Recently we’ve talked about how Zombie Walks shouldn’t be an exceptional experience but an ordinary part of daily life. Ironically, it seems there are those out there in the Anti-Zombie film industry who agree, looking to tap into this burgeoning part of the movement – to reduce casting costs and provide footage for one of their slick video hate fests:

Horror author-turned-filmmaker John Skipp has been prepping Rose, his 3D zombie puppet musical, and he’s turned it into a full-on horror community experience by calling on fans and zombie walk groups everywhere to contribute.

Basically, Mr. Skipp is looking for contributions from the Zombie Enthusiast community to bankroll his film, and Zombie Walk people to act as extras in said film, which has a unique (if extremely distasteful) premise:

The plot in Skipp’s words: “Rose is a super-hot, hilarious ex-mental patient with a cable access puppet show in downtown LA. But now it’s 48 hours into the zombie apocalypse so she’s running rescue stations and musical numbers round the clock, trying to keep people’s hope alive…and periodically pausing to pulverize the skulls of the zombies trying to bust down her door.

Ahh yes, the ‘Zombie Apocalypse’, our old foe, here with us once again. From the days of Romero and his newsreel-esque depictions of a war against the Differently Animated that occurred only in his fevered imagination to modern, high-budget, ‘high-concept’ Anti-Zombie fare from Zack Snyder and Danny Boyle, this trope has persisted down through the years despite, well.. the fact that Zombies seem to have no intention of, or ability to, cause an ‘Apocalypse’.

Yet how does the world of film choose to reflect that reality, to adjust to the continued coexistence of Zombies and Living people? Why, by doubling and tripling down on the same tired message: that Life and Unlife are a zero-sum game, and whenever Zombies succeed, Living people fail.

Such a dispiriting and hateful message it is, too. Why can’t we all get along? Why can’t we just accept our differences and live in mutual respect and understanding?

Why is a pulse required for friendship? Do you need to check a person’s respiration and core body temperature before you allow them some sympathy?

John Skipp says ‘Yes’, and while you’re at it, could you chip in some time and money to help him beat up on the Differently Animated in his shiny new project?

We here at the ZRC trust you will see the wisdom in opposing, rather than supporting, such a production, at least until Mr. Skipp et al see the error or their ways. Maybe a script revision is in order? Could the Zombies be invited in for tea and peaceful negotiations?

We live (and Unlive) in hope, as always.

Tags: Movies, Social Justice

This entry was posted by John Sears on Thursday, January 13th, 2011 at 8:26 pm and is filed under Zombie Media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.