Brian Bass

Annotated Bibliography

Thesis: In Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later and in George Romero’s zombie

films there lies a powerful message against violence and war. Through these films
there is a nihilistic attitude about the fate of the world. Just how H.G. Wells warned
the world about the rapid advancements in science, there is the same sentiment
created by these filmmakers.

1. Beard, Steve. No Particular Place to Go. Sight & Sound. Apr. 1993.

This article reflects on the zombies in George Romero's `Night of the Living
Dead.' Differences between Romero's zombies and those in Tom Savini's
remake of the film; Romero's success resulting in an epidemic of zombie
films; Romero's zombies as heterogeneous and representative of the post-
Fordist masses; The Ritz as a synechdoche of the collapse of the Fordist
system; Savini's film permitting explanations for the zombie plague.

2. Manning, Anita. Big Screen Horror. USA Today. 18 Sep. 2003.

This article is interesting because it talks about how horror films are
related to events happening in real life right now. The author relates 28
Days Later to the SARS outbreak. This will be helpful when I am
comparing the ideology of the zombie film genre to real life situations.

3. Novak, Michael. Society: The Experience of Nothingness. London: Willbury

Press, 1999.

This article would be excellent for when I am applying the theory of

nihilism to my essay. There is an excellent quote about Albert Camus
and nihilism: For Camus, nihilism was first of all a personal problem.
He also saw it as a political problem, involving incalculable potential
violence. First, if human life-if the universe--is empty of meaning, then
how ought I to live? (Can "ought" have any meaning?) Besides, if the
universe lacks meaning, then aren't the Nazis just as right as anybody
else? Why shouldn't they do as they please, with whatever violence it
takes? If they could make Walpurgisnacht come to life, why not? If
there is no right and no wrong, then anything goes. Power rules. The
thugs decide.

4. Varmus, Harold. Virus as a Metaphor: Microbiology and 28 Days Later. New

York Times. 6 Jul. 2003.
 This article Reviews the motion picture '28 Days Later,' directed by Danny
Boyle and starring Richard Dwyer and Tristan Matthaie. It goes further into
how the virus in 28 days later is a metaphor for human existence. This will go
well with when I discuss how nihilism pertains to the zombie film genre.

5. Wloszczyna, Susan. Zombies Rise to Conquer all Decades. USA Today 18

Mar. 2004.

For creatures nearly devoid of personality, zombies are resourceful horror mainstays,
adapting to reflect the paranoia of the times.

"We see ourselves in them," says Sarah Polley, star of the Dawn of the Dead remake
opening Friday. "So many parts of our lives are like living like zombies."

These quotes are the epitome of what my essay is about. In my essay I

want to make the connection that zombie films are trying to warn us
about the way we all treat each other as human beings.