Any zombie can dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” right? Some of us non-corpses, though, never quite got through the first three steps without wishing we were dead. But thanks to this fantastic t-shirt, which Threadless reprinted in MJ’s memory, we might just have a chance after all.
Illustrated zombies depict the dance broken down in 12 “frames” in this stylish and user-friendly t-shirt. What more could you want in casual zombie apparel?
A couple of months ago we told you about a lecture given by Dr. Steven C. Schlozman, a Harvard psychiatrist and zombie enthusiast, covering zombie neuroscience and psychology. Unfortunately no one here at Zombie Slash could attend, but thankfully someone did and took extensive notes. We suggest that you take a look. Maybe this zombie thing isn’t so far fetched.
An interesting side note is that Schlozman drafted a faux medical journal article about a zombie outbreak, called “Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome.” Let it be known that we want a copy!
Zombie Hooker Nightmare is a silly, free Flash game on the Adult Swim website, where you’re a hooker who needs to find a john and make some cash in a world overrun by slow, mindless zombies. It’s an easy time waster, and the gameplay is … well, pretty familiar. There are tons of mini games just like it … minus the hookers of course.
The Zombie Slash team—we’re currently lounging across a couch talking about zombies and video games, living the glamorous life of the horror fan blogger—suspects that the reason behind all these zombie mini games is not simply because zombies are awesome (even though they are). It’s also because zombies are easy enemies for game developers to create. The game reviewers at NextGenWalkthroughs agreed with us in their recent walkthrough of Resident Evil 5:
I think that’s one of the reasons why there have been so many zombie games lately: because zombie AI is extremely easy to do, because they’re dumb, they go in a line for you, they b-line for you, they’re not ducking behind cover. (YouTube link)
But then again, we love zombies. So if you want to kill a few minutes of your otherwise dreary day blasting a few dumb zombies, who are we to stop you?
In spite of the mini-scandal surrounding Boston’s Easter Sunday zombie walk, the hordes turned out and had a bloody good time, with little reference to Zombie Jesus, easter bunnies, chocolate, or colored eggs. Check out these video clips from the Boston Phoenix to get a taste of the event:
Although it’s not true to zombie form, you gotta love the zombies dancing at the end.
If you’re into zombies for more then the guts and gore and are going to be in the Boston area next week, we recommend that you attend Science on Screen: Night of the Living Dead with psychiatrist Steven C. Schlozman. Prior to watching Romero’s cinematographic opus, Night of the Living Dead, Schlozman will “discuss the theoretical neuroscience of zombies and the psychological effects they have on others.” Fascinating stuff.
Here at Zombie Slash, we’ve already explored the psychological underpinnings of our fascination with the undead, and wonder what a Harvard professor of psychiatry has to say about it. Going one step further, Schlozman will explore people’s hypothetical state of mind when confronted with a zombie attack. What causes them to increasingly regress to a zombie-like state without being infected? The end result maybe resembling what Max Brooks calls “Quizlings”?
We hope you can attend this intriguing lecture and enjoy the movie with a new mind, no pun intended.
I think Contact Improv is a silly new age thing. It seriously looks like zombies dancing. I really think you could incorporate this into a zombie film, where a bunch of crunchy granola self help yoga people become bloodthirsty zombies. Maybe no one would notice the difference at first. It would be brilliant.
The Boston Zombie Uprising have scheduled their upcoming zombie walk for Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009. Now participants are being criticized for the choice of dates, for every reason from scaring children to being disrespectful to Christians.
The organizers are responding by saying they meant no offense, and to please have tolerance on all sides. In a secularizing country (where 15% of Americans have no religion at all) their satirical date choice is far from shocking. But is it offensive?
Comments left on the event’s Facebook page include harsh (and sometimes trolling) criticism such as “Having this on easter will be perceived as being anti christian and mocking jesus,” and “the timing on Easter is clearly offensive.” Are these comments coming from actual zombie walk participants, or from roving bands of Christian e-soldiers? Easter zombie walks aren’t unprecedented. And considering that the Easter Bunny is more iconic of Easter to many Americans than Jesus’ resurrection, the zombie walk’s timing is unlikely to offend the mainstream.
What’s the point of a zombie walk? They’re intended to be provocative. This Easter, Boston is taking the bait.
(Image via killmargot.com)
Rick Murray, AKA Zombie Boy, is transforming his body into the living dead. He looks pretty badass.
Murray was inspired by horror movies, especially George A Romero’s films. In an interview with Bizarre magazine, he explains his motivation. “I thought long and hard about what I really wanted, what my passion was. And I decided I wanted to be a fucking zombie.”
He’s really lucid about his ongoing tattoo project — which may eventually include tattooing the whites of his eyes and removing an ear — and overall, sounds like a pretty cool guy. Check out the article in Bizarre for the full interview and lots more photos.
Oddly enough, I found Zombie Boy online while researching train trips to St. Augustine. Zombies are everywhere. (But if you know a good way to get to St. Augustine by train, let me know.)
Twitter was awash with zombies yesterday due to Agent_M’s Zombietalk Thursday. The question of the day: Could you kill your zombie significant other? (If you’re asking, “Why would you?” you should consider that some people started dating before their partner was a zombie.)
We decided to contribute to the Photoshop topic “zombie celebrity couples” with a Zombie Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen (shown at the premiere of Shaun of the Dead). We later got an anonymous tip that led us to uncover startling evidence that the Olsens may actually be zombies. Consider the following:
Will either of these baby-brain-eating twins lead the zombocalypse? We may not know for sure till it’s too late, but we’re betting on the one on the left (we still can’t tell them apart).
William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead is “a true and accurate account of the Elizabethan zombie plague.” The play was the best attended performance at last year’s Minnesota Fringe Festival and is coming to Philadelphia this March 12-28 via the Plays and Players theater company.
The Plays and Players website features this chilling short documentary, which explains more about the background, impact, and scientific basis of the 1599 zombie plague:
Minnesota’s Walking Shadow Theatre Company promoted their performance with this more personal account of the zombie uprising from William Shakespeare himself:
If you’re in Philadelphia, also check out this Friday’s Zombies vs. Vampires Party. You’ll probably find members of the play’s cast and crew there — and maybe you can kick some vampire butt, too.
