Ridiculous History

Zombies, Part Two: The Movies!

Nov 4, 2025
Dive into the world of zombie cinema as the hosts explore how iconic films like Night of the Living Dead reshaped the undead narrative. They discuss the film's revolutionary realism and social commentary, the impact of casting choices, and the complex racial themes it introduced. Controversies around initial receptions and the evolution of zombie tropes from voodoo origins to modern fast zombies are highlighted. Plus, discover the genre's unexpected shifts into comedy and pop culture, illustrating our evolving fears and fascinations.
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INSIGHT

Romero Rewrote Zombie Rules

  • George Romero's Night of the Living Dead created modern zombie rules: reanimated corpses, cannibalism, and lack of control.
  • Romero attributed the creatures to radiation rather than voodoo, separating film zombies from folkloric ones.
INSIGHT

Zombies As Colonial Metaphor

  • Early zombie films like White Zombie riffed on voodoo and colonial anxieties, linking zombies to exploitation.
  • Filmmakers used the trope to critique occupations and forced labor tied to U.S. interests in Haiti.
INSIGHT

Horror As Political Time Capsule

  • Good horror often encodes political critique through metaphor rather than overt messaging.
  • Zombie films particularly function as time capsules of a society's deepest political fears.
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