some of your thoughts before I put my own down.
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My mind combined the two, it being close to Halloween and all, and I thought it was a great, seasonal way to raise money/awareness until I sorted the two out. I still think it would be a great charity fundraiser, though - "Zombie 5k Shamble for (cancer/pediatric AIDS/local food bank)!" would be a neat way to have something other than a jog/walk.
whoever came up with the idea of zombie walks is a genius
Steam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVRoXPAhpfg
I was in a zombie walk 2 years ago, was pretty small but a lot of fun and the bystanders love it
it's just something you wouldn't expect to see walking around downtown and it livens things up in a way
Funny you should say that
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iUgDNYMzd3i_3CVLDE00vwdOKLsQ?docId=CNG.bd6bd0d86d63f1a0e61b464e310712d2.d21
It's not going down too well.
It's fun to be part of a big group event.
So... cause it's cool.
Yep. Just one guy in a zombie costume is a lone zombie. Lone zombies aren't scary. A horde of zombies, on the other hand...
No.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
That's a good idea. A great idea would have both events at the same time. And the zombies chase 5K runners.
yeah, it's just set up for issues
the food bank idea is better: "The undead hunger, but the living shouldn't have to"
I think people want to walk around as a horde of zombies for a couple hours
But isnt the whole point of zombie movies is basically that the group mentality sucks? I mean thats what I get from watching zombie films anyways, the masses are bad, individualism is good, hence the irony. I mean I dont know how other people interpret zombie films but thats what I get out of them.
Are you arguing that participating in a group event for two hours somehow meaningfully abrogates your individuality?
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Survival and Diary of the Dead? Night of the Living Dead (unintentional themes of racism not withstanding)? How about the Return series?
These having nothing to do with mob mentality, the former two are just awful, pointless films, Night had no intended theme, and the latter was done for a laugh. The endless supply of unofficial "of the Dead" movies are also all just cash ins on the name, themes go out the window. Not sure what the Zombi series was all about, but it at one point had a zombie fighting a shark, so I mean...
I don't know about modern rabies-movies, but they don't really register for my tastes, anyways.
Edit: And, honestly, zombie movies have been nothing but spoofs since the 90's, with crap like Hood of the Living Dead, Dead Snow, Flight of the Living Dead, etc.
No, I am just saying its somewhat ironic.
No...it would be ironic if it all became a disorganized disaster.
This...this is not ironic at all.
Hi Dawn of the Dead remake would like a word.
As would 28 days/weeks later.
What I mean to say is that I believe the message behind zombie films and people dressing up into hordes of zombies do not mesh. Its like, why would you want to identify with a mindless flesh eatin cannibal? Even if it is just pretend.
You're not identifying with it you goose you're dressing up as a monster from a genre of films you enjoyed because IT'S FUN TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALSO LIKE SAID THING.
Also for all the wrongness of zombies it's usually the humans in these films that are the darkest monsters.
This is a video of one of the organizers of the toronto zombie walk, Skip to 1:55 if you want the pertinent parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AprpV3n6cA0
"The great thing about being a zombie is its like a collective unconcious."
"Its like an amazing collective experience"
Do words like these not go against the very spirit of zombie films? Do words like these not raise alarm bells with anyone?
The second is not concerning at all. I see no problem whatsoever with having an amazing collective experience. The opposite, in fact.
I think this is the part I am caught up on perhaps, maybe you could care to elaborate on this?
But the remake was awful and as I said the rabies-films aren't zombies as far as my cocern go.
I will say that the news cast special feature of the remake was awesome. I wish I could rig it up to my campus' TVs, and have it going all around campus on Halloween. Its just fantastic.
I'm pretty sure I just outlined thats not really a major thing in zombie films?
Its not a major thing in zombie films, its a thing in major zombie films. Slight difference.
I guess if you track back the old school voodoo movies, that enters into it as well. Most folks aren't bothering with soul-slaves, though.
Not everyone loves zombies. Zombies are big on the internet, but the chance to talk about them and gush is pretty low outside of it. For me, at least.
Thats why I think zombie walks look like fun. I get to hang around people that, most likely, have a thing for horror movies and stuff.
Okay.
Here's an example.
I like football.
I would like to go to a game.
I get there early to join a tailgate party in the parking lot with other football fans.
This is one of the basics of social interaction. Doing things in public with people of shared interests.
Also some of the 'spoofs' have been fucking fantastic.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
We are more so trying to get at the heart of the event in my opinion. I think just saying "Oh its like minded individuals just getting together" is sort of brushing aside any deeper thought and taking the easy way out.
I think its the specific shared interest that has me worried, why do these people like zombie films? I mean I like zombie films, but clearly not for the same reasons as the zombie walkers.
it's really foolish to making the sweeping generalization that all zombie films are about X and there's no discussing it
You haven't actually shown it to be anything beyond that.
People have a common interest. People get together to have fun including that interest. Collective fun is had.
Dead Snow is an excellent zombie comedy, and Fido is one of my favourite zombie movies of any type.
Something about the lady from Matrix falling in love with Billy Connoly the Zombie is just good times.
Edit: Really? How many times can I point out that the theme of individualism isn't the driving force in zombie movies?
I don't think the majority of participants assigned any deeper thought than 'oh this might be fun'.
I think you're trying to stuff something in that isn't there.
No the reasons are likely the exact same, you just don't feel them as strongly. This is perfectly normal.
I don't really care about the individuality vs. conformity themes in zombie films. I think that after Night of the Living Dead, those themes have been minimal if not nonexistent.
My interest in zombie films is that I enjoy watching civilization descend into chaos.
Watching zombie mobs gives me a sense of that in real life.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.