Zombies in depth

Lately, we have been shown three types of zombies.

There is the "classic" zombie which is a body raised from the grave to do the bidding of the one who commands it. This is a non-willed zombie. It has no independent thought on it's own. it is simply an animated corpse.

Next we have the "modern" zombie which is a semi-re-animated corpse in that there is no magic or voodoo person which raised the body. It has no real thought but it does have independent action. It's primary motivation is to feed on living flesh, seeming to prefer human. The cause of this has been related to extra-terrestrial influences, mutated or man-made viruses, bacteria or germs and biological testing by scientists in the form of chemicals or airborne carried.

The last of the bunch is the "un-zombie". These are people who are not actually textbook dead. They are fundamentally still alive but are suffering an illness which renders them similar to a modern zombie. They must either be killed or allowed to die or try to find some antidote to cure them. This is generally said to be caused by a mutated or man made virus, bacteria or germ.


In the case of the last category, the "un-zombie", the scare or threat here is ultimately humans. It is our own science and technology that is our downfall and the greed and power hungry motivations that make it happen. Having said that, the "un-zombies" themselves, while representing a physical threat, do not provide a "scare" related to supernatural causes. It's just us and it ends with us on the "normal" plane. The most recent example of the "Un-zombie" is in the Will Smith movie, "I Am Legend", based on the Richard Matheson story but using zombies instead of vampires.

The first "classic" zombies do provide a supernatural scare, but still related to a man made cause. The voodoo practitioner or witchdoctor. Depending on the method of making the zombies determines how effective they are. Some of the classic zombies are called and controlled in "real time" meaning that the spell only works as long as the witch doctor is actively using it. Another method is a spell using supernatural beings such as spirits or demons to animate the zombies in which once the zombie is called forth, it does not require the witchdoctor to actively control it. This gives it an autonomous quality, but it is still compelled to act on the reasons it was called forth. The intentions of the magician or voodoo practitioner.

The "classic" zombie is usually used as a henchman to kill, attack, defend or otherwise wreak havoc. Usually in relation to something the person controlling it wants to steal, protect or damage.

The "modern" zombie is supernatural in that regardless of how it was animated, it is autonomous and self motivated. It heeds no master or requires no direct control or underlying external intent. There is suggestion that the "modern" zombie, having no "soul" or divine essence as it did when it was alive, can begin, after a period of time, to behave according to habits and basic motivations that it can sometimes make out from the brain.

Stories focusing on "classic" zombies were those depicted in books and movies common until the 1950's and 60's. Most of them based om superstitions and myths having to do with african and south american mysticism.

The "modern" zombie essentially began in the 1960's with George Romero as it's most recognized defining source. We see the "modern" zombie being the most "popular" and fright inducing zombie since then and up to current times.

The "un-zombies" are a bit more recent, though traces of them can be seen as far back as the 1960's with "The Last Man on Earth" movie starring Vincent Price. That movie is an adaption of the Richard Matheson story "I am Legend". However, in the Matheson story, the monsters are vampires, not zombies. The movie with Price is somewhat unclear to that, making un-spoken reference to both vampires and zombies.

"Un-zombies" have been the focus of movies like "28 days...", "28 weeks..", "The Crazies" and others.

Of all the zombie types, perhaps the most "effective" in terms of frightening readers and audiences has been the "modern" zombie in that it, by leaving the reason for animation up in the air most of the time (see the George Romero movies for that being the most common) leaves the most to the imagination of the viewer.

Unlike the other two types, the "modern" zombies just toss out some un-dead cadavers looking to lunch on people and there is not a lot that can stop them. We don't know how they got here, don't know why they are here. What we do know is if we don't stop them, we are goners. Everything else is left up to imagination and speculation. Which, for the imaginative and creative viewer, can be more than enough to send chills down their spine as they can come up with some pretty frightening things to speculate on.

However, in the new age of "do it for me", imagination among viewers is at an all time low. many people don't want to dredge the recesses of their mind to make a story work. They want the story laid out squarely and completely. They want graphics and special effects to show them the most grisly of details.

Because of this, the "un-zombies" have been experiencing a bit of an up-turn for these jaded and un-imaginative people.

There really hasn't been any compelling new stories featuring "classic" zombies presented in the last decade or more to even place it on the awareness scale of most people now. The last time we saw effective "classic" zombies was in a movie like "Poltergeist". In which the spirits animated the zombies to frighten the family into giving the little girl up. That was a very limited and borderline zombie appearance at it's best anyway.

The movie "Re-Animator" from 1985 takes an H.P. Lovecraft theme and sort of falls into the "classic" zombie category. Science is the animating force with dubious results culminating in autonomous, self-willed zombies.

Zombies play on multiple fears for people. Claustrophobia, religious fears, social fears, paranoia and more. Obviously, being eaten alive and seeing decaying cadavers chasing you hits the gross out factor.

There have been efforts to make zombie movies "fun" by adding a comedic element to them, which has had mixed success. Movies like "Shaun of the Dead" have made an effort to keep the spirit of the "modern" zombie movie in force while interjecting humor into the dialogue.

All in all, I prefer the "modern" zombies and have a respect for the "classic" zombies. The "un-zombies" don't do much for me. If I want to see mans failures at playing with nature, all I have to do is watch the news.