Thoughts about Diary of the Dead

[Svengoolie]

One thing I haven't thought about until just now: "Diary" is supposed to be shot in a type of first person, hand-held video account of the start of the phenomenon--like "The Blair Witch Project" with zombies, correct? The old man is going for "realism" in this one (well, as real as you can get with homicidal, flesh-eating reanimated corpses, anyway). Well, if that's the case...without the score, rapid cuts, plot and story finangling, and change in POV that a regular flick would provide, wouldn't such a style drive home the all too obvious fact that GAR's shamblers are so slow that all you've gotta do is walk away from them (ala Babs in NOTLD 90) to be safe from harm? Your views, sports fans.

[Trancelikestate]

hmmm, good point there sven. but maybe the plots will be escaping geographic locations maybe? like if there all cornered on a cliff, or dare i say, a cave maybe a swamp w/deep mud so you cant move fast. i dunno, i'm sure they'll think of something. they always do.

[bassman]

Good thinking, Sven....you've got a good point. It could easily be funny just watching the camera bob and weave around the dead. But honestly, I think that will only help to drive it home to the people that don't realize that the humans are the ones that cause their own demise....not the dead. The walking dead are the innocent victims and it's a situation that could easily be solved....but our lack of communication and cooperation will cause the end. I think this new idea of Romero's will help wake the MTV'ers up a little bit and show them what REAL horror is. Plus.....it's going to be cool to see feasting scenes from a first person perspective, ya know?

[LouCipherr]

Uh oh, the can of worms has been opened on the shambling/running zombies again! To be honest, Sven, I kind of agree with you, which is why we took the direction we did with Deadlands - having both runners and shamblers. It makes perfect logical sense if you realize that when you first get bit and turn, rigor mortis hasn't set in and you're pretty limber. Eventually, you'll rot enough and stiffen up enough to be forced to slow down, but at first, you should be as limber as you were when you were first bitten. Having said that, this is one issue that bothered me about shamblers. The only real ways they could take you out is by overrunning you by sheer numbers or by surprise. Otherwise, if zombies moved the way they did in Romero's universe, then most people could avoid them just by walking the other way or around them. Unless you're outnumbered by one hell of a lot of zombies who happen to surround you, or you get caught by surprise, staying out of their way shouldn't be too much of a problem. That, to me, doesn't make them that 'scary'. Now, if a zombie is right on your ass moving pretty quickly (no, I don't mean running at you like a track and field star running the 100 yard dash, that's silly), well, that makes you have to be one hell of a lot more careful and puts the suspense factor up a few notches. Interesting thought, svengoolie. I dunno.. like trancelikestate said, they'll probably think of something. But honestly, I think that will only help to drive it home to the people that don't realize that the humans are the ones that cause their own demise....not the dead. good point there, bassman, I agree. LC

[Svengoolie]

I think I'll go back to front this time... First, to Lou: I'm honestly not trying to open up a can of worms, here. Or even a cannister of zombies! I was just reading a bit on what this new movie is supposed to be, and had a vision of a Blair Witch-type grainy, jumpy shot of a bunch of shambling extras trying to "chase" another bunch of kids through the meadow and through the woods, often in broad daylight. Makes me think of a fan flick made by teens for ten bucks rather than a real movie. As for the rigor mortis issue--according to the most beloved Ernie Kaltenbruener in ROTLD, rigor mortis loosens itself up after a while, and can be broken out "manually" as they say, by flexing the muscles. Body movement is acheived by the contraction and relaxation of muscles...so, if a corpse was reanimated by some known or unknown force right from the start, wouldn't it make more sense that rigor mortis wouldn't develop at all? Nevertheless, I'm still on the edge of my seat, waiting for Deadlands. When I get it, I'm going to do it up right--popcorn, pop, candy...and the flick on my projector screen TV. Bassman311 is on my Ignore List, so I have no idea what he said beyond what Lou quoted. But, I'll respond to Lou's response: Do we know that lack of human cooperation is going to be a factor in this one? Or are we just assuming that? i dunno, i'm sure they'll think of something. they always do. Do they, trance?

[Trancelikestate]

yeah they think of something. it isnt always good though i just think all we can do is hope, just like we always do.

[bassman]

Bassman311 is on my Ignore List, so I have no idea what he said beyond what Lou quoted. But, I'll respond to Lou's response: Do we know that lack of human cooperation is going to be a factor in this one? Or are we just assuming that? No....we don't KNOW that. But this has been the case with ALL of Romero's other films. So yeah, it was basically an assumption. An assumption that has a 99.9% chance of turning out to be right. What did I do to be on this kid's ignore list, anyway? Hrm.

[EvilNed]

In the initial outbreak people will A) Not realize that they are dealing with the dead and B) Not know how to stop one. Add to that, tens of thousands of people die everyday. Alot of people would get bitten in the first hours/day. Shamblers or no shamblers, the zombies will get you. You can outrun a zombie. But he'll get you in the end, because he doesn't get tired. He'll keep coming, and the longer you run the more zombies will come after you.

[Svengoolie]

In the initial outbreak people will A) Not realize that they are dealing with the dead and B) Not know how to stop one. As even GAR's flicks show--when someone's trying to kill you, you don't care if they're alive or dead....but, the characters quickly learn (one way or the other) that the assailants are dead and how to stop them. Add to that, tens of thousands of people die everyday. Alot of people would get bitten in the first hours/day. Shamblers or no shamblers, the zombies will get you. Especially if they're running after you. You can outrun a zombie. Babs sure did in NOTLD 90. Heck, she even outwalked them. We'll just have to wait and see what ol' Moss-Back George has for us this time around. But, personally I hope the whole "Blair Witch" rip-off thing goes the way of Land's zombie rats.

[Adrenochrome]

What did I do to be on this kid's ignore list, anyway? Hrm. Probably something simple, like....oh.....using logic.

[EvilNed]

As even GAR's flicks show--when someone's trying to kill you, you don't care if they're alive or dead....but, the characters quickly learn (one way or the other) that the assailants are dead and how to stop them. Yeah, but time is a precious commodity in such an outbreak. So even if they "quickly learn", they're not learning it soon enough! Especially if they're running after you. Well, that goes without saying! Babs sure did in NOTLD 90. Heck, she even outwalked them. Yeah, but let's be realistic. The zombies in those scenes were inhumanly slow! I've never seen Romero zombies move that slow, especially not when they're close to a target.

[bassman]

Yeah, but let's be realistic. The zombies in those scenes were inhumanly slow! I've never seen Romero zombies move that slow, especially not when they're close to a target. Yeah, I never was too happy with that scene. Even though I like the idea of the girl with the doll....she's RIGHT in Barb's face and still isn't even grabbing her! She pushes her off with ease....like what?....4 times? those were a bit TOO slow....even for Romero's mythology.

[TheWalkingDude]

Ok only giving a little science fact lol.............Rigor mortis can be used to help estimate time of death. The onset of rigor mortis may range from 10 minutes to several hours, depending on factors including temperature (rapid cooling of a body can inhibit rigor mortis, but it occurs upon thawing). Maximum stiffness is reached around 12-24 hours post mortem. Facial muscles are affected first, with the rigor then spreading to other parts of the body. The joints are stiff for 1-3 days, but after this time general tissue decay and leaking of lysosomal intracellular digestive enzymes will cause the muscles to relax. It is interesting to note that meat is generally considered to be more tender if it is eaten after rigor mortis has passed. Dont blame me lol i just looked it up this is what was said on the web. So would this mean fast then slow then fast again zombies????? Dont yell at me about fast zombies either lol i just threw this up for all sides of the debate.

[LouCipherr]

I was just messin' with ya, Sven about the can of worms. I just know that's a heated debate and I figured this thread was in for a long series of replies. as far as rigor mortis is concerned - if that's true, I just learned something new today. Regardless, even if rigor mortis doesn't set in on a freshly reanimated body, or it is 'broken out of' as she stated, muscle tissues are still going to break down during the decomposition and that will slow you down. Hell, even if it didn't, I just love the idea of a zombie being able to move a bit faster than a shamble or a shuffle - it makes them that much creepier, and your chances of getting caught by one and made into zombie food is much higher. sorry for the thread-jack, we now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

[placebo]

In all reality, if things like this were to happen, the common mindset would be that things like this don't happen, so there has to be a logical explanation. Many would die out of this reality, and alot of the information that makes all the difference will be few and far between. Not to mention that the information won't be believed until seen with your very eyes, and prior to that would be the time to stop it. Once it's in front of you, for the most part it's too far out of control to be stopped..