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The Zombie Film: From Allegory to Introspection

    Zombies have been active in the minds of humans for centuries. The question of what comes after death is a mysterious one, and zombies, or ghouls, or whatever you would like to refer to them as, provide a terrifying answer. In film, it has hard to locate a definitive starting point for the zombie subculture, but a major influence on the modern zombie filmmaker is The Last Man on Earth, a 1964 release directed by Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow. It is an adaption of the book I Am Legend, a much more faithful version than the two more recent remakes. In it, Dr. Robert Morgan, our films protagonist, is left alone on Earth, presumably the last living human. He spends his days hunting the living dead and attempting to find a cure. Although technically a vampire movie, The Last Man on Earth evoked many of the stylistic tendencies of a zombie movie. Characters lurk in shadows, as hordes of the living dead fill each frame. However, a more important influence was the interpretation derived from the zombie apocalypse scenario. In the film, the end of the world is used as a reflection of Dr. Morgan the character, a flawed and not altogether sane person. In a crucial twist of irony, Morgan discovers that he is the "legend" among some of the infected who can still function, similar to how we view vampires and zombies. In other words, the true "monster" of our culture may have feelings, even live and breathe as we do; we could even be the monster. This can even be interpreted as a commentary on racial prejudice, a universal flaw of humanity.

    Of course, the zombie film would be nothing without the great George A. Romero. In 1968, he directed Night of the Living Dead, a film that was badly received at the time, but has since become a cult classic. In this film, the modern zombie was born. Stylistically, Romero set the rules for his genre. Lighting was just as important before, perhaps even more drastic, but it took a backseat to the props, makeup, and the style of the zombies themselves. Blood was especially important, the spirit of which soon became that there is never too much. After a decade, and some widespread success, Romero decided to make a sequel, Dawn of the Dead. This film takes place just after the first film, but with none of the same characters. In it, a group of misfits find retreat in a shopping mall, where they hold out for several months before being sabotaged by other living human, and ultimately, by the undead.. Beyond just the gore of your typical zombie move, Romero had a message he wished to deliver. Night of the Living Dead provides commentary on Vietnam-era paranoia and mob mentality. The climactic death of Ben, gunned down by fellow humans, demonstrates the destruction of a trigger happy culture. Dawn of the Dead contains a less than subtle allegory to consumerism, as characters indulge in their every pleasure in the months they are in the mall, despite the end of civilization that blazes outside. In both of these films, Romero uses the "zombie apocalypse" as a scenario to build upon. Like The Last Man on Earth, the zombie apocalypse is not the focus, but is instead used as a mirror to reveal the errors of society.

    Recently, the zombie film has picked up steam in popular culture. Starting with 28 Days Later in 2002, and continuing with Shaun of the Dead and Fido, both comedic approaches, the zombie film has found a new purpose. 28 Days Later and the less eclectic Resident Evil, released the same year, mark a turning point for the zombie film. Particularly, they are the first significant films to have an explanation for why the dead are coming back to life. 28 Days Later attributes the cause to a "rage virus" which is spread through bites. Fido takes a similar route, attributing the reanimation to radiation, but is set in an alterante world where zombies are treated like domesticated pets. The standards remain relatively the same. Zombies are reanimated corpses, they hunt for the living, they can only be killed by destroying their brain, etc. But in both of these films, the mechanics behind the terror are revealed to the viewer almost immediately. In fact, in the very first scene of 28 Days Later, animal activists come to release monkeys that are caged up. Little did they know, the monkeys contain the rage virus, and so it is spread to humans. Just as the viewer began to think it might be a movie that addresses animal rights activism, director Danny Boyle spins around the meaning of the film. With this subtle change, all of the allegorical implications of earlier zombie flicks are stripped away. More recent films have found an allure to the zombies themselves. Once the mechanics are revealed, the fear of the zombie scenario is not a reflection out towards society, but inward. The realization of a possible reality of the "zombie apocalypse" is put into the mind of the audience, no matter how far fetched it is. The viewer becomes terrified not by the blood or the shadows, but by this very reality.This forced look inward has become the new standard of the zombie film, and an introspective gaze has never held such terror.

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of...

    The year is 1941. John Huston releases The Maltese Falcon, one of the first examples of a film noir crime story, complete with a chain smoking detective, a femme fatale, and photography that leads the viewer in and out of darkness. And no one can play Sam Spade quite like Humphrey Bogart can. In 1946, The Killers hit the screen. Film noir will never be the same after such an intricate play between good and evil, darkness and light, and the archetypical femme fatale, Ms. Kitty Collins. In 1958, Orson Welles tried his hand at the genre with Touch of Evil, and as is typical of Wells, it is executed with a level of perfection and grace. We are shuffled between the seedy underbelly of a Mexican dystopia and a corrupt American world, with a do-gooder Charlton Heston stuck in the middle. By the way, if you have not seen these films, go out and see them right now. After Welles, film noir loses its steam. It fades away into a familiar reference, even an object of parody. Every one can instantly recognize the detective sitting behind his desk, cloaked in shadows and cigarette smoke, and the sexy "dame," desperate for help. Except for a few exceptions here and there, the big screen saw very little of film noir in its classic context after 1960. Enter Brick: a 2005 release which takes all the elements of the classic noir film and throws it into a high school setting. Think that can't work? It does.

    Brick follows Brendan as he attempts to discover the circumstances surrounding his ex-girlfriends death, and as is typical of crime noir, "break some deserving teeth." The film noir influence on this film is exceptionally clear. The dialogue is quick and reminiscent of the 50s, it has an ever twisting plot, and it has the full cast of characters, including the femme fatale as stunning and as deadly as Kitty, the overambitious muscle and the smart character on the inside appropriately named "The Brain." Though the film is in color, it stylistically remains loyal to its genre. In other words, the composition reflects the world. The colors are, for the most part. In a few scenes, a tunnel looms in the background, and as characters run in and out they fade into oblivion. Because of his limited budget, Johnson was forced to do all his special effects with camera tricks instead of in post. This decorates the film with an older, much more raw tone. Though the effects are well done, the smoothness that results from CGI is altogether lacking, making the effects themselves gritty. But, and this is important, it is not that director Rian Johnson copies film noir. For an example of this, see The Black Dahlia. Instead, Johnson takes the essence of noir and makes it relevant in our time. In the past 50 years, there has never been a better time for a noir comeback then right this instant. 

    In the 40s and 50s film noir just plain worked. After all, the conditions were perfect. Americans were coming out of the worst depression in history, and the economic disparity hadn't quite gone away. They were involved in a tiring and globally devastating war that touched every single citizen's life. There was a turn towards a socialist/communist agenda and an overreaction from certain sections of government. All in all, Americans were feeling hopeless. Directors began to realize this, and they wished to reflect this in their films. They didn't want to throw false hope at their viewer in an attempt to make them feel better, they wanted to give them biting reality. It was the only way to deal with what was at stake. The rest is well known. America bounced back and film noir got left on the back burner. So why is it relevant today? Well, let's check the list. A period of extreme economic strife and recession?...check. A long and tiring war?...double check. A turn towards socialism and a backlash? Read Obama's stimulus plan and listen to some GOP governors comment on it. Americans are feeling hopeless again. The romantic comedy isn't quite going to do it anymore. We need darkness, we need the anti-hero, we need a world where good is rewarded with punishment. The best part is, we already have a working model, just ask Bogart or Mitchum.

     Of course, the film noir of old, copied and cloned, isn't as relevant as it used to be, the world has certainly changed. Let's return to Brick. What sets this apart from any film of its type is that it is set in high school. Admittedly, this is a strange pick for a crime drama. Brendan, our protaganist, paces back and forth on a brick wall, throwing a Rubik's Cube at "The Brain," shooting questions at him about his ex-girlfriend, Emily. "Who's she eating with?" is the one most important to him. Who doesn't remember the intimidating atmosphere of the high school cafeteria. The cheerleaders all sat together, and the nerds had their own table. The jocks sat with the jocks, and I just plain didn't. It had simple rules and a simple structure. Even, however, in this simplistic setting, hopelessness resides. Throughout the film, the characters have to simaltenously deal with raging and unpredictable hormones and a complex drug ring and multiple murders. There is no escape, no innocence. This is the world we currently live in. What is the future of these kids? Many are thinking bleak, at best. The American people are ready to face this kind of gloom on screen. Noir serves as a reflection of its audience, almost a mirror into their own world. And why try to hide the truth, disguise it behind beautiful faces and unattainable standards. That's not life. Films should strive to reach the maturity of the noir of old, much like Brick did. They should try to expose life for what it is, especially in these trying times where Americans in particular can't afford to ignore what the world is like.

The New Role of Animation in Film

    When a filmmaker first sets out to make a film, he has an important question to answer: Should it be animated? In its beginning, animation was typically used in the portrayal of fairy tales, films that could appeal to children. This was of course popularized by Walt Disney and his abundant supply of feature length folk tales brought to the screen. In recent years, animation has been adapted in the fulfillment of another purpose. Animation allows the viewer to be submerged in another world altogether. It is limited only by human imagination, boundless in its ability to recreate reality. In the recent academy award nominated film Persepolis (2007), filmmaker Marjane Satrapi expanded the role of animation in film to include an even further purpose.

    In her Commentary, Satrapi states "The reason we used animation instead of real images is because drawings have an abstract quality. If we used real images it would be a few Arabs in a country, right away it would be an ethnic film....But drawings, with their abstract quality, emphasize the universal"* For those unfamiliar with the film, Persepolis chronicles the early life of an Iranian woman, Marjane, growing up during the Iranian Revolution. While the film certainly contains a firm political message about the dangers of a dictatorship of any kind, its message is, in Satrapi's words, universal. It is impossible to take nothing from this coming of age story, if even just that perfect mixture of joy, anticipation and sorrow we all (or at least most of us) feel the first time we say good bye to our parents. As Marjane reaches this point in her life, the viewer finds that her feelings at this time are not unlike your average American college student. Throughout, from the grand central themes to the minute details, the film remains a constant exercise of universality. 

    In Persepolis, Satrapi utilizes some pretty unique animation techniques. First of all, she used traditional animation, meaning the animation was done on paper, frame by frame, not by a computer. Second, the entire film is done in black and white, an unusual approach to a typically vibrant medium.

   For her film, Satrapi used a back to the basics process. With the advent of computer technology, traditional animation has become a less cost effective, and much longer approach to animation. However, as Satrapi herself states, "Machines produce perfect images while humans are imperfect."** The characters come to life in a way that can't be replicated by a computer.

    This is probably best explained by way of example. In a pivotal scene towards the beginning of the film, Marjane falls asleep as a protest takes place outside. The protesters march towards soldiers in gas masks and a line of tanks. In a climactic close, one protester is brutally shot, and this fallen hero is raised above the heads of his countrymen. Together, the use of traditional animation, coupled with the particular choice of black and white, allow for Satrapi to deliver her message to the viewer. The traditional animation allows for a contrast between the movements of the soldiers and the protesters. While the protesters move individually, though with one purpose, the soldiers and the tanks move in complete unison with robotic precision. As the protesters move forward, the black and white becomes ever more apparent. Lit like your favorite Fritz Lang film, everyone is silhouetted. Only very certain details are allowed light, particularly the eyes of men in gas masks and the eyes of the martyr. Because of the dynamic nature of traditional animation itis clear who is good and who is evil. However, the black and white silhouette allows the identity of the crowd to become universal. Given the context of the film, we know that it is the Iranian Revolution. But people all over the world can relate to the mob mentality that arises in times of distress, and the often deadly consequences.

    Marjane Satrapi is certainly not the only filmmaker pushing this new purpose. Ten years ago, Writer/Director Tom Tykwer used several different visual mediums, including animation, in Lola Rennt (1998). The movie is set up with a "reset button" concept, meaning our protagonist, Lola, starts from the very beginning three times, each time trying to save her boyfriend and each with slight changes in her story that change its outcome. At a particular part of each segment, Lola runs down the stairs of her apartment building, confronting a dog and his owner. For this segment, Tywker chose to use animation. Just like Satrapi, Tykwer could have used live action and told this part of his story effectively. Instead, Tykwer used traditional animation that gave Lola the look of a superhero. The animation is especially effective in Lola's last chance, as she barks back at the dog. During this segment, Lola's head becomes much larger, while the dog becomes much smaller. Just like Satrapi, Tykwer chose not to make an imaginary world where anything can happen. This was an impossibility for him, as it was necessary for the animated segment to blend seamlessly with the rest of the film, shot in live action. Instead, Tykwer used the animation medium to portray the world in a way the viewer never could have visualized.

    Of course, there is still room in this world for the Disney fairy tales, a vivid world of imagination projected on screen. The precision and detail that is prevalent in movies like WALL-E (2008) and Kung Fu Panda (2008), both up for academy awards this year, is still a popular and effective use of the animation medium. However, Satrapi has pushed forward a new purpose for animation. She made a conscious choice to enter into a medium where anything is possible. But instead of creating fantasy, she chose to recreate reality. This new direction is still in its early stages, but it is nevertheless having a significant impact on the role of animation in film.

*Knight, Chris. "Taste of Teenage Wasteland." National Post (2008):

**Marjane Satrapi "The Hidden Side of Persepolis Commentary," Persepolis, Sony Picture Classics, 2007.