Zombie Assault

Upcomming Zombie in Movies 2011

2010-12-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

There are quite a few upcomming zombie movies comming out in 2011. Here is the list of what is to come, so you know what to expect! With The Walking Dead comming to TV, I guess it was really just a matter of time before someone I'd adapt Pride and Prejudice And Zombies.

Upcomming Zombie Movies in 2011

28 Months Later (2011, U.K.)
Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament (2011, U.S.)
Cell (2011, U.S.)
Deadworld (2011, U.S.)
Escape of the Living Dead (2011, U.S.)
Evil Dead IV (2011, U.S.)
Few Brains More, A (2011)
I Walked with a Zombie (2011, U.S.)
Invasion of the Not Quite Dead (2011, U.K.)
Night of the Living Dead: Origins (2011, U.S.)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2011, U.S.)
REC Genesis (2011, Spain)
Riot, The (2011, U.S.)
Virulents (2011, U.S.)
Winter of the Dead: Meteletsa (2011, Russia)
ZMDs: Zombies of Mass Destruction (2011, U.S.)
Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption (2011, U.S.)
Zombieland 2 (2011, U.S.)

I'm looking foward to Zombieland 2 and hoping it will be as funny as the original one! What about you?

Will The Walking Dead have problems with their writers wandering off?

2010-12-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

Walking dead producer Gale Anne Hurd denies those previous rumors about the writing staff being all fired. According to her, the staff kind of "quit" on their own, which to me has almost the same effect.

Taken from Beyond Hollywood:

It’s completely inaccurate. [In] the writers’ room, there are people that have set up other projects that will be their first priority if their own series is picked up as a pilot or if it’s a series. I think [writer Charles Eglee] just decided that he wants to run his own show.

I think Frank and Robert [Kirkman, writer of the Walking Dead comic and an executive producer on the show] will sit down early next year, to begin mapping it out.

It kinda worries me that the staff doesn't seem to be completely involved with this project. The first season has only 6 episodes, which is wierd, seems like a trial to see if it would stick or not In the end, The Walking Dead was a big hit, but the staff seems kinda unstable. What now?

Dead Frontier - A Zombie MMORPG!

2010-12-04T03:26:00.000-08:00

Dead Frontier combines third person action with survival horror and elements of RPG to create an unique MMO. Players will need to put alot of effort to fight for survival in a city infested with zombies!

Who likes survival horror will probably like Dead Frontier. The city is huge, full of buildings. There are banks, markets to buy and sell everything like ammunition, weapons, medical items, food, etc.

	FREE TO PLAY!
	Battle for survival against an army of infected zombies
	Explore a huge post-apocalyptic MMORPG world
	Wield over 100 real world weapons from melee to miniguns
	Pit your skills against other survivors in brutal PvP

Will you be safe with the last human stand or will you try to create your own hideout in the depths of the city? The choice is yours! Sign up now!

What is a Zombie - Part 2: The five senses plus one.

2010-12-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Too often, the undead have been said to possess superhuman powers: unusual strength, lightning speed, telepathy, etc. Here is how the five senses work with the undead:

SIGHT

The eyes of a zombie are no different than those of a normal human. While still capable (given their rate of decomposition) of transmitting visual signals to the brain, how the brain interprets these signals is another matter. Studies are inconclusive regarding the undead's visual abilities. They can spot prey at distances comparable to a human, but whether they can distinguish a human from one of their own is still up for debate. One theory suggests that the movements made by humans, which are quicker and smoother than those of the undead, is what causes them to stand out to the zombie eye. Experiments have been done in which humans have attempted to confuse approaching ghouls by mimicking their motions and adopting a shambling, awkward limp.

To date, none of these attempts have succeeded. It has been suggested that zombies possess night vision, a fact that explains their skill at nocturnal hunting. This theory has been debunked by the fact that all zombies are expert night feeders, even those without eyes.

HEARING

There is no question that zombies have excellent hearing. Not only can they detect sound they can determine its direction. The basic range appears to be the same as that for humans. Experiments with extreme high and low frequencies have yielded negative results. Tests have also shown that zombies are attracted by any sounds, not just those made by living creatures. It has been recorded that ghouls will notice sounds ignored by living humans. The most likely, if unproven, explanation is that zombies depend on all their senses equally. Humans are sight-oriented from birth, depending on other senses only if the primary one is lost. Perhaps this is not a handicap shared by the walking dead. If so, it would explain their ability to hunt, fight, and feed in total darkness.

SMELL

Unlike with sound, the undead have a more acute sense of smell. In both combat situations and laboratory tests, they have been able to distinguish the smell of living prey above all others. In many cases, and given ideal wind conditions, zombies have been known to smell fresh corpses from a distance of more than a mile. Again, this does not mean that ghouls have a greater sense of smell than humans, simply that they rely on it more. It is not known exactly what particular secretion signals the presence of prey: sweat, pheromones, blood, etc. In the past, people seeking to move undetected through infested areas have attempted to "mask" their human scent with perfumes, deodorants, or other strong-smelling chemicals. None were successful. Experiments are now under way to synthesize the smells of living creatures as a decoy or even repellent to the walking dead. A successful product is still years away.

TASTE

Little is known about the altered taste buds of the walking dead. Zombies do have the ability to tell human flesh apart from that of animals, and they prefer the former. Ghouls also have a remarkable ability to reject carrion in favor of freshly killed meat. A human body that has been dead longer than twelve to eighteen hours will be rejected as food. The same goes for cadavers that have been embalmed or otherwise preserved. Whether this has anything to do with "taste" is not yet certain. It may have to do with smell or, perhaps, another instinct that has not been discovered. As to exactly why human flesh is preferable, science has yet to find an answer to this confounding, frustrating, terrifying question.

TOUCH

Zombies have, literally, no physical sensations. All nerve receptors throughout the body remain dead after reanimation. This is truly their greatest and most terrifying advantage over the living. We, as humans, have the ability to experience physical pain as a signal of bodily damage. Our brain classifies such sensations, matches them to the experience that instigated them, and then files the information away for use as a warning against future ham. It is this gift of physiology and instinct that has allowed us to survive as a species. It is why we value virtues such as courage, which inspires people to perform actions despite warnings of danger. The inability to recognize and avoid pain is what makes the waking dead so formidable. Wounds will not be noticed and, therefore, will not deter an attack. Even if a zombie's body is severely damaged, it will continue to attack until nothing remains.

SIXTH SENSE

Historical research, coupled with laboratory and field observation, have shown that the walking dead have been known to attack even when all their sensory organs have been damaged or completely decomposed. Does this mean that zombies possess a sixth sense? Perhaps. Living humans use less than 5 percent of their brain capacity. It is possible that the virus can stimulate another sensory ability that has been forgotten by evolution. This theory is one of the most hotly debated in the war against the undead. So far, no scientific evidence has been found to support either side.

Source: The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

28 Days Later - Zombie Movie Review

2010-12-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

28 Days Later begins in a science lab, where animals rights activists break in and free a screaming, cage-rattling chimp. Little do they know that it's been infected with a virus called Rage or that it will repay their kindness by attacking them. The ape's blood and saliva transmit Rage to the human population, turning the infected into angry, twitchy, blood-spewing maniacs who exist only to tear human flesh apart, thus further spreading the infection.

The film technically doesn't feature any zombies of the living-dead variety, but it could hardly but classified as anything but a zombie movie. There is no cure for Rage and it's victims permanently shed their humanity mere seconds after they're infected, making them little different from undead flesh-eaters. While they chase down their prey, the infected look like freshly dead zombies too - varicose veins, bloodshot eyes, blood flowing from the eyes, nose and mouth. Director Boyle and writer Alex Garland admitted to drawing inspiration from George A. Romero's Dead film series, and in a few places it's obvious, like when they introduce a fanatical major who threatens anyone who challenges his authority and keeps a Rage-infected soldier in chains a la Bud in Day of the Dead (1985). In fact, 28 Days Later was marketed as a "reinvention" of the zombie subgenre. Whatever it is, it's a masterpiece.

When comatose Jim wakes up in the hospital, he is alarmed to discover that everyone in the city has disappeared. The suspense builds as Murphy wanders the desolate streets of downtown London, passing recognizable locations normally bustling with people. Viewers know that the people have to be hiding somewhere and that something bad will ultimately occur. Thus Boyle expertly amps up the tension and mystery before an impressive reveal in a local church. From that moment on, Murphy and a small group of survivors attempt to survive the attacks of the infected, aware that any contact with their bodily fluids will cause a near instantaneous turn. Along the way, there are surprises and some shocking intense scenes. But in between, there's still time for philosophical debate and psychological subtext as Murphy's character comes to terms with the deaths of his family and friends.

Many of the secondary characters serve as surrogate fathers for Murphy, until his character comes to grips with his predicament and takes control of his own destiny.

In a milestone for the film industry, 28 Days Later was one of the first digital video productions to be picked up for distribution by a major studio (Fox), and one of the first films to be shot in digital video and not look completely amateurish. The format actually serves the movie well; combined with the cast of mostly relative unknowns, it lends a documentary feel to the proceedings. But the film crew's most impressive trick was to turn London into a desolate wasteland. Unable to empty the streets for more than 90 seconds at a time, they would set up multiple cameras to shoot as much footage as they could in as little time as possible! According to the filmmakers, they would arrive at a recognizable location, shoot quickly, sometimes over as short a period as 15 minutes, and move on.

The movie was a huge international success, grossing $45 million in the United States and Canada and nearly $83 million worldwide by the end of it's theatrical run.

What is a Zombie - Part 1: The Virus

2010-12-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

What is a zombie? How are they created? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What are their needs, their desires? Why are they hostile to humanity? Before discussing any survival techniques, you must first learn what you are trying to survive.

We must begin by separating fact from fiction. The walking dead are neither a work of "black magic" nor any other supernatural force. Their origin stems from a virus known as Solanum, a Latin word used by Jan Vanderhaven, who first "discovered" the disease.

SOLANUM: THE VIRUS

Solannm works by traveling through the bloodstream, from the initial point of entry to the brain. Through means not yet fully understood, the virus uses the cells of the frontal lobe for replication, destroying them in the process. During this period, all bodily functions cease. By stopping the heart, the infected subject is rendered''dead." The brain, however, remains alive hut dormant, while the virus mutates its cells into a completely new organ. The most critical trait of this new organ is its independence from oxygen. By removing the need for this all- important resource, the undead brain can utilize, but is in no way dependent upon, the complex support mechanism of the human body.
Once mutation is complete, this new organ reanimates the body into a form that bears little resemblance (physiologically speaking) to the original corpse. Some bodily functions remain constant, others operate in a modified capacity, and the remainder shut down completely. This new organism is a zombie, a member of the living dead.

SYMPTOMS

The timetable below outlines the process of an infected human (give or take several hours, depending on the individual).

Hour 01: Pain and discoloration (brown-purple) of the infected area Immediate clotting of the wound provided the infection came hm a wound).
Hour 05: Fever (99-103 degrees F), chills, slight dementia, vomiting, acute pain in the joints.
Hour 08: Numbing of extremities and infected area, increased fever (103-106 degrees F), increased dementia, loss of muscular coordination.
Hour 11: Paralysis in the lower body, overall numbness, slowed heart rate.
Hour 16: Coma.
Hour 20: Heart stoppage. Zero brain activity
Hour 23: Reanimation.

TRANSFERENCE

Solanum is 100 percent communicable and 100 percent fatal. Fortunately for the human race, the virus is neither waterborne nor airborne. Humans have never been known to contract the virus from elements in nature. Infection can occur only through direct fluid contact. A zombie bite, although by far the most recognizable means of transference, is by no means the only one. Humans have been infected by brushing their open wounds against those of a zombie or by being splattered by its remains after an explosion.Ingestion of infected flesh (provided the person has no open mouth sores), however, results in permanent death rather than infection. Infected flesh has proven to be highly toxic.

No information - historical, experimental, or otherwise - has surfaced regarding the results of sexual relations with an undead specimen, but as previously noted, the nature of Solanum suggests a high danger of infection. Warning against such an act would be useless, as the only people deranged enough to try would he unconcerned for their own safety. Many have argued that, given the congealed nature of undead bodily fluids, the chances of infection from a non-bite contact should be low. However, it must be remembered that even one organism is enough to begin the cycle.

CROSS-SPECIES INFECTION

Solannm is fatal to all living creatures, regardless of size, species, or ecosystem. Reanimation, however, takes place only in humans. Studies have shown that Solanum infecting a non-human brain will die within hours of the death of its host, making the carcass safe to handle. Infected animals expire before the virus can replicate throughout their bodies. Infection from insect bites such as from mosquitoes can also he discounted. Experiments have proven that all parasitic insects can sense and will reject an infected host 100 percent of the time.

TREATMENT

Once a human is infected, little can be done to save him or her. Because Solanum is a virus and not a bacteria, antibiotics have no effect. Immunization, the only way to combat a virus, is equally useless, as even the most minute dosage will lead to a full-blown infection. Genetic research is under way. Goals range from stronger human antibodies to resistant cell structure to a counter-virus designed to identify and destroy Solanum. This and other, more radical treatments are still in the earliest stages, with no foreseeable success in the near future. Battlefield experiences have led to the immediate severing of the infected limb (provided this is the location of the bite), but such treatments are dubious at best, with less than a 10 percent success rate. Chances are, the infected human was doomed from the moment the virus entered his or her system.
Should the infected human choose suicide, he should remember that the brain must be eliminated first. Cases have been recorded in which recently infected subjects, deceased by means other than the virus, will nonetheless reanimate. Such cases usually occur when the subject expires after the fifth hour of infection. Regardless, any person killed after being bitten or otherwise infected by the undead should be immediately disposed of.

REANIMATING THE DEAD

It has been suggested that fresh human corpses could reanimate if Solanum were introduced after their demise. This is a fallacy. Zombies ignore necrotic flesh and therefore could not transfer the virus. Experiments conducted during and after World War II have proven that injecting Solanum into a cadaver would be futile because a stagnantbloodstream could not transport the virus to the brain. Injection directly into a dead brain would be equally useless, as the expired cells could not respond to the virus. Solanum does not create life - it alters it.

Source: s

The Highest-Grossing Zombie Movies of All Time

2010-12-01T13:47:00.000-08:00

Just out of curiosity here is the list of the 10 highest-grossing zombie movies of all time. Zombieland leads the list and the whole Resident Evil's anthology got a place there too!

Rank	Title	Life-time Gross
1	Zombieland	$75.590.286
2	Resident Evil: Afterlife	$60.128.566
3	Dawn of the Dead (2004)	$59.020.957
4	Death Becomes Her	$58.422.650
5	Pet Sematary	$57.469.467
6	Resident Evil: Apocalypse	$51.201.453
7	Resident Evil: Extinction	$50.648.679
8	28 Days Later	$45.064.915
9	Resident Evil	$40.119.709
10	28 Weeks Later	$28.638.916

What is a Zombie Movie?

2010-12-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

How do you know if you're watching one? It's not as simple a question as it might at first seem, because what constitutes a zombie has changed over the years and continues to evolve. Recent films such as 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead have broadened the definition beyond the walking dead to include still-living characters infected with an incurable disease that extinguishes their personalities and turns them into bloodthirsty killers. Even the classic conception of the zombie, as a corpse that rises from the grave to feed on the glash of the living - of at the very least slaughter them - became the standard only after the release of the classic 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead.

The Zombie's beginnings can be traced back much further still, to a beautiful but troubled country of Haiti. A Caribbean paradise filled with fruit and fertile soil for farming, Haiti was introduced to the European world by the Spanish, who declared the land theirs and named it Santo Domingo. Sometime later the French took control. They were noted for shipping slaves directly from Africa to work on their plantations. Conditions and the treatment of slaves were sickeningly poor, with landowners opting to maxmize profits by working them to death, literally. However, these slaves brought with them their own religious customs, which they continued to develop and expand on in their new home country. Of particular note was their practice of vodou.

Belief in vodou helped support the enslaved people in their struggle, the vodou gods protecing them from their so-called owners. As common spiritual beliefs grew among slaves, a society arose. Dances, animal sacrifices and the beating of drums became a part of the culture. Within the community, leaders and experts gained influence, further honing the use of ritual chants, poisons and potion making.

Through the use of these potions and rituals, a vodou priest was believed to be able to invoke supernatural powers. One such power was the ability to reanimate a dead human body. The resulting creature was known as a zombie, and it was characterized by slow mannerism, low intelligence and a lack of willpower or a soul. Often, zombies were believed to be under the control of the person who had caused them rise from the grave.

In 1791 slaves in the northern part of the country reportedly invoked vodou to seize control of an even greater prize - their own destinies. In a massive uprising led by the Haitian general Toussaint L'Ouverture, they violently rebelled against the wealthy French plantation owners. A famous local legend has it that the unrest was preceded by a vodou ceremony at Boius Caiman that united the participants against the government's continued proslavery stance. Their forces clashed with colonial armies sent to quash the unrest; the slaves were victorious. The French administration announced that it would finally abolish slavery in Haiti.

In 1802, howerver, Napoleton Bonaparte sent more military forces into the colony, a clear attempt by the French to reestablish slavery. While his soldiers initially made inroads, Haitian nationalists fought back and met with victory once again. By 1804 the country had won its independence from France and become the Republic of Haiti, the first black republic in history. The success of the slave revolution inspired similar rebellions in such nations as the United States and Brazil. But Haiti's troubles were far from over.

Leaders came and went during the next hundred years and over time the country sank deeper into depression, debt and chaos. Many leaders were assassinated and give presidents violently rose and fell between 1910 and 1915. The last, Gen. Vilbrun Guillaume Sam, had perhaps the most tragic impact. His political opponent, Rosalvo Bobo, criticized the leader's dealings with the U.S government and began to influence others within Guillaume Sam's administration. The fearful president began executing potential threats to his power, even going so far as to have 167 political prisoners killed. When word spread, Haitian citizens revolted, turning into a unruly mob. Gen. Guillaume Sam was taken from his palace and publicly torn to pieces, which were scattered and put on triumphant display.

This gruesome scene may have led to the birth of the zombie movies, since the death of Guillaume Sam brought Haiti to the American consciousness. The U.S. government was concerned about Bobo's unfriendly stance toward the United States and frighttened by the distant possibility that German forces could easily invade the unstable nation, so in 1915 the U.S. occupation of Haiti Began.

How to Identify a Zombie

2010-11-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

Spotting a zombie can be a difficult task. Corporate types and most politicians can be easily mistaken for the life-impaired. Caution and common sense are aways the rule when a non life-impaired citizen attempts to identify and destroy a zombie. The following is a list of things to look for when presence of the life-impaired is suspect:

Disheveled Appearance;
Unresponsive to Communication;
Pale, Often Clammy or Decomposing Skin;
No Concept of Personal Boundaries;
Motivation to Eat the Brains of the Living