It was clear by the standing-room-only status at the panel discussion "I don't get it? Why Zombies?" that the interest in zombies is not waning. Not even a little.
Here is the panel from left to right: Alex Hall, who also ran the Zombie Survival Workshop at Hal-con. Lauren Oostveen, bi-weekly movie writer of Smash Cut for the Chronicle Herald. Chantal Boudreau, writer/illustrator who likes to delve into the realms of fantasy, dark fantasy and horror.
A ton of movie references were flying around the room but it is interesting to note that most people agreed it was 28 Days Later that changed zombie movies forever. It altered them from being an uninteresting and mindless slow-moving mob to a whole new kind of terrifying creature in the genre of horror.
When Alex is asked about the way zombies move and travel he makes a funny realization about when the Zombie Apocalypse happens here, where they will end up in the HRM. He refers to himself as a zombie purist and does not believe in thinking zombies. In the video he also shares his thoughts about Day of the Dead and Diary of the Dead.
I am grateful during the discussion Alex mention the short film Zombie in a Penguin Suit. He was right, kind of breaks your heart but warning! It is gory and disturbing.
Lauren Oostveen gives us some great heads up on a couple of new zombie stories in the works. One is a a short romantic zombie film called Katrina's New Beau. Then there is also Warm Bodies which is about "a zombie who falls in love with Julie after he eats her boyfriend’s brains and absorbs his memories." It opens in August 2012. Can't wait and thanks for tweeting me the update Lauren!
Chantal Boudreau talks about what it means for a writer of zombie fiction to de-humanize zombies. I love that later on she would not divulge her secret Zombie Apocalypse hideout location. Smart! She did reveal, however, it would be on an island.
Cassie from Live 105 asked the panel excellent questions. Alex shared that he believes zombie stories are all about the survivors. Lauren revealed that when the Zombie Apocalypse happens she will camp out at where she works because it is extremely well fortified. Chantal said the key to success for future generations is to learn how to live off the land and take care of yourself at a young age.
We all could not help but notice the zombie mom and baby in the room. When asked about her baby's zombie genesis she kind of hissed that she was bitten while the baby was in utero.
Where else can you ask if a zombie bites a drunk, does he get drunk? Or discuss that perhaps the obsession with zombies is a result of our realization that the human race is screwed or maybe it is symbolic of the pressure for us to consume?
I think everyone in the room left knowing a little bit more about zombies, probably a little more than they needed to practically speaking but it has got me asking the question, where is my Zombie Apocalypse hiding place? And when I figure it out, no, I am not going to tell you.
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