The myth of the zombie originated in Haiti in the 17th and 18th centuries when African slaves were brought in to work on sugar plantations under the rule of France. The slaves believed … See more

From the beginnings of the genre, film makers have used the zombie apocalypse as a metaphor for various cultural fears and social tensions, including the spread of disease and … See more

Academic research
While aggressive quarantine may contain the epidemic, or a cure may lead to coexistence of humans and zombies, the most effective way to contain the rise of the undead is to hit hard and hit often.— Philip Munz, Ioan … See more

Films
• Night of the Living Dead (1968), George A. Romero's first film in the Night of the Living Dead film series, spawned numerous other films in the genre. It follows a group of Pennsylvanians who barricade … See more

Several themes and tropes commonly appear in zombie-apocalypse films:
• Initial contacts with zombies are extremely traumatic, causing shock, panic, disbelief, and possibly denial, hampering survivors' ability to deal with hostile encounters. See more

Initial public reaction to the zombie apocalypse genre was immediately positive. When Night of the Living Dead premiered at the … See more

Donald Clarke writing for The Irish Times described Night of the Living Dead as one of the most influential horror films of all time. He commented, "Romero's dark fantasy dragged in many of the anxieties of its age. And, of course, it gave the horror world a new … See more