ZOMBIE MOVIES : ANALYSING GENRE CONVENTIONS
Zombie
films are a subgenre of horror films , so some horror
conventions are also found in zombie films. They also take some conventions from action, war and disaster
movies.
HOW DO YOUR CHOSEN FILMS FOLLOW THESE
CONVENTIONS,AND DO THEY ADD ANYTHING NEW,OR CONTAIN VARIATIONS OR SUBVERSIONS ?
Setting
Apocalypse/outbreak . ( may have
happened before the film begins )
The
reasons for this may be explained or they might be uncertain.
Modern times. Domestic setting/workplace/Western
city/country/entire world.
A
large part of the action is often set in a closed
space where the characters are trapped by the zombies ( farmhouse, shopping
mall, pub etc.)
Characters (
Human/non-human )
Human :
Hero ( often
soldier or someone with good practical skills, decent ,brave )
Heroine ( usually
blonde , vulnerable but may be stronger than appears)
Expert ( scientist or
religious figure, gives audience vital information and background )
False hero ( one of the
survivors , turns villainous, cowardly or crazy, or is simply not as competent
as the hero)
Villain . (the main
threat apart form the zombies. Often a figure of authority such as a politician
or military leader. May be desperate to restore order to society in immoral
way, act in immoral way because society has broken down, or simply hates the
hero. Usually dies horribly at the hand ( or teeth) of the zombies.
Nonhuman : Zombie.
A
reanimated corpse whose main desire is to eat the flesh of the living.
This
reanimation may have an external cause or can be activated by being bitten by
another zombie.
Traditionally
moves slowly , but may run. Does not speak , but moans or wordlessly howls. May be stronger than
appears. All races ,colours, and ages.
Costume
: depends when reanimated. Uniform,
pyjamas, funeral suit.
Usually
quite stupid, but may show occasional flashes of cunning.
Can
only be killed by the destruction or removal of the brain.
Like
to gang together with other zombies, but don’t seem to communicate with them in
any clear way .
Can
contain a small memory of humanity , causing them to go to certain locations or
try certain activities.
Technical conventions
Props and costume
Similar to action movies : guns and weapons of various kinds , radio equipment to show importance and difficulty of communication with fellow humans, military uniforms. Tinned food. Fuel. Costume often shows social position of human characters at time of zombie outbreak …housewife , criminal, everyman, soldier etc.
Props and costume
Similar to action movies : guns and weapons of various kinds , radio equipment to show importance and difficulty of communication with fellow humans, military uniforms. Tinned food. Fuel. Costume often shows social position of human characters at time of zombie outbreak …housewife , criminal, everyman, soldier etc.
Zombie
costume usually shows tattered or bloodstained versions of normal human clothes
from all social positions and situations to emphasise that zombies = the undead version of all humanity.
Narrative (Story)
linear/non linear ?
Open/closed ending ?
linear/non linear ?
Open/closed ending ?
Apocalypse
or zombie outbreak
Main
character’s initial escape ( often female)
Other
isolated ( and very different) survivors team
up together
Backstories
of survivors ( flashback /narration)
Development
of outbreak and breakdown in society
Details
of outbreak ( exposition) given to audience by expert
Survivors
trapped in closed environment ( shopping mall,pub,farmhouse) surrounded by zombies
Closed
environment is breached due to amount of zombies, or by actions by false hero
or villain
Final
standoff with zombies and possible final
escape.
Aftermath
( end of outbreak). Not always present in narrative.
Themes
Including .....family relationships , racism, the breakdown of society, trust, the failure of authority, friendship, the role of women in society, human greed, survival of the fittest , the morality of murder, attitudes to death, consumerism and Western society, definitions of heroism, mankind's place in the world, human nature.
