Vu 1 Amy Vu Dr.

Lynda Haas Writing 37 08 December 2013 Dawn of the Dead: A Deeper Meaning Although the horror and zombie genres share a few similarities, they differ in style because they evolved dramatically over a period of time. In Noel Carrolls The Nature of Horror, he defines the horror genre as one that depends upon the responses of characters often seem to cue the emotional responses of the audience (52). The zombie genre, as a sub-genre of horror, also plays with the audiences emotions: the viewers are most likely to feel tension or even fear as a response to what the characters experience. According to Kyle Bishop, a professor and film expert, the zombie genre tends to emphasize certain causes for the end of the world (22). These end of the world concepts may refer to infectious disease, biological warfare, euthanasia, terror, immigration or even natural disaster events that create shocking visual ideas and imagery (Bishop 22). An example of these concepts is Zack Snyders remake of George A. Romeros original Dawn of the Dead, which can be classified as both a horror and a zombie film because of the plot itself: a group of individuals are stranded in a deserted Wisconsin shopping mall, surrounded by an increasing population of flesh-driven zombies. Although Dawn of the Dead illustrates classic horror and zombie genre conventions such as the overview destruction of the outbreak, the setting is used in a complete different way compared to its original film. Although conventions are thoroughly used in the story, the aftermath of the destruction left behind from the zombies plays a significance role by creating a deeper meaning. When Ana is attacked by her husband, Louis, who turned into a zombie, she escaped and as a result, she

Vu 2 stood before the outcome of the zombie apocalypse. After Ana successfully escapes from her husband, the placement of the camera is placed behind her so that the audience can sense the danger and devastation that she sees. By using a point-of-view shot, the audience can experience what it is like to be in Anas place and see all that is happening before her eyes. According to Bishops Dead Man Still Walking: Explaining the Zombie Renaissance, the chaos, disorientation, fear, and destruction [Ana] witnesses are disturbingly similar to the initial news footage broadcast on September 11, 2001 (22). Given the definitions of Carroll and Bishop, it is certain that Dawn of the Dead can be identified as a horror and zombie genre because the emotional reaction of the viewers is parallel to Anas. Because the outcome of the September 11 attack made zombie movies more popular, the use of this setting and message creates a paranoia feeling to the audience because they think that they are seeing the outcome of the September 11 attack before their eyes. Snyder is able to create the scene into a long-shot view to depict Anas neighborhood as the scene of the September 11 attack. Furthermore, the camera is placed to create a crane shot above ground to view the similarities of the explosions and aftermath of both the attack. Given this, the accurate and horrifying images that are exposed to the audiences mind convey a hidden meaning to what Ana actually sees. This is similar to what horror movies are designed for: to leave the audience feeling paranoid and frightened. Because the audience usually fears what Ana sees is possibly true, they normally react with anxiety and terror, similar to Anas reaction. In comparison to the original Dawn of the Dead, Snyder was not able to extend his film by using the setting in a significant way. In Romeros film, an army of motorcyclists broke into the shopping mall after seeing a helicopter fly above the mall and began to loot anything that they could find. This resulted in allowing hundreds of zombies to enter the mall and thus,

Vu 3 attacking the refugees hiding inside the mall. The location of Romeros original was designed to show the horrors of capitalism and intensify its symbolism throughout. The vivid scenery of the suburban shopping mall suggests that its iconic setting is used to further establish the message of consumerism. A film reviewer states that it is no accident that the mall is a setting. Romero uses this symbolic setting as one of the main themes of the movie we are all looking to devour something. Once inside the mall, the relative ease of gaining things takes the group from trying to simply provide to trying to live in luxury (Gothiczen). On the other hand, popular film critic, Roger Ebert, states that although both of the settings are the same, in the new version, the mall is just a useful location. Although the characters in Snyders remake are exposing themselves to the materials in the mall by trying on the clothes they wish they had, it doesnt signify anything important. Because the location of the original Dawn of the Dead is in a deserted shopping mall, the use of the zombies surrounding the mall indicates that the zombies themselves are consumers since they literally do nothing but tear down and consume everything they find (Satomko). These zombies are all congregated at the mall for one main reason: going after something they cannot get their hands on. Additionally, the zombies shown throughout are also trying to justify their existence by devouring the material world: the shopping mall. Compared to Romeros, the location of the remake doesnt have a significant meaning because it is simply used as a setting itself. Dawn of the Dead illustrates numerous horror and zombie genre conventions that show how it connects to the overall horror and zombie genre, but the two conventions that differentiate the film the most are the overview destruction of the outbreak and the general setting. By examining the different conventions, the audience can grasp how it fits with the zombie and horror genres. With other zombie films being played, Dawn of the Dead shows how it relates to

Vu 4 many other conventions that are used in previous and following films. The use of the September 11 concept puts it into the category of cultural anxiety because of the resulting terror and fear that affects our cultural consciousness and mind. This ties it in being a horror genre because the reactions of the people are similar to the protagonist of the story. Furthermore, the film is able to display the genre stage of a classical development because it is a remake of a popular and wellknown film. Since they both follow most of the same conventions, the audience will know what to expect when the conventions are communicated throughout. Because of this, Dawn of the Dead contributes to our understanding and knowledge of a horror and zombie genre because the conventions are displayed to its fullest potential.

Vu 5 Works Cited Bishop, Kyle. "Dead Man Still Walking: Explaining the Zombie Renaissance." Journal of Popular Film and Television 37.1 (2009): 22+. Heldref Publication, 2009. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. Carroll, Noel. The Nature of Horror. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 46.1 (Autumn, 1987): 51-59. The American Society for Aesthetics. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. Ebert, Roger. "Dawn of the Dead." Rev. of Dawn of the Dead. Web log post. Roger Ebert. N.p., 14 Mar. 2004. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. Gothiczen. "Dawn of the Dead Review." Horror Movies. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. Satomko. "Understanding Zombies as Metaphors in George A. Romero's Dead Trilogy." HubPages. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.