They're coming to get you Barbra (Bush)

[Jimmie Higgins]

I'm a revolutionary and I looove horror films. The problem is that all too often horror films are pretty reactionary. What we are supposed to fear are sexual devients like in Psycho or "rednecks" like in Deliverence; Immorality will get you killed by a supernatural being so don't be a "slut" or smoke pot or drink beer on a camping trip because you're sure to get killed by an axe-murderer.

But there have been some beautifully revolutionary horror movies (well at least horror movies with a progressive social commentary). I would say "They Live" and "Night/Dawn/Land of the Dead" would be some examples of these.

Now, I just read this on Znet, and if I could afford it, I would order Showtime right now:

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cf...=72&ItemID=9262 (http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=72&ItemID=9262)

[Jimmie Higgins]

What no one else here has any opinions on horror movies? :( So alone. So alone!

[YKTMX]

I heard Sci-fi writer (and socialist) China Mieville give a talk on 'Monsters and Marxism' last year.

He pointed out that the Zombies in the Dawn of the Dead remake now RUN. Any horror fan will know this caused a lot of controversy amongst fanboys everywhere.

China's theory was that, post-Seattle, we're not scared of 'slow, meandering' threats any longer. Zombies are now rampaging urban warriors!


http://www.ananova.com/images/news/bradfordriot410by256PA.jpg

http://images.usatoday.com/life/_photos/2004/2004-03/18-dawnofdead-inside.jpg

[Jimmie Higgins]

Any links to where I could find a transcript to that talk. Thanks for giving me a heart-attack with thoes pictures btw!

Zombies as rampaging urban warriors, I like that.

What I had noticed about this recent crop of Zombie movies was there was sort of a populist survivalist motief that ran through most of the major ones.

THe protagonists were all people with shit jobs in capitalist society but with the breakdown of that society they became uber-survivalists.

28 days Later: the protagonist was a bike messenger.

Shaun of the dead: the protagonist was a 30-something retail clerk

Dawn of the Dead Remake: the female protagonist was a nurse and the male protagonist who eventully gains leadership in the survior group was a "looser"-no career, failed marriage.

It's like the new disater/zombie movies have a bit of Tyler Durden influence on the screenplays. Most Genre movies are some kind of wish-fufillment and these seem to be saying that modern society is so dehumanizing that people would be less alienated if society collapsed and the dead were coming back to life attacking them.

[YKTMX]

THe protagonists were all people with shit jobs in capitalist society but with the breakdown of that society they became uber-survivalists.

28 days Later: the protagonist was a bike messenger.

Shaun of the dead: the protagonist was a 30-something retail clerk

Dawn of the Dead Remake: the female protagonist was a nurse and the male protagonist who eventully gains leadership in the survior group was a "looser"-no career, failed marriage.


Interesting! Nice observation.

I don't have a link to the 'Marxism and Monsters' talk. But there is this (http://mp3.lpi.org.uk/resistancemp/fulllist.htm), which is China talking on 'Blockbusters and Boy Wizards'; in which China makes the argmument for Hogwarts being the first stop-off for the Red Army after the revolution :lol:

[Jimmie Higgins]

Nice list, thanks! I'll definately check that out along with some of the others.

If you ever come across a transcript of the Monsters talk, don't hesitate to email!

[YKTMX]

Can I suggest Mark Steel - Karl Marx.

He's a British comedian, just talking about Marx, his life and ideas.

Inspiring and hilarious!!