The Inevitable Zombie Apocalypse

Photo by Flickr user bcpcornejo

This week’s fashion Zombie is a something a little different. It’s a hand-drawn pair of Plants vs Zombies-themed kids shoes. Now, obviously, I couldn’t wear these (they’re kids’ size 9) and probably wouldn’t even if they were available in my size. But as a fan of the game (review here) that doesn’t mean I don’t think they are damn cool. And if I had a little one, I’d buy a pair of these sweet sneaks for them! Not that it’s an option: these are a custom job via Flickr user bcpcornejo‘s girlfriend, who made them for her niece. No other info, apart from the fact that it took her 5.5 hours to do the work. Not bad! There’s another view below, or you can visit the Flickr set for a half dozen photos of them.

I’m attempting to assemble an all zombie-themed wardrobe. Fashion Zombie is my weekly post detailing the coolest zombie-themed clothes and accessories I can find. Check back every Monday for another look at the hottest zombie apparel.

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A daily roundup of all the undead news that shambles into view… Bookmark the home page or add the RSS feed to your reader for your daily dose of walking dead. Got news tips? E-mail me at cory.casciato[AT]gmail.com.

The official website for Resident Evil: Afterlife is online. Not much up but a logo now, but the new trailer hits tomorrow. (Bloody Disgusting)

A San Francisco newspaper would like to see World War Z as an HBO miniseries directed by The Wire‘s David Simon. You know what? So would I. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Zombies and demons and Bonnie Tyler, oh my! If you’re in New York City, you can catch the play Alice in Slasherland (which contains all of those things and lots more besides) until April 10. (New York Times)

Students at the Seventh Day Adventist Pacific Union College in California’s Napa Valley were offered some suggestions for the best places to hole up on campus during the zombie apocalypse. (C2)

In 1974, two of film’s greatest movements — Blaxploitation and zombies — combined to form Sugar Hill, one of the most unjustly forgotten movies in film history. It’s the story of a woman (Marki Bey as Diana “Sugar” Hill) who turns to voodoo to get revenge on the powerful mobsters who murdered her boyfriend. With an army of chrome-eyed, cobweb-festooned zombies commanded by voodoo god Baron Samedi (Don Pedro Colley), Bey dons a funky jumpsuit and takes out the mobsters in inventively horrible ways. The incredibly loud clothing, unique creature design and stylish camera work result in one of the most visually stunning entries in zombie film history.

In an interesting and rarely used twist, this movie really played up the voodoo angle, utilizing not just zombies but voodoo dolls and rituals, a voodoo-drum heavy soundtrack and a starring role for voodoo god/spirit Baron Samedi. The zombie design is unique — and awesome — as well. The cobwebs, blank expressions and weird, silver eyes were both cool and creepy. I’m actually somewhat surprised no one has used that look since. It’s very effective.

Okay, the plot is paper thin, the acting is generally mediocre with occasional flashes of scenery-chewing insanity and it’s non-PC to the point of being embarrassing to modern sensibilities. But you don’t go to a Blaxploitation/zombie film looking for deep plot, deft characterization or a message — you go for jive talking, corpse raising, and ass kicking, and it delivers all of that in abundance.

Sugar Hill/US/1974

Parts of this review originally appeared in my initial reaction piece when I viewed it as part of the 2009 Zombie Movie Marathon Month and in a piece I wrote for Westword.

A daily roundup of all the undead news that shambles into view… Bookmark the home page or add the RSS feed to your reader for your daily dose of walking dead. Got news tips? E-mail me at cory.casciato[AT]gmail.com.

It’s April 1, so fake news stories abound. I’m going to do my best to sort the real from the BS, and tell you about both, but I apologize in advance if I get any wrong.

Real News

The Return of the Living Dead film series is getting a deluxe, in-depth history in book form in the upcoming The Complete History of the Living Dead. It’s coming out October 1 and you can preorder it now , if you like the freedom to pay money for things you won’t see for a really long time. (Shock Till You Drop)

San Francisco gets WonderCon this weekend. Zombie enthusiasts, note the presence of Milla Jovovich and Max Brooks! You can get tickets and info here. (io9)

Game writer William Harms (inFamous, Supreme Commander) has branched out into novel writing with a zombie Western called Dead or Alive. In it, two stage coach robbers face the sudden, unexpected rising of the dead in a dusty frontier town. (Blend Games)

An ambitious and skillful crafter has made Plants vs. Zombies “plushies.” (MTV Multiplayer)

For the fake April 1 news, click the “Read the rest of this entry link.”

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