‘Zombie Research Society’ Debuts Cool (But Still Troublesome) Zombie Poster
It’s well-known that we don’t get along with the ‘Zombie Research Society’ here at The Zombie Rights Campaign; their ‘research’ is geared toward hurting the Undead, and they certainly don’t want Zombies to have rights.
Which, to be clear, is a bigoted and offensive position to take.
Meanies.
This poster they’ve commissioned for their Undead-bashing ‘Zombie Awareness Month’ is, we have to admit, kind of cool though:
Cool, but troublesome. I mean, why are all the Zombies sitting separately from the Living people? Is this another example of Zompartheid (or Zom Crow laws, if you prefer)? Are Zombies not allowed in this Tavern?
And look at this:
See, Tarman’s even off to the side trying to help out that nice lady from ‘The Walking Dead’, but do the people in the Winchester care? Are they calling an ambulance? No. Of course not.
I find that offensive. And that presents the basic quandry: is this poster, full of cool art of cool, iconic Zombies, about the Undead themselves, as we would hope, or about fearing and hating them, as is, sadly, the usual from the Zombie Research Society? Is the ZRS poster in fact a celebration of Zombies, or a celebration of their continued oppression?
Why can’t the Zombies come into the diner? Why can’t you give them a helping hand, ZRS? Is that so much to ask?
Inquiring minds want to know, ZRS. Inquiring minds want to know.
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This is the problem with the cause-obsessed.
You spend so much time trying to identify what you’re against that you can’t see the forest through the trees.
1) There are only two humans in the poster – on inside and one outside. Bull Murray outside and George Romero inside.
Bull Murray is dressed like a zombie because he wants to fit in, and filmmaker George Romero has always said that he believes people are the real threat, not zombies. His movies are about the horrible things people do to other PEOPLE. He is arguably the most pro-zombie artist on the planet (and a member of the Zombie Research Society board).
2) There are more zombies inside than humans (3 to 1). There are more zombies outside than humans. So your argument there holds no weight. if you are mistaking some zombies are people, such as Bill Hinzman from Night of the Living Dead sitting a the front of the counter, then shame on your for mistaking one of the most famous zombies of all time as a lowly human customer.
All-in-all it’s disappointing that you’d rather find things to complain about than embrace the instances in which we share common ground.
But to be honest I expected as much.
Matt -
You are correct that I had mistaken the Zombie played by Hinzman (‘Zombie #1) with Hinzman himself. I assumed that he was represented here in his role not as an actor portraying a Zombie but as a cameraman on Night of the Living Dead. So in fact there are no Living people being served at all in the diner, which seems to us to likely be a sad indicator of prejudice of another kind. Don’t the Living want to share counterspace with the Undead? And if not, why not?
SPOILER: ——————
As for Murray outside, given that his character/alter ego famously perishes in the film, how were we to know whether he is in Zombie makeup or now actually reanimated? Especially with rumors of a sequel on the way for some time now.
END SPOILER ———————–
The ZRC is, at any rate, on longstanding record as opposing this sort of Zombie masquerade, especially in Anti-Zombie film.. You can search our blog for the ‘Greenface’ tag to see instances where we have called out the insensitive makeup and prosthetic based mockery of Zombie Culture in the past.
I will still note that the vast majority of Zombies are still, both symbolically and literally, on the outside looking in. Is it policy that only a certain number of Zombies are allowed inside at a given time? I’ve seen such policies implemented against teenagers and other ‘security risks’ in the real world. Are Zombies only served under a quota system? It would seem poor business policy if the Winchester’s clientele is majority Zombie. (For a game based examination of Zombie-oriented diner operation ‘Zombie Cafe’ is a fine choice)
Finally, we’ve discussed Mr. Romero’s claims about the true message of his films at length here on the ZRC blog. We’ve long since concluded that either Mr. Romero means well and has fallen miserably short of his goal, perpetuating one form of injustice while trying to satirize another – or that he is merely saying the things he believes his critics (us, other Zombie Rights groups) want to hear.
Neither is an acceptable defense, and the former is belied by the consistent demonization of the Undead across almost all his movies over 4 decades. His association with your group (and the outright, unapologetic Living Supremacists in its ranks like Max Brooks) only lends further evidence to our belief that he is not being entirely forthcoming with his real feelings about the Differently Animated.
You don’t make six feature films about killing the Undead (vs 1 with Zombies of Justice, ie Creepshow) unless you have some pretty hard feelings about Zombies.
At any rate, thank you for your input on the poster design and your correction to my misidentification of one Hinzman role on NotLD for another. It is appreciated.
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Very thoughtful. Really wish i could write like this