Though monsters have held us in their thrall since the dawning of the age of cinema, few monsters have been as popular as those portrayed in zombie movies. For a variety of reasons, these undead creatures have been popular for generations and seem to have a peculiar appeal that resonates even into modern times. There have been many attempts at explaining this phenomenon, but no single explanation can account for the diverse audience these types of films draw.

The monsters

Zombies have origins far older than modern film making. Many experts on the subject point to their existence within the voodoo culture as being among the first instances of the walking dead. Of course, voodoo zombies were mere servants; they possessed none of the terrifying drive or flesh-eating capabilities they would later be given by Hollywood film directors.

The movie version

Once zombies made the transition to film, their very nature seemed to change dramatically. These changes were obviously intended to make them more threatening to the viewers. Many of the early movie zombies appeared as lumbering juggernauts that marched with but one goal in mind: to obtain and eat the brains of humans.

Later movies expanded on this simple concept, and added to the desire for brains an insatiable huger for human flesh. Some films even went so far as to provide the creatures with increased speed and even some semblance of organized intelligence, undoubtedly to

enhance the threat they posed to the films’ protagonists.

Into the psyche

Given the simplicity of the film formula for almost every movie featuring zombies, these creatures must have some deep effect on the minds of viewers. After all, hardly a year goes by without at least one new entry into the genre, with many of them being little more than poorly disguised remakes of previous films. The truth of the matter is that zombies have always represented something more than the mindless, shambling behemoths that they seem to be.

From the earliest days, zombies have symbolized a variety of human worries: from the faceless threat of communism in the Forties and Fifties to the desire for a break from conformity in later years. In recent decades, the zombies have reflected a fear of viral plagues and radiation, and those twin threats have featured prominently in many of these monster films.

That is the true power of the zombies: they exist as clean sheets of paper upon which each viewer can place his own personal angst. Thus teenage viewers may see themselves as the heroes who are faced with constant isolation, while the elderly may see the zombies as the subconscious representation of relentless, inescapable death. For each viewer, personal fears can be confronted by confronting the zombies on the big screen.

The simple truth that must be acknowledged is that films need villains, and few others offer viewers such an easy opportunity to project one’s inner fears onto the screen. Because these creatures provide a unique opportunity to confront those unspoken fears, there is little reason to believe that the popularity of zombie movies will wane any time soon.

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