‘Thriller’ Adaptation to Promote Flint Zombie Walk Tragically Anti-Zombie
We like ‘Thriller’ here at the ZRC, and you occasionally see it pop up as a rare early positive example of the Undead in mainstream American media. To this day it still receives attention and acclaim (including ours).
Unfortunately, not all of that attention is good for Zombies:
A group of locals are hoping to get their hometown cause to go viral on YouTube.
It’s the area’s “zombies” planning for the Flint Zombie Walk this fall that will benefit the Michigan School for the Deaf.
…
“I hope that this video makes deaf people feel involved, like this event is for them too, and I hope that hearing people can watch the video and see the beauty of sign language,” said Kristina Lakey, Flint Zombie Walk organizer.
All of that sounds great, right? Another Zombie Walk for a worthy cause, another chance for the Living and the Differently Animated to get to know one another. They’re even striving for inclusivity!
Just not in regard to the Zombie population as it turns out, because the actual video contains a number of strikingly Anti-Zombie moments:
Yes, despite this being a remake of Thriller, one of the most markedly Zombie Friendly music videos of all time, playing up the concept of gentle scares rather than brain-munching savagery, that’s precisely what you get in the Flint version: Zombies attacking the Living.
Sigh.
I don’t get it, I really don’t. What is it about Zombies that makes even well-intentioned people so liable to pick on them?
Anyway, the ZRC is forced, FORCED I tell you, to rate this video Anti-Zombie as a stern chastisement to the Flint Zombie Walk people about their behavior regarding the Differently Animated.
Shame.
About The Author
so wait…what exactly is Anti-Zombie?
As assistant director of the video, I did want to say that we are VERY pro zombie rights. In fact, we have been instrumental in trying to decide upon a more politically correct name which we hoped would avoid the stigma associated with zombie. We had toyed with “existentially challenged”, but we felt it made us sound like philosophy majors. Regarding the issue of the zombies attacking a human at the end of the video, that is, in fact, the fault of the production team. It was an extremely hot day, tempers were shot, and we simply forgot to cater the shoot.