Zombies: Through Pop Culture, Folklore, and Games

The zombie as the undead and flesh-eating corpse has seen a popularity boost in recent years. The concept of zombieism dominates pop culture and folklore. You can see them devouring prey in movies like The Walking Dead. They also feature in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video.  Today, many zombie movies, music videos, and zombie-themed games exist.

 

Origin of Zombies

Archaeologists have discovered several graves in the Ancient Greeks with skeletons held down by rocks and other big objects. Historians presume that these objects stop the dead bodies from reanimating.

Zombie culture and folklore have been prevalent, for example, in Haiti for centuries. This folklore originated in the Seventeenth century during the slave trade period. It began when enslaved West Africans came to Haiti as manual laborers in sugar cane plantations. The harsh conditions experienced by the slaves made them long for freedom. Some reports state that the zombie’s afterlife depicts the cruel treatment of slavery.

 

Zombie In Pop Culture and Music

Zombies have also penetrated the music world. In 1994, the Cranberries released Zombie as a protest song. The song topped the music charts all over Europe and was number one in France, Denmark, and Iceland. It also won the Best Song Award at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 1995.

The zombie concept also features in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video. Though a music video, it was shot like a movie. It saw the singer fight for his life for 14 minutes, trying to escape from zombies. The music topped the US charts in 1983.

 

Zombie Themed Games

Online games, especially slots, come with different mechanics, features, and themes. Today, you’ll find Irish and ancient Greek-themed slots at almost all online casinos. But the most scary of them is the Zombie and the Walking Dead-themed slots.

Software providers have been able to incorporate zombie themes into slots. You can play zombie-themed games like the Walking Dead 2 Slot on platforms listed at https://www.gamblingsites.org/apps/slots/. Created by Playtech Origins, The Walking Dead 2 is a 5 reel, 3 rows, and 25 paylines slot. This game has a theoretical RTP of 95.84%. Its bet limit ranges from $0.05 to $500, and you can earn a potential return of 5,000x your wager.

 

Zombies in Movies and Series

According to Linda Troost, zombies began to feature in literature in 1697. She stated this in her book, The Undead 18th Century. In those days, they were known as ghosts or spirits, not cannibalistic beings.

The concept of zombieism became a movie feature in 1932 with the release of White Zombie. Dracula and Frankenstein are other movie concepts that incorporate the monster theme. You can experience Dracula terror at https://www.firstcomicsnews.com/experience-the-terror-with-dracula-x-frankenstein/. This horror comic takes you to the North Pole.

But zombie movies had a cult following in 1968 after the release of Night of the Living Dead. The 1980s had movies like Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.

With the improvement in technology, zombie movies have become more realistic. Special effects also made the films gruesome. World War Z made the screens in 2013. You can read more about the film at https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/06/18/review-world-war-z-lacks-bite. It starred Brad Pitt as a former UN investigator. He explored the world, searching for a solution to a sudden zombie apocalypse.

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