The Zombie Experience

This is something of an 'All Things Zombie' entertainment review page. Every single bit of zombie entertainment (film, literature, music, television, art, etc.) that I come across will be reviewed here. Also, information and news about zombies will be interspersed through the postings, whether getting their own post, or just stuck in with the reviews (depending on importance). But, before we begin, let's clear some things up.
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What's a zombie (my definition). . .
There are only two different types of zombies and very few exceptions, at least as far as this goes: The traditional Voodoo Zombie (think 'Serpent & the Rainbow') and the Undead Zombie (think 'Night of the Living Dead'). Explanations of both follow:
The ‘Voodoo Zombie’ is, in actuality, not really controlled by any form of religious or spiritual powers (at least, not in the real world). The appearance of zombie-like behaviour can be caused by different chemicals or powders delivered by someone who wishes to control the victim. One powder, TTX, will cause the victim to appear to be dead while still conscious. At this point, the victim may be buried, and due to lack of oxygen, suffer considerable brain damage. At point of rescue or escape, the victim, now suffering brain damage, will appear zombie-like. The fact they’ve just risen from the grave doesn’t help much either. Another powder, made up of different disassociate drugs, will send the victim into a trance state, like that of a zombie. Both of these methods were used to control the minds of the victims like slaves.
The ‘Undead Zombie’ can occur in many different ways. Actually, too many to list, but here are some of the most popular: Toxic Waste, Solanum, Demonic/Satanic, Religious, Venus Flares, Meteors, Aliens. . . the list goes on and on. But the one major factor that must be part of the ‘Undead Zombie’ is this. . . no matter what the cause, the creature MUST have died at some point and regained the appearance of life. Whether it be the possessed bodies of the dead by Aliens (‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’) or the spreading of the crisis by blood contact or bites (Romero’s ‘Dead’ series). . . the creature must have, at one time, been deceased.
HOWEVER, if the film itself notes the creatures AS ZOMBIES (as in 'Revolt of the Zombies' (1936)), and the creatures show signs of 'zombie-like' behaviour, I will consider them as such and include the film in The Experience.
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As far as what is NOT a zombie, let me make one point clear: The diseased are NOT the undead. Therefore, films like ‘The Crazies,’ ’28 Days/Weeks Later,’ etc., though great films, are NOT zombie movies. They are not the reanimated corpses of the once-living. It’d be like calling the rabid raccoon rifling through your garbage can a zombie. And, while the idea of a zombie raccoon is interesting, it just isn’t happening right now.
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