Trailer and details follow…

Run For Your Lives allows you to run with a little extra enthusiasm — i.e., you’re being hunted by flesh-hungry zombies who want to devour you, frighteningly set in an environment that recalls the creepiest scenes in Evil Dead, or at least Deliverance. It’s more like an obstacle course, complete with walls to jump over, trees to dodge, and a log cabin…all the while protecting your “health flag.” If you’ve never visited Maryland’s finest city, ‘being in Baltimore’ is usually enough of a reason to be running in fear — but in case you’re not convinced, here’s the official quote from Reed Street Productions, who’s putting on the show:

“We’ve always been huge fans of zombie folklore and wanted to create a live-action experience that provides fans with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Ryan Hogan, managing member of Reed Street Productions. “For training, we recommend some running, along with in-depth studying of zombie movies — it’s not the fastest who will win, it’s the one that can best out-maneuver his foes.” Obviously they put more work into that than those asshats behind all those terrible Romero film remakes.

Register here. Survive, and get beer! (and food and live music too).

]]> http://www.chinashopmag.com/2011/08/run-from-zombies-in-real-life-the-5-k-zombie-marathon/feed/ 0 http://www.chinashopmag.com/2010/12/comics-droppin%e2%80%99-the-zombiebomb/ http://www.chinashopmag.com/2010/12/comics-droppin%e2%80%99-the-zombiebomb/#comments Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:09:52 +0000 Teresa Jusino http://chinashop.designenginela.com/?p=43482 Continue reading →]]>

A clear sign that the geeks have inherited the Earth, and that mainstream culture is embracing genres like horror, sci-fi, and fantasy is the prevelance of zombies in pop culture. From The Walking Dead to 28 Days Later (I’ll let you all debate whether you think the things in that movie actually qualify as zombies), from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to World War Z, zombies are everywhere, and it isn’t only geeks who are signing up to prepare for the zombie apocalypse. As Adam Miller of Terminal Press points out, “Well, the thing about it is that I don’t think it’s so much a fad anymore. I think it’s really become its own genre. It think it’s like The Western. I don’t think it’s going anywhere.”

Adam Miller and Rich Woodall honor the zombie genre through an anthology series they edit for Terminal Press called ZombieBomb! Currently on its third issue, ZombieBomb! assembles a broad range of talented artists and writers to create new zombie stories for each issue. What makes this zombie anthology special is the diversity of the storytelling brought to the zombie-loving public by artists with diverse backrounds – it boasts comics professionals, children’s book illustrators, photographers, and even a heavy metal musician! – which allows the books to offer stories in a range of styles from different points of view.

Caption: Contributors Rob Dukes and Keith McCleary with editor, Adam Miller and Terminal Press staffer, Josh Morrissette

When I asked the ZombieBomb! team why they chose to do a zombie anthology, editor Adam Miller said, “I’m a late bloomer when it comes to the horror genre. Terminal Press does a lot of brutal, dark comics, and a few years ago when I was getting really into horror I wanted to do an anthology project that could involve a lot of the artists I’ve gotten to know over the years. It seemed like a zombie series was something everyone could get excited about.”

Keith McCleary, contributor to ZombieBomb’s current issue, “Highly Contagious”, and regular member of the Terminal Press stable of comic talent said, “We’ve gotten a lot of people involved just because we’re doing zombies. People are fascinated with horror, with apocalypse, with adventure and life and death. If you’re a writer or an artist, it’s likely that by this point you have your own zombie story floating around and you’re looking for an outlet. That’s the creative wellspring we’ve been able to tap into.”

One of those people is musician Rob Dukes who, when he’s not playing with Bay Area thrash metal band, Exodus, has written a zombie story for the second issue of ZombieBomb!, “The Feed.” When I asked him why a heavy metal musician would be interested in contributing to a zombie comic, he said, “I love Zombies!!!  And I want to be a writer in between the metal. I get a lot of enjoyment out of sitting and writing the crazy shit in my head.” It was the collaborative nature of comics that made him want to participate in this particular project: “I just love the process, the passing back and forth of ideas and trying to make something interesting for the reader. The guys I got to work with were just awesome and I hope we get to do more work together in the future.”

I asked the editors why they think zombies are still so popular, and Miller said, “Our fans are into them for the same reasons our creative teams are! I think zombies are actually their own genre now, like westerns or sci-fi. There’s so many kinds of stories you can tell — funny, scary, gross, happy, sad  — zombies aren’t going anywhere; you can’t just call them a fad.” Woodall was surprised by how eagerly comics fans have embraced the ZombieBomb! series: “The popularity of the book kind of took us by surprise, honestly. We have signings every weekend. I think since the book launched we’ve had one weekend off!”

If you have a taste for zombies (and/or brains), check out Terminal Press’ website for more information about ZombieBomb!

Words by Teresa Jusino. Photos courtesy of Keith McCleary and Terminal Press.

Comic Con 2010 is over and I have cast my vote for the fictitious “Bad Ass Mamma-Jamma Booth of the Year” award. Since I am the only voter in said academy, the winner is booth #2010! AMC television’s The Walking Dead set (a six-episode series based on the comic book written by Robert Kirkman).  It’s not every day you can take the kids out for a stroll and pop in somewhere to have a lovely photo taken with your choice of:

A.) Fat guy with head blown off and onto wall with shotgun.

B.) Dead lady on the floor wearing flowery dress who’s disemboweled.

C.) Your own photo zombie-morphed and superimposed over a video loop as a zombie walking around before being shot.

Potential poses include:

A.)   Senior portrait.

B.)   Fake propose to the wifey.

C.)   And my favorite, scared kid.

This family friendly adventure is brought to you by Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead comic and Executive Producer of the series. As well as 97 other Hollywood heavyweights like: Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) who serves as writer, director and executive producer. Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, Aliens, Armageddon, The Incredible Hulk), chairman of Valhalla Motion Pictures, who serves as Executive Producer. David Alpert from Circle of Confusion serves as Executive Producer and Charles “Chic” Eglee (Dexter, The Shield, Dark Angel) will also serve as Executive Producer, while Jack LoGiudice (Sons of Anarchy, Resurrection Blvd) will serve as Co-Executive Producer. Whew, that’s a lotta Chiefs.

If the show is half as good as the trailer and only a quarter as good as the faux-set, it’s going to be killer! Get it, killer? Ahh, hell with ya.

Words and Images by Dustin Downing

Zombies may have existed in film before George Romero’s horror milestone from 1968, Night of the Living Dead.  But the affable Pittsburgh filmmaker must be credited with creating the undead rules we all know so well.

• One, zombies devour the flesh of the living.
• Two, a zombie bite will turn a normal into a zombie quickly.
• And three, the only way to “kill” a zombie is to inflict major head trauma, preferably with a shotgun blast to the head.  Well, a blunt instrument will work, but a shotgun blast is perhaps the coolest way since the result is an exploding head!

These three rules are consistent both in and outside the Romero-verse of zombie movies where the undead walk the earth.  Sure, other filmmakers have taken license with the rules such as 28 Days Later which introduced us to the infected that run really fast.  Some may have seen recently deceased that could compete in the 50 yard dash as sacrilege, but it served to only advance both the genre and our love of those stupid flesh-eating corpses.  No matter how many new rules have been added to zombie lore via films, books, graphic novels like the amazing Walking Dead or videogames like Left 4 Dead, those three rules have always remained the same.

There seems to be no shortage of love for these poor undead creatures.  So to expand your horizons, here are some lesser-known zombie movies each worth boarding up the windows and locking yourself indoors to watch.

Dead Set Trailer – 4DVD – The most amazing videos are a click away

1. Dead Set
This zombie outbreak takes place in the U.K. on the set of the popular reality show Big Brother.  The undead can be seen on the rise during disturbing news reports about “unrest and riots” spreading across the country.  After the production crew is nearly wiped out, all that remains are the ignorant and drama prone contestants from the Big Brother show. This five-episode mini-series from the BBC has yet to make it to the U.S., but it is perhaps the best use of a zombie apocalypse to make social commentary in decades.  So, if there were an Oscar for the Best use of zombie apocalypse to make social commentary, then Dead Set would be the clear winner.

2. Braindead (aka Dead Alive)
One of Peter Jackson’s earlier films is not only influenced by Romero’s zombies, but Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series.  In addition to a creepy overly affectionate mother, this bloody flick combines comedy and horror in truly gruesome ways.  Perhaps the greatest innovation here is the creative use of gardening tools to off the undead.  Yes, you will believe a lawn mower can be used for more than grinding mulch.

3. American Zombie
This mockumentary by filmmaker Grace Lee, takes a comedic approach in dealing with the social issues created by Americans who deny zombies basic, um, “human” rights.  The film is not too heavy-handed and provides a perfect way to explore anti-immigration sentiments in the United States… but with y’know, zombies instead of Mexicans.

4. Fido
An idyllic 1950s suburbia could only be destroyed by a zombie invasion… unless those zombies become delightful household pets.  Unfortunately these pets do have their bite.

5. Tokyo Zombie
Two wrestling numbnuts somehow survive a zombie outbreak in Tokyo through their sheer stupidity.  Okay, one is bitten by a zombie with no teeth and somehow thinks he has become a zombie, even though he has not. Then after Tokyo is quarantined, entertainment is provided by wrestlers who take on zombies, which is lucky for these numbnuts whose wrestling skills save the two of them.  Based on a bizarre Japanese comic book, the zombie kills in this must be seen to be believed.

By Chris Gore

Austin, Texas student Emily Hagins is just your normal 12 year-old girl, unless you consider her obsession with blood, zombies and all-things horror-related to be out of the ordinary.  There is one thing that sets Emily dramatically apart as a pre-teen – she’s making her first feature film.  Like most filmmakers who passionately pursue the craft, Emily has no other choice than to write a script and get behind the camera.  But still, she’s only 12 and when it comes to things like scheduling actors or considering school-nights and bedtimes, she lacks the management skills. But she’s only 12!  That’s where Emily’s supportive, yet often frustrated mother comes in to see her daughter’s dream of making a zombie movie titled Pathogen come to life.

A team of three directors (Justin Johnson, Aaron Marshall and Erik Mauck) spent two years following Emily’s journey to complete her first feature-length movie and made a movie of their own called Zombie Girl.   We observe her throughout the process as she writes, casts, shoots, rewrites, edits and then finally debuts the film to a packed audience of cast and crew at the famous Alamo Drafthouse Theater in Austin.  The resulting movie may not be the greatest film in the world, but it’s better than anything Uwe Boll has ever made.

Watching young Emily direct a scene with actors is like seeing a close friend perform a dangerous stunt – you are rooting for her and want her to do well and just not hurt herself.  At one point she directs a group of adult actors in a boardroom scene as they discuss the ramifications of a horrible virus.  Emily actually forgets to say “Cut” as the scene ends and the actors look confused for a moment when mom comes to the rescue by uttering the word.  Mom is then teasingly reprimanded by one of the actors who explains that Emily is the director and she’s in charge and only she can say, “Cut!”

The documentary captures both the small and large dramas from effects that won’t work to scheduling homework around shoots.  In one difficult scene, Emily must convincingly kill a young actor with the result being his fake disembodied head on the ground.  The effect kind of works, but Emily’s dissatisfaction only serves to demonstrate her dedication to her work.  The result is an inspiring story for anyone who’s ever thought about making an independent film and the perfect response to any Hollywood blowhard who “talks” about making a movie but never does anything.  All you have go say to these film posers is, “Emily Hagins from Austin was only 12 when she made her first feature!  What’s holding you up?”

Words by Chris Gore

Photos by Zoetica Ebb

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB_WAZencfk[/youtube]

http://www.zombiegirlthemovie.com/