Posted By John Sears on March 14, 2012

The Zombie Research Society has some of their usual fearmongering about the ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ up, today concerning the potential utility of dogs and cats in sniffing out (and persecuting) the soon-to-revive-as-Zombies:

There’s little question that the transformation caused by a zombie infection could be easily picked up by any number of common and exotic animals. So when the dead rise pay close attention to your pets. They want to stay alive just as much as you do, and chances are they’re a lot more aware of what’s actually going on.

Shocking intolerance, I know. But it brings up another issue relating to Zombies and pets, namely, Zombie Pets.

The ZRC would urge you to consider adopting an Undead pet if you are looking for an animal friend to join your family. Undead animals are, sadly, considered less desirable as companions by a wide swathe of the population, and many have difficulty finding loving homes. While Zombie animals’ dietary and care needs may differ from their Living counterparts they are no less caring and affectionate, and with patience and understanding we trust you will form an Unlife-long bond with your Zomdog or Zomcat, Zombird, etc.

So please, give thought to adopting a Zombie pet today.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on March 13, 2012

All right, all right; you’ve got us, Chicago Fear Fest. Even though you’re arriving right on the heels of our Ohio-excursion to Horrorhound in Columbus, The Zombie Rights Campaign can’t turn down this opportunity.

First, you tempted us with a Chicago-premiere of sure-to-be-huge Anti-Zombie film [REC 3] and ‘Cadaver Christmas’, then you sweeten the deal with a screening of ‘Juan of the Dead’, and there’s even a huge networking opportunity with Kitty Zombie and potentially even some of the BuyZombie staff in attendance.

So yes, we’ll attend your festival at the Muvico on April 13th and 14th. But we’re bringing our picket signs! And literature! And taking notes! Writing reviews! Agitating!

Category: Zombie Media | 1 Comment »
Tags: Euro-zom, Movies, Public Appearance, Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on March 13, 2012

We’ve mentioned ‘Juan of the Dead’ a bit here on the ZRC blog, as it’s been getting regular attention in the press for being a fairly unusual film. Hailing from the more-typically arty and somewhat isolated Cuban film scene, ‘Juan of the Dead’ is instead an attempt to land some of that (tragically) lucrative Anti-Zombie ‘comedy’ market’s money. (The so-called Zom-coms, like ‘Shaun of the Dead’ and ‘Zombieland’, you know, movies where they crack jokes while beating up innocent Zombies).

Being the first Anti-Zombie film from Cuba to reach the international scene it also, sadly, puts that country on the map alongside such longstanding Zom-bashers as the Italy, Japan and the United States, and joins a recent wave of independent Anti-Zombie films hailing from around the world that we’ve been documenting here at the ZRC.

It’s sort of like an outbreak of some highly infectious disease. One might call it a Film-pocalypse, if one was so inclined.

At any rate, I had set my mind to seeing ‘Juan of the Dead’ for review purposes someday when it was convenient, or just importing a Region 2 disc, but now thanks to those clever devils at Chicago Fear Fest it looks like our date with destiny will be sooner rather than later

The new cult cuban zombie comedy “JUAN OF THE DEAD” from Outsider Pictures joins the amazing CHICAGO FEAR FEST line-up including personal appearances by film makers Adam Green, Joe Lynch, and Sarah Elbert, screenings of their new horror-sitcom “HOLLISTON”, screening of “HATCHET 2” introduced by Adam Green, the Chicago Premiere of “REC 3”, the kick-off of the nationwide theatrical road-show tour of “THE MOLEMAN OF BELMONT AVENUE” starring Robert Englund, “NAILBITER”, the feature film from director Patrick Rea, the zombie comedy “A CADAVER CHRISTMAS”, an independent horror film fest featuring the best in indie feature films and shorts, panel discussions, after parties presented by FEARnet and hosted by Zombie Army Productions.

Between ‘REC 3′, ‘Cadaver Christmas’ and now ‘Juan of the Dead’ this is sizing up to be a very efficient weekend for those interested in keeping abreast of Zombie-related film developments.

I suppose I’d better look at hotels. Damn you, Chicago Fear Fest!

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Euro-zom, Horror Society, Movies

Posted By John Sears on March 13, 2012

We’ve been working behind the scenes here at the ZRC to get ready for Horrorhound, and that brings us to the subject of today’s post: literature.

Did you know that the ZRC’s resources page has helpful (and lovingly illustrated) informational pamphlets on a variety of topics? It’s true, we do. And all of said pamphlets are now updated and current, just in time for our trip to one of the Midwest’s largest horror conventions.

With just a few clicks of the mouse you too can learn about topics like:

‘Zombie Rights and You’, our introductory brochure providing a general overview of the Undead Civil Rights movement.

‘Resident Evil: Bad for Zombies, Bad for America’ our definitive tri-fold take on the menace posed by the Resident Evil videogame and film series. (Now updated with current sales figures and factoids!)

‘Zombies in the Workforce’, the ZRC’s educational overview of the issues with, and promises of, full Undead integration into the workforce.

‘Education for the Undead’, a serious look at the need for comprehensive and inclusive education for the Living and Undead children of the world alike.

Finally, never before posted online, our very-well-received pamphlet about the Zombie Friendly literary canon of Sir Terry Pratchett, ‘Zombies and Discworld’.

We hope you find this very Zombie Friendly educational opportunity useful, and can help us spread the word about Zombie Rights!

Category: Zombie Media, ZRC News | No Comments »
Tags: Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on March 9, 2012

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.

Category: Zombie Media | 6 Comments »
Tags: Anti-Zombie Products, Romero, Social Justice, Zombie Art

Posted By John Sears on March 9, 2012

Well, while we’re not exactly surprised that an institution of higher learning has decided to officially Anti-Zombie prejudice in the curriculum, The Zombie Rights Campaign is nevertheless saddened by this news:

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Forget Advanced Political Theory or even Introduction to Chemistry. The one class that everyone is dying to take this summer may save your life.

Michigan State University is offering an online elective class called “Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: Catastrophes & Human Behavior.” It’s open to MSU students and non-students alike.

The course is apparently a larger discussion of the way society responds to large-scale catastrophic events, mostly natural disasters and plagues (and again, we resent Zombies being characterized as a plague). Strangely, it also involves studying the extinction that ended the Cretaceous and wiped out the dinosaurs, which seems like an odd fit to me; dinosaurs didn’t have a society, unless you believe the alternate history presented by The Terrible Thunderlizards.

The Zombie Rights Campaign of course strongly objects to this framing of the social difficulties faced by Zombie citizens attempting to assimilate into the larger (for now, anyway) Living population. Zombies are not akin to a plague, or an earthquake, or a large celestial object slamming into the Yucatan.

In fact, I can safely say Zombies are in NO way like a large celestial object slamming into the Yucatan.

Given the fact that this is an online course riding the slick current Anti-Zombie craze, of course it has a Youtube video full of references to recent Living Supremacist media (complete with glowy-eyed Undead fellow ala certain videogames):

Yes, it’s social science at its worst, justifying the exploitation, dehumanization, and eventual eradication of people that the majority doesn’t like.

Sigh.

One final thought:

“In times of catastrophe some people find their humanity, others lose theirs,” the professor intones in a YouTube video about the course.

We at the ZRC also believe they also lose their humanity when an opportunity presents itself to exploit and defame an often-oppressed minority population, and seemingly respectable academics take the bait.

For shame, Glenn Stutzky. For shame.

More information can be found on the course page located here (PDF).

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Academia, Youtube Mischief

Posted By John Sears on March 8, 2012

You get this subset of Anti-Zombie fiction a lot, actually: the notion that the Nazis would, naturally, want to create Zombies for nefarious purposes.

It has a long history, going back at least to ‘King of the Zombies’ in 1941, a dreary Scooby-Doo grade story about the good White Americans crashing on a Caribbean island, uncovering a diabolical plot by the *very* German ruler of the island and his Zombie hordes.

(Well, kind of. In reality most of the Zombies seem to be slow-walking the whole thing, waiting for the revolution to put the scary German man in his place. The movie is saved from crippling boredom only by an inspired performance from Mantan Moreland)

From there this unfortunate slander against the Undead has only proliferated, leading to everything from ‘Zombie Lake’ to the utterly bizarre inversion ‘Hard Rock Zombies’, where the Zombies are (mostly) the good guys, fighting against Hitler. Yes, THAT Hitler. (Go Zombies!)

Recently the Nazi Zombie thing has been on the upsurge; I blame ‘Call of Duty’, mostly. Last year we had a chance to catch an indie film version called ‘A Chance in Hell’ (review here), and now there is ‘War of the Dead’:

The production values are hard to miss, as is the very ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’-esque ‘things flying at the camera’ schtick.

It made perverse sense in a 3D movie, I suppose.

I’m sure we’ll see ‘War of the Dead’ pop up at film festivals, it could be a real Anti-Zombie crowd pleaser, full of slick kinetic action sequences, the basic story of a Call of Duty Zombie-bashing session.. and all the Zombie empathy of a paper sack.

The ZRC can hardly wait.

Thanks to BuyZombie for the tip.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Movies, Videogames

Posted By John Sears on March 8, 2012

The ZRC is not, as an institution, exactly a fan of ‘Night of the Living Dead’, but it’s hard to miss the film’s importance to both the Undead Rights movement and cinematic history.

So we recognize the importance of preserving both the film and the institutions and locations that enabled it to be produced (even if we hope they stop making sequels before any more Zombies get defamed).

The ZRC therefore thinks we can get behind this charitable effort:

Fix The Chapel.com is the grassroots effort of Night of the Living Dead fans to restore and preserve the chapel in Evans City Cemetery, a cinematic landmark from the George A. Romero classic horror film originally released in 1968. Fundraising activities include donations and merchandise sales through this web site and online auctions, as well as raising awareness at horror conventions and via social networks such as Facebook and YouTube. A goal of $50,000 is being sought.

So far they’re about halfway to their goal.

Hey, we like a good charitable effort here at the ZRC, and this doesn’t harm Zombies, so why not?

They’ll even be at Horrorhound in a few weeks so we’ll drop by their booth and see how we can help. You should consider doing the same.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Romero, Zombies Doing Good

Posted By John Sears on March 7, 2012

Remember ‘Stag Night of the Dead’? The UK Zombie-Slaughtering-’Comedy’ where a bachelor party goes to a Zombie killing sort of theme park and somehow sets off the Zompocalypse?

Well, it’s out on iTunes in America now. The DVD release is apparently May 1st, and in the meantime BuyZombie helpfully provided the world with this trailer to focus our scorn and rage upon:

That’s just… yeah. Wow.

The testicle gag and everything.. wow.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Advertising, Movies

Posted By John Sears on March 6, 2012

We talked about the Wisconsin Voter ID law a long while ago now, in blog-time, and how the ZRC opposed it as a measure seemingly designed to put up roadblocks to prevent Zombies from voting (along with the poor, urban, and student populations who traditionally lean Democratic).

Well, that law is now on hiatus:

A Wisconsin judge on Tuesday granted a temporary injunction stopping the state’s controversial voter identification law. As a result, the law will not be in effect for the state’s April 3 presidential primary.

The Wisconsin ACLU is pleased about the outcome, though their suit to have the law thrown out in Federal court is proceeding anyway:

The ACLU of Wisconsin is pleased that Judge Flanagan has recognized that the burdens the photo-ID law imposes on thousands of voters likely violates the Wisconsin Constitution, as the NAACP and Voces de la Frontera have shown.

The ACLU will continue with its separate case on behalf of numerous Wisconsin voters who will be harmed by the photo ID law. The ACLU lawsuit claims that the photo-ID law violates the United States Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act.

Apparently there are over 220,000 eligible Wisconsin voters without a driver’s license, and who knows how many Zombies in addition whose ID may now be invalid due to the whole ‘deceased’ status thing.

Their rights are a bit easier to exercise thanks to this injunction.

We will continue keeping you, the loyal ZRC reader, apprised of this and any other laws that impact the legitimate electoral rights of the Differently Animated.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Social Justice