What's With The Zombies?
Thursday 7 June 2007, 12:15PM
By Laura Turner
770 views
In most horror films zombies are often thought to be only good for disposing of in a gruesome manner, but Wellington based Suspect Productions are to release a documentary early next year to show how the undead have helped to create our national identity within New Zealand.
The documentary, which is currently under the working title of ‘What’s with the F*ckin’ Zombies?’, is planned to be released at international film festivals in 2008, before being released in New Zealand film festivals.
Producer Justine Flanagan and filmmaking partner Andy Kirkwood decided to create their documentary after visiting ‘Schlock Horror! Death of a B-Movie Empire’, an exhibition by their friend Mike Heynes.
While at the exhibition they began to wonder “why so many people we knew were into the b-grade genre, in particular zombie filmsâ€Â.
After initial research they discovered “a lot of zombie film fans and quite a number of b-grade horror filmmakers†including Peter Jackson who used zombies in his film ‘Braindead’.
“We wanted to find out why ‘the zombie’ was such an beguiling genre for New Zealand fans and filmmakers,†Ms Flanagan said.
Fans of zombie films had so far been “very supportive†of the documentary, but “those that aren’t into the genre take a little more convincing,†Ms Flanagan said.
Southland zombie film fan Bekki Sheer said zombie films were an important part of her leisure time, and believes there was a strong zombie fan base within Southland’s youth.
The film’s official website (http://www.zombies.org.nz) and Myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/suspectnz) are being used to keep fans informed about the film’s production and will soon have excerpts from interviewees, and behind-the-scene info about the stop-motion animation component of the documentary, Ms Flanagan said.
The documentary, which is currently under the working title of ‘What’s with the F*ckin’ Zombies?’, is planned to be released at international film festivals in 2008, before being released in New Zealand film festivals.
Producer Justine Flanagan and filmmaking partner Andy Kirkwood decided to create their documentary after visiting ‘Schlock Horror! Death of a B-Movie Empire’, an exhibition by their friend Mike Heynes.
While at the exhibition they began to wonder “why so many people we knew were into the b-grade genre, in particular zombie filmsâ€Â.
After initial research they discovered “a lot of zombie film fans and quite a number of b-grade horror filmmakers†including Peter Jackson who used zombies in his film ‘Braindead’.
“We wanted to find out why ‘the zombie’ was such an beguiling genre for New Zealand fans and filmmakers,†Ms Flanagan said.
Fans of zombie films had so far been “very supportive†of the documentary, but “those that aren’t into the genre take a little more convincing,†Ms Flanagan said.
Southland zombie film fan Bekki Sheer said zombie films were an important part of her leisure time, and believes there was a strong zombie fan base within Southland’s youth.
The film’s official website (http://www.zombies.org.nz) and Myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/suspectnz) are being used to keep fans informed about the film’s production and will soon have excerpts from interviewees, and behind-the-scene info about the stop-motion animation component of the documentary, Ms Flanagan said.