Zombies are often portrayed as supernatural, re-awakened, decayed corpses and dark ghouls.
They are mostly part of fictional literature adding thrillers for audiences in different themes and genres i-e Gothic literature and apocalyptic themes. Zombies create a sense of fear, and terror, highlighting social flaws in society and portraying the dark side of the human psyche as mentioned in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”.
For years, Zombies have been a ubiquitous presence in pop culture beguiling audiences with their distinct and macabre enchantment. The roots of zombies in classic literature since the 80s have dominated modern TV shows and movies, interpreting unique and captivating adventures to explore the thin line between life and death.
Get ready to enter the ghastly world of horror as we reveal the top 10 most iconic zombies in pop culture that have captured our minds and hearts:
10) Classic Zombies (Night of the Living Dead, 1968)
If we talk about flesh-eating zombies dying of starvation then how can we forget the classic horror movie by Romero? This film revolutionized the zombie genre, with its marvelous characteristics like insatiable hunger for human blood and flesh, impaired memory, sluggish gait and embodiment of a terrifying decayed entity that was a groundbreaker of horror history.
Romero’s movie not only highlighted the flesh-eating zombie but also reflected on the dark aspects of human society like racism, the Vietnam War and societal norms. By using this genre, Romero made a thought-provoking movie in times of great upheaval in America.
9) Rage Zombies ( 28 Days Later, 2002 )
Unlike flesh-eating entities, The 28 Days Later showed a new version of the zombie. The fast-spreading virus spread through bodily fluids and cross-contamination like a pandemic, turning the victims into violent maniacs within seconds. This added a new fear and horror for the audience as they were unbeatable.
According to the movie, This rage virus was a by-product of the experiment that went wrong. This sparked a societal fear about pandemics, viral outbreaks and potential danger to science and technology. The movie was influential for many new modern movies like World War Z.
8) Voodoo Zombies ( White Zombie, 1932 )
The 1932 film might be the first film to introduce the concept of Voodoo zombie, inspired by Haitian and Caribbean folklore. According to an African heritage, the zombies are humans revived by a mysterious voodoo practitioner called Bokor. The bokor has the power to liberate, reanimate the dead and control them. Unlike the flesh-eating zombies, the Voodoo zombies are depicted as a lifeless entity serving their creator bokor.
The White Zombie influenced the psychological traits of the human psyche and enslavement themes rather than cannibalism. According to sources, the film might have hurt the sentiments of the African folklore and believers of the Vodou religion. Despite all that, it remains an iconic figure in zombie fiction.
7) Viral Zombies ( Resident Evil, 1996 )
The Resident Evil’s viral zombies are well-known in popular culture. They differ from other genres because they are dead entities brought back to life by an artificial man-made virus called the T-Virus. An Umbrella Corporation was the company that invented it. It was created to help mankind but instead brought chaos to mankind and biotechnology. The virus infected the people turning them into flesh-eating zombies.
The mind-blowing amalgamation of two different genres used in Resident Evil made it unique and purely a horror fiction. It not only caused the genetic mutations but infected the physical abilities of the victims too. The virus’s ability to multiply was impossible for it to be eradicated. The Resident Evil’s influence on zombie mythology has gone far beyond the game series, books and comics.
6) Reanimated Corpses ( Pet Sematary, 1983 )
Adapted from a novel by Stephen King, The Pet Sematary explores the dark consequences of revitalization. As the name implies, it is related to the twisted re-birth of animals as a violent and dangerous being. The novel delves into the themes of grief, dark, gothic, suffering and resurrection.
The Pet Sematary is a burial place located in the native American tribe “Micmac”, which is haunted by a demonic spirit according to Native American mythology. The main lead, Dr Creed first notices the presence of demonic spirits when his daughter’s cat is killed. He buries the cat deliberately in the same cemetery as advised by his neighbors. The tragedy sets the stage later, as horror intensifies leading to a series of deadly incidents.
5) Plant Zombies (The Last Of Us, 2013)
The Last Of Us is a video game based on the traditional concept of zombie apocalypse with unique elements of science fiction and horror. The game introduces a deadly fungal infection Cordyceps fungus which typically infects the insects in real life. In this fictional twist, the fungus infects humans through spores and bites leading them to a toxic and grotesque body. This further goes out of control, exhibiting various stages of mutation each of them more disturbing and deadly than the last.
The game’s focus on Plant Zombies is to keep the audiences engaged as one of the kind Clickers, make clicking sounds after being infected by the fungus. The sound can easily help to navigate through the silence of players.
The Last Of Us garnered widespread critical acclaim for its engaging narrative and innovative design. The concept further expanded as HBO adapted it into a mini-series, The Last Of Us Part II loved by the fans worldwide due to its popular narrative and characters.
4) Nazi Zombies ( Dead Snow, 2009 )
Dead Snow is a Norwegian horror comedy directed by Tommy Wirkola. It unleashes a frightening twist in the zombie genre. The group of friends goes on a ski-ing adventure trip to Norway, where they stumble upon a long-buried battalion of Nazi soldiers since World War II.
These Nazi Soldiers are undead and are awakened by a terrifying force. They retain their military purpose by executing attacks with a militaristic sinister purpose. The film incorporates the dark history of Nazi’s as antagonists and evil forces, making them look terrifying. With its unique horror fiction and dark humor, Dead Snow is a standout movie in the zombie genre.
3) Alien Zombies ( Plan 9 from Outer Space, 1959 )
Plan 9 from Outer Space is a cult classic movie popularly acclaimed due to its bizarre plot. The Aliens resurrect the dead bodies back to life to stop the humans from creating a powerful technology that may destroy the planet. The aliens, being extraterrestrials are scared of human advancements in the field of technology and science.
After bringing the dead bodies back to life, The Aliens control the zombie-like creatures using special powers with the use of technology. This low-budget movie makes it unique and humorous due to its creative story direction.
2) Robot Zombies ( Call of Duty: Black Ops, 2010 )
By merging biological horror and science fiction elements, Call of Duty revolutionizes the zombie genre by introducing Robot Zombies.
The unique twist of associating robotics with the undead creates a new dimension of intriguing content that audiences vouch for.
The robot zombies are often seen to be a fusion of re-animated corpses and mechanical enhancements. This adds depth to challenging gameplay.
1) Humanoid Zombies ( I am Legend, 2007)
In the 2007 film, the zombies are portrayed as a by-product of the genetically re-engineered measles virus. The virus meant to help humanity survive mutates and causes a global pandemic, wiping out human existence from the planet. The victims after getting infected, transform into aggressive and dangerous nocturnal creatures named Darkseekers.
They coordinate attacks and prefer to live in dark places. The main protagonist in the movie, Dr. Robert Neville played by Will Smith is immune to the infection because he is a virologist. He dedicates all his life to finding the cure and eliminating the apocalyptic scenario. The film explores the themes of hope, suspense, isolation, terror and ethics associated with science fiction.