Single L.A. Dad: zombies

Friday, November 19, 2010

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Why Do People Like Zombie Movies?

With the advent of the new AMC show "The Walking Dead", I've been thinking a lot about zombies. Okay, that's a lie - I've always thought about zombies and/or post-apocalyptic scenarios. I'm trying to figure out why this genre is so appealing. I just caught the end of Zombieland, and I think I have a possible answer. By the way, if you haven't seen Zombieland, stop reading now, and go and rent/buy/download it - its a perfect mixture of comedy and zombies (right alongside Shaun of the Dead.)

So...zombies. Why are they so appealing? At the end of Zombieland, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) realizes that the small group that he is a part of (Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) , Wichita (Emma Stone...sigh) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin)) are the closest thing he's ever had to a real family. I think that is exactly what this genre speaks to. Often it feels like the rest of the world is, at best totally indifferent to us, and at worst, completely hostile to us, ready to literally eat us alive. And what stands between us and them? Our small group of family and friends. They are the only things that protect us from the big, bad world. I think this is what resonates the most with people. Add to this the fear that someone in our own group may turn out to betray us, i.e., become a zombie, and you can really understand its appeal.