Grandfather Clause v. Genre Rules

[Osiris]

When you consider zombies in popular culture, you are confronted with options, mysteries, contradictions and inconsistencies. I've engaged in enough discussions about the genre and films over the years to have determined that most people can't agree on the rules without ignoring certain rules and provisions that they hold as canon. Simply put, we all seem to contradict ourselves when we argue in favour of or against certain aspects of what makes a zombie a zombie.

It made me curious to see where you all lean and so I pose the following questions in poll form over the next several days.

Questions #1:

What film would you consider to be the godfather of the zombie genre?

Which film seems to be that which formed the basis for the zombies we all know and love today?

Options are above. The poll will remain open for seven (7) days.

[Nate Eeez]

Just as Dracula set the standard for vampires. Then along came Lost Boys.

[mem]

Mrs mem and I had a long discussion about WA zeds being true zombies or "hybrids" and/or "genetically engineered mutations". knives were drawn and bottles were busted but neither of us caved in our beliefs.

[reaper239]

any romero film, obviously. the key is that not all zombies are created equal. the dead are slow, the living infected are fast. there are differences.

[Osiris]

any romero film, obviously. the key is that not all zombies are created equal. the dead are slow, the living infected are fast. there are differences.

We're not there yet... calm down.

[Osiris]

Mrs mem and I had a long discussion about WA zeds being true zombies or "hybrids" and/or "genetically engineered mutations". knives were drawn and bottles were busted but neither of us caved in our beliefs.

So your wife is like Drago from Rocky IV? She must break you.

[Red Shirt]

Mrs mem and I had a long discussion about WA zeds being true zombies or "hybrids" and/or "genetically engineered mutations". knives were drawn and bottles were busted but neither of us caved in our beliefs.

I kicked this around while listening to the first few chapters and revisited the thought in the later chapters... I'm not convinced that they are classic canon zombies. I'm on the side of it being a mutagenic rage virus. Then again, IMO I'm not even sure it is a virus either, but that is another thread.

[7oddisdead]

Wow, totally missed this one.

night of certainly set the standard for what people see as a "zombie"...specifically people outside of our circles of enthusiasm for the genre... Ask someone who isn't really a fan of this sort of thing to describe one and you will get the Romero description. That has to speak for what is recognized throughout as "the" zombie standard.

And before I get the "their opinions shouldn't matter"..look at it this way, anytime you want a unbiased, innocent opinion...ask a child. Or, in this case...a normal person who doesn't semi-obsess over a podcast about "zombies"

[Osiris]

Interesting outcome. Seems that all signs point to zombies as having a very specific definition. Good... good... more to come.