Zombie Films

[Jupiter]

I have a strange facination for Zombie films. I recently watched an Irish Zombie film, called "Dead Meat", which was rubbish. In my opinion, nothing compares to Dawn of the Dead (original and re-make) and Land of the Dead (With Dennis Hopper), or the comedy "Shaun of the Dead" (where they hide out in a pub, and slowly beat a zombie to death to the tune of "Queen, Don't stop me now" ).

So, anyone else watch Zombie films? Anyone know about Zombie Folklore?

[Dana Scully]

I'm not really in to zombie movies, I seem to find them far too hilarious to take seriously. Shaun of the Dead is brilliant though!!

A lot of zombie lore seems to stem from Afro-carribean communities in the West Indies (I guess coming over from Africa) where the religion of Voudon or Voodoo, as we know it, is popular.

I don't know much about it but it seems that certain witch doctors or Voodoo priests knew how to make a concoction that effectively turned a person into a 'zombie' - they would basically be a slave to their master and would do whatever they were told to do - effectively they were dead to the world, losing all ties to friends and family answering only to their master who, I guess would keep them under his/her control by constantly administering the 'potion'.

It has been suggested that the returning from the dead idea comes from when people mysteriously disappeared - were taken by the priest/witch doctor - and given up for dead only to return later to carry out their masters commands but without any apparent memory of their past and probably looking -and smelling- a bit awful!!

[Jupiter]

I've just watched "Land of the Dead" for the umpteenth time, I love it. it is so cheesy and often comical I love it. Dennis Hopper is as good as ever, and I love the "Making of" interview, where they had an interview with the guy who played "Big Daddy Zombie", who became self-proclaimed leader of the undead, who lead the attack on the city. He was good.