Impacts

Contrary to our initial perceptions about the clear line between life and death, zombies bridge the gap between them. Because of this, the idea of them helps us in contemplating and facing the idea of death. This is one reason why they came into existence as a concept, and many like to believe that “our triumph over zombies becomes a triumph over death” (Cohen, Ohio State University). In other words, the act of defeating zombies allows us to feel a sense of victory over death. Additionally, the fundamental purpose of life is continue living. Therefore, we are captivated by zombie tales because they enable us to believe that an intermediary point exists between life and death.  

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This captivation has turned into a large part of pop culture, inspiring hit movies, video games, and decorations surrounding halloween.

 

Movies: The first zombie movie to ever officially come out was "White Zombie", which was directed by Victor Halperin and released in July 28th, 1932. This movie saw massive commercial success, and was the first building block that helped start the zombie trend. This movie was followed with other huge hits like George Romeros "Night of the Living Dead" in 1968, which inspired many sequels. 

 

Video Games: While video games are much more recent than the release of "White Zombie", that is not to say they have not heavily affected the industry. From the massively successful game mode "Call of Duty Zombies", originally released in 2008, to games more centralized about the topic like "Dead Island", "The Last Of Us", and "Dying Light". The genre of Zombie slaying has become more of an umbrella term as well, with more light hearted games like "Plantz Vs. Zombies" being one of the most successful mobile apps of all time. 

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