Zombies in Popular Culture

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Zombies in Popular Culture

Statesman Travel writer Helen Anders learned much from New Orleans Voodoo Museum owner Jerry Gandolfo about the voodoo traditions and legends regarding zombies. While zombies are enjoying a pop-culture moment - 'The Walking Dead,' 'World War Z' - we thought we'd explore the undead in pop culture.

Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein,' a progenitor of the modern zombie tale, was first committed to the silver screen back in 1931. In 1994, Kenneth Branagh took a stab at the classic monster flick, casting Robert De Niro in the role Boris Karloff made famous.

In the late 1960s, fledgling filmmaker George A. Romero banded together with a group of friends to produce "Night of the Living Dead," one of the earliest and most important zombie films of all time. Although the film was controversial at the time due to its gory special effects, it would later be added to the National Film Registry.

He gave birth to the zombie genre in 1968 with 'Night of the Living Dead,' but it wasn't until 1978 that he made another foray into documenting the exploits of the flesh eaters. 'Dawn of the Dead' was greeted with acclaim by critics and at the box office at the time of its release, and has become a cult classic, along with its predecessor.

Marc Forster directed 2013's 'World War Z,' based off the best-selling 2006 horror novel by Max Brooks. Brad Pitt stars as Gerry Lane, a former United Nations official who is reluctantly dragged into a mission to stop the zombie pandemic threatening to end mankind.

A sequel to Danny Boyle's '28 Days Later,' '28 Weeks Later' picks up six months after a terrifying Rage Virus pandemic has destroyed the population of London. Both films were well-received by critics, regarded for their craftsmanship and the way they walked the line between genres.

The group of friends had all they would need for a successful Easter vacation; cabin, skis, snowmobile, toboggan, copious amounts of beer and a fertile mix of the sexes. Certainly, none of them had anticipated not returning home alive! However, the Nazi-zombie battalion haunting the mountains surrounding the aptly named Oksfjord (Axefjord) had other plans...

Following in the sparkly footsteps of the 'Twilight' series, 2013's earnest 'Warm Bodies' provides a twist on the teen romance genre. Nicholas Hoult stars as the zombie heartthrob that high schooler Julie falls in love with... you know, after killing her human boyfriend.

Though zombie films have always been profitable at the box office, 2009's 'Zombieland' shattered records with its clever, comedic script. Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Woody Harrelson as they journey toward the supposedly zombie-free climes of Pacific Playland. Thumbs up for Twinkies, and one very memorable cameo we won't spoil here.

Cuban filmmaker Alejandro Bruges' 'Juan of the Dead' premiered at Fantastic Fest here in Austin in 2011, winning praise for the way it manages to couch political commentary into its comedic proceedings.

Finally -- a zombie flick for kids. The animated film tells the tale of Norman Babcock, a young man who has the ability to speak to the dead. No one believes Norman until a magical storm unleashes zombies upon Blithe Hollow, and it's up to Norman to save the town from the curse.

Though he was well-known to audiences across the pond for appearances in TV shows like 'Spaced,' it was 2004's zombie comedy 'Shaun of the Dead' that put Simon Pegg and frequent collaborator Edgar Wright on the map.

AMC's hit series 'The Walking Dead' has won a bevy of awards over the course of its three-seasons-and-counting run, including a Golden Globe for Best Television Series. Filmmaker Frank Darabont developed the series from Robert Kirkman's 'Walking Dead' comic book series.

Even Jane Austen gets the zombie treatment, courtesy of Seth Grahame-Smith's 2009 novel, 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.' A filmic adaptation of the book has been in talks ever since the book's release, though the project has fallen through several times. Most recently, English actress Lily Collins has stated that she will star in the upcoming film.

What better way to feed the zombie craze than with a videogame? 'Left 4 Dead' was developed by Turtle Rock Studios and released in 2008. The multi-player shooter game has players attempt to survive as zombies circle in on them.

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Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein,' a progenitor of the modern zombie tale, was first committed to the silver screen back in 1931. In 1994, Kenneth Branagh took a stab at the classic monster flick, casting Robert De Niro in the role Boris Karloff made famous.

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