Analysing the zombie culture, past to present Notes

CG Arts & Animation Time Machine Essay (2012) UCA Rochester

David John Vandepeer (Stitch)

INTRODUCTION (SLIDE 2)
This essay is an analysis of the zombie culture to establish its origin & how that projection has changed from past to present. This study will particularly focus on George A. Romeros Night of the living dead (1968) & Frank Darabonts The Walking Dead (2010), two forms of media which contrast the era of their cultures clearly showing their potency in past & present media. George A. Romeros Night of the living dead shows specific reference to the civil rights act. The central cast member Ben played by Duane Jones expresses Romeros forethought in an otherwise white cast. The demise of Duane Jones character as well as sacramental fire crosss are but a few examples of Romeros decision to portray the social calamities of the racist white man. Frank Darabonts The Walking Dead views the world as a whole but distinguished by morality. In later episodes the survivors are to weigh their safety from evil pillagers, should they release their captive he may lead evil men to their camp to pillage and plunder. It is discussed in great detail whether or not it is okay to kill this captive in the off chance that he will reveal their location - human rights.

KEY IDEAS (SLIDE 3)

On the topic of Prometheus who stole fire from Zeus & gave it to mortals Is a god who steals from Zeus & gifts fire to mortals, this is a portrayal of what happens when one defies the natural order (or gods plan). Man becoming more technologically aware earlier on would mean the knowledge wasnt earnt as much can be said for Frankenstein. On the topic of a Motherless Birth (i.e. Frankenstein) Frankensteins monster conveys a motherless birth (unless one was to consider science itself the mother) in which man reanimates a corpse an unholy abomination. Author of Frankenstein Mary Shelley wanted to justify a womans place in society, an era which saw women as inferior & uneducated. Womens rights would be discussed in more detail following Mary Shelley & her mother Mary Wollstonecraft, civil rights would follow. On the topic of Night of the living dead & Racism (Capitalism & Civil rights) The Night of the living dead shows the barbaric white working class as they pillage and reap atrocities for the fun of it. Burning crosss bear homage to Ku Klux Klan as well as Romeros decision to have white men kill the untainted hero Ben. This is very much liken to the assassination of Martin Luther King & Malcolm X. Man is then forced to look at himself & compare his identity to these undead monsters. On the topic of the Walking Dead & Depression (Morality & Dehumanization) The Walking dead looks at the human aspect of survival in a world devoid of hope. Man regrets his past transgressions continuing to repent to the lord; morality is a continuing dilemma with one questioning what is more important, humanity vs. survival. For Man to be humane every action needs to be pure which in some cases comes in spite of survival. The question therefore implies man have to become more monstrous to survive, crisis & sin is sure to follow. On the topic of Religion in a Crisis (Apocalyptic/Sin/Forgiveness) Everything returns to the source of the dilemma, man was gifted knowledge & because it is un-earnt man has succeeded in destroying itself. For this man looks to god to provide some form of answer to their current catastrophe, wondering if they should die now & answer for their sins.

CULTURAL CONTEXT (SLIDE 4)

Mary Shelley Prometheus (Greek for Forethinker) The origin of the living dead was Mary Shelleys want for womens rights. Her works are to portray man a single identity devoid of compulsory mannerisms of the human psyche. Mary Shelley believed society needed women so she conveyed this belief in the most primitive of forms, identifying mans inability to procreate. Frankensteins monster is a portrayal of what could happen if man were to procreate without a woman; an evil monster would be forged deprived of maternal love.

KEY INDIVIDUALS (SLIDE 5)

Mary Shelley (1797 - 1851) Her mother Percy Shelley died when Mary was 11 days old, her father (& Philosopher) William Godwin gave Mary a charmed education. Mary was the Author of the original Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus novel which is highly acclaimed being the first true science fiction story. James Whale (1889 - 1957) Was a soldier in the First World War, he was captured by the Germans as a prisoner of war which is where he established his love for drama. James directed the original 1931 film Frankenstein which established the iconic visual look & demeanour of Frankensteins monster. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759 - 1797) Was an 18th century British writer who believed that women were not inferior to man but only appeared to be due to the lack of their education. Wollstonecrafts influence on Mary Shelley helped forge Shelleys feminism ideals to seek an equal society for men & women. George A. Romero (1940 - present) Born in New York City, he began his career shooting short films & commercials. Directed cult classic Night of the living dead in 1968 & has since built his career on the zombie icon. He is nicknamed Godfather of all Zombies. Frank Darabont (1959 - present) Born in a refugee camp in 1959 became involved in film at 20, Directed the Shawshank redemption (1994) & co-wrote the 1994 rendition of Frankenstein for which he won a Saturn award for best writing. In 2010 he wrote and directed the pilot for AMCs hit post apocalyptic drama The Walking Dead.

HISTORICAL EXAMPLES OF ZOMBIE CULTURE (SLIDE 6)

GREEK MYTHOLOGY FEMINISM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Prometheus (8CBC) Champion of mankind, he stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals. Zeus then punished him for his crime by having him bound to a rock while a great eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day.

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) illustrates mans need of women focusing on feminine affections and compassion. Frankensteins monster is a son born devoid of the mothers maternal love - a synthetic and primal being.

Night of the living dead (1968) was created in a time of racial prejudice. References on toward the Ku Klux Klan ceremonial cross burnings. The unwarranted assassination of coloured central character Ben is not unlike Malcolm X & Martin Luther King.

CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES OF ZOMBIE CULTURE (SLIDE 7)

EXPERIMENTAL CONTAGION EPIDEMIC CONTAGIONS HUMAN RIGHTS

Resident Evil (1996) is largely derived from the Biological Weapons Program in Japan (between 1932 & 1945) which sanctioned live testing on human POWs, tests to fine tune their effects. The game sold 46 million units worldwide as of 09/2011

28 Days Later (2002) the release of epidemic contagion related to biochemical weapons, the outbreaks of SARS, monkey pox & the worsening onslaught of aids on all continents. The film saw great success gaining $82.7 million worldwide.

The Walking Dead (2010) is based on the depression of Apocalypse when man is pushed to the edge losing their humanity like the new monsters of their world. The show saw great success gaining a record of 7.3 million viewers at the season 2 premiere.

HISTORICAL & CONTEMPORARY COMPARISON (SLIDE 8)

The un-dead theme began over a young womans desire to portray her gender in a pure fashion, untainted compared to the impurity of man. Mary Shelley believed that man would only become pure by embracing a womans ideals as well as their own (equal rights). This is in a sense what the civil rights movement had hoped to gain to earn the respect of the world not to be treated as second class citizens. The contagion pandemics were and still are the continuing reform of society as we a world of ethnicities, religions and countries come to adjust and accept one another. We have all established our place in this world as human beings making the current cultural dilemma what is a humans right to live and breathe in this world. What makes man a monster? Zombies are a continuum of human reform & a cultural metaphor for when a man is no longer considered to be human but a monster. Time has been a mirror for this culture, only now the mirror is facing us as individuals to look deep inside ourselves for that true personification of humanity.

CONCLUSION (SLIDE 9)
Man is gifted forbidden knowledge from Prometheus the god who defied a greater power (Zeus). Mary Shelley would transcend this mythical pursuit only to identify Mans shortcomings using science to construct an evil motherless son. George A. Romero used the Night of the living dead to identify similar issues to that of Shelley only this time identifying a savage white race against a heroic African American race. Resident evil would identify the conflict of countries, races & religions throughout wars as they attempt to forge connections & find common ground. 28 Days Later enlists the fallout from the conflict in the world (SARS, Monkey pox, HIV, etc) affecting the innocent to attain reform. The walking dead forces man & woman to look at themselves devoid of identity to find the true personification of what makes them human. Men are forced to look at themselves after a history of sin & pray not to see a monster looking back. Man will return to god & beg for forgiveness the answer of which remains different to each individual pertaining to their journey.