The Zombie Apocalypse of Our Times: Horror Movies as Divining Rods for Cultural Anxieties

Strategic Insights -

George A. Romero's 1968 film "Night of the Living Dead" was a weirdly plausible vision of everyday Americans under siege by mouldering versions of their friends and neighbors. Romero's penny dreadful wore its cheapness as a badge of honor, and its thrift belied the richness of the story's myriad subtexts. The film's shuffling, semi-sentient zombies comprised a freaky silent majority even before President Richard Nixon coined the term. The idea of horror movies as divining rods for cultural anxieties has become commonplace, and it remains even more so today.

Key Takeaways:

  • Horror movies have become a reflection of our cultural anxieties, often serving as divining rods for the fears and concerns of our time.
  • The genre has evolved to incorporate subtexts that comment on contemporary issues such as racism, consumerism, and the blurring of reality and fantasy.
  • The success of films like Jordan Peele's "Get Out" and Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later" demonstrates the power of horror as a means of social commentary.
  • Modern horror films often incorporate themes of technology, surveillance, and the dangers of unchecked corporate power.
  • There is a proliferation of thrillers about the dangers of surveillance and social media, with films like Christopher Landon's "Drop" and Drew Hancock's "Companion" exploring the consequences of our online actions.
  • Horror movies can serve as a warning about the dangers of unchecked technological advancements and the erosion of personal freedoms.
  • The zombie apocalypse has become a metaphor for our fears about the collapse of societal structures and the breakdown of civil order.
  • Films like Ari Aster's "Eddington" use the horror genre to comment on the consequences of human credulity and the manipulation of individuals by those in power.

Statistics:

  • 1968: Greg A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" was released
  • 1978: George A. Romero released the sequel "Dawn of the Dead"
  • 2017: Jordan Peele's "Get Out" was released to critical acclaim
  • 2020: Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later" was released
  • 2020: Christopher Landon's "Drop" was released
  • 2020: Drew Hancock's "Companion" was released
  • 2020: David Cronenberg's "The Shrouds" was released
  • 2022: Ari Aster's "Eddington" was released

Sources:

  • "Night of the Living Dead" (1968)
  • "Dawn of the Dead" (1978)
  • "Get Out" (2017)
  • "28 Days Later" (2020)
  • "Drop" (2020)
  • "Companion" (2020)
  • "The Shrouds" (2020)
  • "Eddington" (2022)