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Films involving post-apocalyptic scenarios are not pleasant things to watch; the sight of human culture being lost forever is a particularly depressing one. Despite this, I find some interest in watching such films as I cannot help wondering what I might do in a similar situation. Assuming, of course, I actually survived (unlikely in such a scenario) and could overcome the despair, guilt and so on caused the destruction and loss. The recent BBC remake of survivors wasn't bad for encouraging this line of thinking, although it wasn't great.
I have finally got around to watching 28 Days Later and its sequel, which presents a quite different scenario. In Survivors most of the world's population were killed by disease leaving a small number of people to re-build civilisation. In 28 Days the disease is rather nastier, being something called the “Rage Virus.” This virus spreads through contaminated bodily fluids and a very small quantity falling into a wound, the eye or mouth causes the victim to become infected in under a minute. The symptoms are photophobia (apparently), psychotic rage, vomiting blood and a desire to attack anyone not displaying the red eyes that accompany infection. “The Infected” turn into slavering monsters incapable of performing any functions such as operating equipment or even feeding themselves, and simply sprint after any human prey intent upon tearing them apart. Therefore, this film combines the usual post-apocalypse scenario with zombies, for those who weren't killed by the infected's attacks become infected themselves infected, and lurk in the darkness waiting to emerge and prey upon any non-infected survivors.
Both films were set in the UK, which would create a bit of a problem for those who weren't infected; the only weapons they were able to find were such things as molotov cocktails, bludgeoning implements and in one case a machete. The first of these seemed to run out quickly leaving only weapons that had to be used at close range to bash or chop opponents to bits. This would, of course, spray infected blood all over the place, making fighting the infected an even more risky proposition than fighting a standard zombie. Even if such a virus had been inflicted upon the Americans they might have had a bit of trouble, as the infected tended to run around in big mobs and were very difficult to stop, but shooting them down from a distance would have been a lot better.
So, going back to the original point, in that scenario I'd probably be running around trying to tear peoples' throats out with my teeth.
I have finally got around to watching 28 Days Later and its sequel, which presents a quite different scenario. In Survivors most of the world's population were killed by disease leaving a small number of people to re-build civilisation. In 28 Days the disease is rather nastier, being something called the “Rage Virus.” This virus spreads through contaminated bodily fluids and a very small quantity falling into a wound, the eye or mouth causes the victim to become infected in under a minute. The symptoms are photophobia (apparently), psychotic rage, vomiting blood and a desire to attack anyone not displaying the red eyes that accompany infection. “The Infected” turn into slavering monsters incapable of performing any functions such as operating equipment or even feeding themselves, and simply sprint after any human prey intent upon tearing them apart. Therefore, this film combines the usual post-apocalypse scenario with zombies, for those who weren't killed by the infected's attacks become infected themselves infected, and lurk in the darkness waiting to emerge and prey upon any non-infected survivors.
Both films were set in the UK, which would create a bit of a problem for those who weren't infected; the only weapons they were able to find were such things as molotov cocktails, bludgeoning implements and in one case a machete. The first of these seemed to run out quickly leaving only weapons that had to be used at close range to bash or chop opponents to bits. This would, of course, spray infected blood all over the place, making fighting the infected an even more risky proposition than fighting a standard zombie. Even if such a virus had been inflicted upon the Americans they might have had a bit of trouble, as the infected tended to run around in big mobs and were very difficult to stop, but shooting them down from a distance would have been a lot better.
So, going back to the original point, in that scenario I'd probably be running around trying to tear peoples' throats out with my teeth.
Prepare For the Tsunami
I think you have just opened the floodgates, Milo.
Good zombie films
Sort of Like Erosion
There are, I dunno, a dozen or so spots in the US that have population densities that approach those found in the UK and Europe, and a few of those very dense urban centers have gun control that approaches that found in the UK or Europe. Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles and New York would quickly become zombie playgrounds, with crowds of tens of thousands of infected people running around and attacking anyone who wasn't so afflicted.
But the rest of the US is significantly different. We've got guns, and there aren't as many of us on the ground.
If a large crowd of infected started roaming around America's heartland, they could very well tear into individual homes to get at the soft, quivering, healthy specimens cowering inside. But they would lose a fair number from gunfire, as the people inside fought for their very lives.
It is simply a matter of attrition. For each new zombie created in Flyover Country, the mob would lose twenty or thirty infected. Eventually you wouldn't have much of a mob left.
Would there be chaos? Sure. Would good people die? You bet! But the problem, dire as it is, would be handled.
Re: Sort of Like Erosion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_zom
Doomsday
In the film Scotland catches a virus and, very sensibly, the rest of the UK re-erect Hadrian's wall in steel.
Predictably they had to send someone back across the wall, and it was odd to see a celtic mad max world had developed... not much different from today.
Well worth a laugh.
Jonathan
others maybe
Shaun of the Dead
I am legend?