“Eventually, with the help of my wife, several therapists, and a constant diet of horror films, I was able to overcome my fears enough to live a reasonably functional life in this world, such as it is.” This resembles my life too much 😂
Thank you, as always, for sharing! I’m actually a huge fan of TLOU (especially the game Part II), but I will admit that it is pretty bleak, haha.
I feel that bleak fundamentalism that I grew up with showing up in so many progressive spaces that I end up in, and it’s really off-putting. The gracelessness that seems so fundamental to this way of thinking is a big reason I’m still religious: where else are grace and hope going to be so foundational?
Thanks Stephen! And yes, I do think that for all the faults of my religious upbringing, it at least had a concept of grace and forgiveness that is very lacking today (both in religious and secular spaces). And it's very good to know that I'm not alone in my experience. Thanks for sharing yours. I very often feel like an outlier weirdo when I try to make my experience match those of others. And I think that if you can handle a show like that, go for it. My decision is entirely about self-preservation, not a critique of the art.
Hey Danny! I enjoyed reading your deep dive into why this genre doesn't top your list, but also your reasons for liking Land of the Dead. I still can't watch fireworks without referring to them as "sky flowers" and giggling. I hope others get validation and possibly insight by relating to your experience. I love post-apocalyptic films and books- including zombies. As more zombie stuff is being made, I am finding it less appealing. I dislike the torture that shows like the Walking Dead took, senseless. I enjoy the thought provoking political/societal messages, character growth, and finding hope in the face of adversity that many post-apocalyptic films/books highlight including some of the best made zombie films.
Great analysis, Danny. You're a better (or at least more self-aware) man than me. I, too, have an aversion to zombie properties, but I've always just assumed it was snobbery. In fairness, it probably is--I'm pretty judgy about metaphors that are too on-the-nose (a lot of zombie movies make Lewis' Narnia books look nuanced in their use of metaphor) or overused tropes, and it does seem like "...but with ZOMBIES!" has been the go-to for the last few decades for every studio that's run out of original ideas. I'm not sure that there's anything more noble to my dislike of zombie stuff, but this is still a great reminder to be vigilant about avoiding the temptation to de-humanize the Other, even (especially?) when you've convinced yourself that you're acting with the best intentions. I'm definitely guilty of that.
Thanks Adam, but I doubt very highly that I'm a better (or more self-aware) person than you :) Glad you found some use for the piece. And you're right about the often ham-fisted metaphors. Although Land of the Dead is possibly the MOST ham-fisted of them and I still like it. So I'm not sure what to make of that, I guess. I suppose the center of the post for me was how we very often replicate the worst traits of that which we leave behind.
Land of the Dead is officially in my queue now--looking forward to checking that out. Romero gets a pass, as far as I'm concerned. He's the pioneer in this field, so if his work is derivative, it's only because he was heavily influenced by his earlier work. ;c)
I really like it. I use it in my "Lit of Pittsburgh" class. The city itself is basically a character and Romero makes a really interesting use of it in his very open anti-capitalist message. (I mean, the zombies come from Uniontown for crying out loud). But the performances are great too. Dennis Hopper and particularly John Leguizamo are awesome. The movie works well with a few other works we read in that class, particularly Out of This Furnace by Thomas Bell, which is a really (equally blunt) pro-union novel about immigrants busting through elitist power structures.
Have you seen Warm Bodies? It’s R+J but with zombies, and it provides a fun take on the human/undead social division. Zombies are my favorite horror subgenre, though, so maybe don’t take my word for it.
I have not! But honestly one of the best outcomes of this piece for me is the number of wonderful recommendations I've been getting. I love the concept of that movie and it's probably one I could deal with on an existential level. Like I said, I really do appreciate the art of the genre, it's more of an emotional boundary thing for me. Also, if the Christian Humanist Radio Network wants to do a zombie crossover series this year, I'll totally do it! If I host, I might take on an older version of the genre, White Zombie, which is a pre-Romero, voodoo-based take on the figure. Something much more up my alley :)
Thanks, Danny. Fascinating analysis. I think this need for light/hope is why I couldn’t finish the Last of Us game or Fallout 4, or stopped watching The Walking Dead, despite loving them - just too relentlessly grim. Thanks for rec on iZombie - will check out. My favourite comedy takes: BrainDead series (2016) and Shaun of the Dead. 😁
YES! The grimmness is too much for me too. Like you say here, I do agree that they are terrific and I don't think the artists have done anything wrong in making these pieces, but I simply cannot consume these bleak end of civilization narratives and keep my sanity. And thanks for the recommendations! I can't believe I've still never seen Shaun of the Dead as it's been recommended by so many smart people to me. I will have to check that one out. Best to you!
Hey Danny... you certainly get me. My childhood as it relates to church is quite similar to yours. I had a steady diet of the books of Revelation and Daniel (and Hal Lindsey and the like). Hearing local celebrities post in the local newspaper about 88 reasons Jesus is coming back in 1988. "He's coming back soon, and boy is he pissed!"
It's absolutely miraculous (and I mean that it in every sense of the word) that I still consider myself a Christian. Not exactly the type of Christianity I grew up in, but a Christian nonetheless.
I'm sure I had put those things together before, or at least I should have... but this article absolutely hit me square in the nose. These past two or three years - I feel like have resorted to a Chicken Little complex - and I recognize it as thoroughly unhealthy. I just sometimes go into a freefall. And hard to pull myself back up. It takes openness and honesty with others to get the help I need.
Thank you so much for this piece - and to the rest of y'all: "Keep your apocalypse away from me!!!"
Thanks for the reply, Zach. And thanks for sharing. It really does sound like our backgrounds are really similar. I TOTALLY remember the 88 reasons book! Did an episode of Sectarian Review about it several years ago too. Please do keep taking care of yourself. My experience care-giving for some elders in my life has been an educational one to say the least. First and foremost, it's given me some perspective about how I want to spend the next couple of decades of my life. I have made a conscious decision to NOT make it smaller and smaller, but bigger and bigger. And that takes some doing if you're wading in hopelessness. Gotta fight that stuff.
“Eventually, with the help of my wife, several therapists, and a constant diet of horror films, I was able to overcome my fears enough to live a reasonably functional life in this world, such as it is.” This resembles my life too much 😂
Thank you, as always, for sharing! I’m actually a huge fan of TLOU (especially the game Part II), but I will admit that it is pretty bleak, haha.
I feel that bleak fundamentalism that I grew up with showing up in so many progressive spaces that I end up in, and it’s really off-putting. The gracelessness that seems so fundamental to this way of thinking is a big reason I’m still religious: where else are grace and hope going to be so foundational?
Thanks Stephen! And yes, I do think that for all the faults of my religious upbringing, it at least had a concept of grace and forgiveness that is very lacking today (both in religious and secular spaces). And it's very good to know that I'm not alone in my experience. Thanks for sharing yours. I very often feel like an outlier weirdo when I try to make my experience match those of others. And I think that if you can handle a show like that, go for it. My decision is entirely about self-preservation, not a critique of the art.
Hey Danny! I enjoyed reading your deep dive into why this genre doesn't top your list, but also your reasons for liking Land of the Dead. I still can't watch fireworks without referring to them as "sky flowers" and giggling. I hope others get validation and possibly insight by relating to your experience. I love post-apocalyptic films and books- including zombies. As more zombie stuff is being made, I am finding it less appealing. I dislike the torture that shows like the Walking Dead took, senseless. I enjoy the thought provoking political/societal messages, character growth, and finding hope in the face of adversity that many post-apocalyptic films/books highlight including some of the best made zombie films.
Thanks Melody! And yes, "skyflowers" is part of my lexicon too! And I'm right with you about the bleakness of this genre. Thanks for the input!
Great analysis, Danny. You're a better (or at least more self-aware) man than me. I, too, have an aversion to zombie properties, but I've always just assumed it was snobbery. In fairness, it probably is--I'm pretty judgy about metaphors that are too on-the-nose (a lot of zombie movies make Lewis' Narnia books look nuanced in their use of metaphor) or overused tropes, and it does seem like "...but with ZOMBIES!" has been the go-to for the last few decades for every studio that's run out of original ideas. I'm not sure that there's anything more noble to my dislike of zombie stuff, but this is still a great reminder to be vigilant about avoiding the temptation to de-humanize the Other, even (especially?) when you've convinced yourself that you're acting with the best intentions. I'm definitely guilty of that.
Thanks Adam, but I doubt very highly that I'm a better (or more self-aware) person than you :) Glad you found some use for the piece. And you're right about the often ham-fisted metaphors. Although Land of the Dead is possibly the MOST ham-fisted of them and I still like it. So I'm not sure what to make of that, I guess. I suppose the center of the post for me was how we very often replicate the worst traits of that which we leave behind.
Land of the Dead is officially in my queue now--looking forward to checking that out. Romero gets a pass, as far as I'm concerned. He's the pioneer in this field, so if his work is derivative, it's only because he was heavily influenced by his earlier work. ;c)
I really like it. I use it in my "Lit of Pittsburgh" class. The city itself is basically a character and Romero makes a really interesting use of it in his very open anti-capitalist message. (I mean, the zombies come from Uniontown for crying out loud). But the performances are great too. Dennis Hopper and particularly John Leguizamo are awesome. The movie works well with a few other works we read in that class, particularly Out of This Furnace by Thomas Bell, which is a really (equally blunt) pro-union novel about immigrants busting through elitist power structures.
Have you seen Warm Bodies? It’s R+J but with zombies, and it provides a fun take on the human/undead social division. Zombies are my favorite horror subgenre, though, so maybe don’t take my word for it.
I have not! But honestly one of the best outcomes of this piece for me is the number of wonderful recommendations I've been getting. I love the concept of that movie and it's probably one I could deal with on an existential level. Like I said, I really do appreciate the art of the genre, it's more of an emotional boundary thing for me. Also, if the Christian Humanist Radio Network wants to do a zombie crossover series this year, I'll totally do it! If I host, I might take on an older version of the genre, White Zombie, which is a pre-Romero, voodoo-based take on the figure. Something much more up my alley :)
Thanks, Danny. Fascinating analysis. I think this need for light/hope is why I couldn’t finish the Last of Us game or Fallout 4, or stopped watching The Walking Dead, despite loving them - just too relentlessly grim. Thanks for rec on iZombie - will check out. My favourite comedy takes: BrainDead series (2016) and Shaun of the Dead. 😁
YES! The grimmness is too much for me too. Like you say here, I do agree that they are terrific and I don't think the artists have done anything wrong in making these pieces, but I simply cannot consume these bleak end of civilization narratives and keep my sanity. And thanks for the recommendations! I can't believe I've still never seen Shaun of the Dead as it's been recommended by so many smart people to me. I will have to check that one out. Best to you!
Hey Danny... you certainly get me. My childhood as it relates to church is quite similar to yours. I had a steady diet of the books of Revelation and Daniel (and Hal Lindsey and the like). Hearing local celebrities post in the local newspaper about 88 reasons Jesus is coming back in 1988. "He's coming back soon, and boy is he pissed!"
It's absolutely miraculous (and I mean that it in every sense of the word) that I still consider myself a Christian. Not exactly the type of Christianity I grew up in, but a Christian nonetheless.
I'm sure I had put those things together before, or at least I should have... but this article absolutely hit me square in the nose. These past two or three years - I feel like have resorted to a Chicken Little complex - and I recognize it as thoroughly unhealthy. I just sometimes go into a freefall. And hard to pull myself back up. It takes openness and honesty with others to get the help I need.
Thank you so much for this piece - and to the rest of y'all: "Keep your apocalypse away from me!!!"
Thanks for the reply, Zach. And thanks for sharing. It really does sound like our backgrounds are really similar. I TOTALLY remember the 88 reasons book! Did an episode of Sectarian Review about it several years ago too. Please do keep taking care of yourself. My experience care-giving for some elders in my life has been an educational one to say the least. First and foremost, it's given me some perspective about how I want to spend the next couple of decades of my life. I have made a conscious decision to NOT make it smaller and smaller, but bigger and bigger. And that takes some doing if you're wading in hopelessness. Gotta fight that stuff.