Zombies have become so popular in pop culture that they
dominate TV screens (one of the most popular shows being AMC’s The Walking
Dead) and movie screens (i.e. Warm Bodies and World War Z) and show no signs of
slowing down. In Alain Silver and James
Ursini’s book The Zombie Film: From White Zombie to World War Z, the authors
try to present a comprehensive overview of the genre and all the films ever
associated with the sub genre.
If you are a fan of zombie films this book will be a
treasure trove of information as the authors leave no stone unturned by
touching upon the earliest zombie films (i.e. White Zombie) to some of the most
recent (i.e. World War Z). For the most
part all the films are presented in chronological order placing the films in a
unique context not only in the time period of which they were made but also as
an outlook on how audiences taste in zombies changed from one decade to the
next.
If you want to know more about foreign zombie films those
are discussed as well and the authors do an excellent job of picking both the
most relevant films from around the world as well as the lesser gems. Zombie films have different meaning to
different cultures and countries and the authors do a good job of explaining
some of the ways zombie films differ from country to country and from the way
the U.S. perceived the genre.
Another great aspect of the book is the tons of posters,
pictures, and production stills from many of the films discussed. There are so many pictures from so many films
that to some, this book may seem like a visual dictionary and it is, in a way,
a visual dictionary of zombie films.
Silver & Ursini’s take on the zombie genre is as fans
and the book is a very easy read for everyone.
This is not an academic book which works in the books favor as the
author’s keep the book lively and entertaining especially considering how many
films they discuss and delve into. Upon
finishing this book you’ll have your own personal list of films to seek
out. This is a book I recommend to all
fans of the zombie genre as I’m sure you will discover something new that you
didn’t know before.
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