Wouldn't the smell in the Monroevillle Mall have been unbearable?

[EDukes]

I've always thought about that too. Like if the real reason for the gas was to cover the scent, since it didn't appear to have any real effect on the living tenants. In a couple little stories I've written I always have the characters wearing dust mask that are smeared inside with things like peanut butter, or other strong pleasant scents. I'm sure that in reality the characters would be covering their faces a lot more before they cleaned up the mall. But as far as the movie goes, I don't think people would enjoy seeing characters running around with their faces covered half the time.

[Mr.G]

Decomposing flesh can smell different, depending on the weather and other enviromental factors. It can smell like body odor, or sometimes like salami, but always with a distinct undertone- strong cheese of necrotized flesh. I would imagine too that they would smell of feces, since it is common for the bowels to void after clinical death. I hope to Christ you're a medical examinar or something along that line....your insight is a little TOO good.

[SymphonicX]

You gotta assume the decomposition rate is dramatically slowed down in the zombie world - otherwise after just a few weeks they would be far easier to dispatch - baseball bat to chest would knock a hole into a rotted corpse, let alone a bullet. If it was a normal rate of decomposition, there would be nothing stopping humanity from mowing them down day and night in armoured cars - just park it in the town centre, honk the horn then line 'em up for a massive bowling game. If normal decomposition ocurred in the zed world, surely the muscles would flop off the flesh eventually, having rotted into nothing, leaving just walking bones - which obviously wouldn't happen - even Logan alludes to this in Day with his statement about the decay attacking the central nervous system last - implying that the normal decay process could be extended to somewhere near "15 years"

[AcesandEights]

I hope to Christ you're a medical examinar or something along that line....your insight is a little TOO good. Yojimbo is a professional, but not a doctor. He deals with them, if I recall correctly, after the doctors are through with them and they've shuffled off that mortal coil.

[Trin]

Let's remember, too, that Peter mentioned after the hunt that the place was going to start to smell. Implying that it didn't already smell. So walking corpses must not be that horrible. And once they "die" they become so. That makes sense since (as others have pointed out) the smell comes from the decay, and the decay in zombies isn't as much of an issue. Here's an interesting thought. It may be that one reason why they let them continue to exist outside the mall was because they knew they couldn't deal with the smell. You never see people use sense of smell as a zombie warning system either. It didn't help Peter in the airport with two little zombies in the next room. It didn't help Cholo and crew in the liquor store even though there were two zombies in the room with them.

[Legion2213]

You never see people use sense of smell as a zombie warning system either. It didn't help Peter in the airport with two little zombies in the next room. It didn't help Cholo and crew in the liquor store even though there were two zombies in the room with them. That is a cracking point to make. Hate to admit that I never thought of that when watching any zombie movies.

[SymphonicX]

Does it throw a spanner in the works to remind people that Cholo referred to the zeds as "stenchers" throughout land.....

[bassman]

"Stenches" But that just makes it even more odd that they didn't sense the two zombies in the liquor store before they attacked. At least the cop that was evidently crouched behind the counter and waiting for the right moment to spring his trap. But maybe the characters in the movies are just used to the smell? If you're around a horrible odor long enough, you become used to it and barely notice it. Plus....in a world where most of the people are dead, I imagine it stinks everywhere....

[BillyRay]

Does it throw a spanner in the works to remind people that Cholo referred to the zeds as "stenchers" throughout land..... He was referring to the movie in General?

[acealive1]

"Stenches" But that just makes it even more odd that they didn't sense the two zombies in the liquor store before they attacked. At least the cop that was evidently crouched behind the counter and waiting for the right moment to spring his trap. But maybe the characters in the movies are just used to the smell? If you're around a horrible odor long enough, you become used to it and barely notice it. Plus....in a world where most of the people are dead, I imagine it stinks everywhere.... fireworks,kids. stenches can't keep their eyes off of them.

[bassman]

fireworks,kids. stenches can't keep their eyes off of them. Maybe I missed something.....are you responding to my post or just quoting the film? I ask because you quoted my post and I can't see why....

[krakenslayer]

Does it throw a spanner in the works to remind people that Cholo referred to the zeds as "stenchers" throughout land..... I don't think so. They probably don't smell too sweet, regardless of decomposition. Spend a few months without taking a bath, and see how you smell. On top of that, they probably have a funny odour of dried or dessicated meat, but nothing like the long-range pungency of truly putrid flesh.

[acealive1]

Maybe I missed something.....are you responding to my post or just quoting the film? I ask because you quoted my post and I can't see why.... just quoting since the film was mentioned

[Debbieangel]

I am wondering with all the flies and maggots and other bugs that would be landing,eating at the zombies, if that might help decomp and smell? Especially maggots they smell rancid! Yojimbo what are your thoughts? Would that be a factor?

[krakenslayer]

I am wondering with all the flies and maggots and other bugs that would be landing,eating at the zombies, if that might help decomp and smell? Especially maggots they smell rancid! Yojimbo what are your thoughts? Would that be a factor? When did we ever see that in a Romero movie? Flies (and therefore maggots) are attracted to decomposing flesh, but not if its still semi-fresh and moving around. The only time I remember flies anywhere near a zed in the whole series was the scene with the zombies at the gates in Day, in the Florida keys on a hot day.