Frankenstein: Zombie Movie Or Not?
When I started doing reviews for the ZRC, I printed out our Zombie Movie List and began renting. Now and again I’d run into a film that was debatable whether it was actually a zombie movie or not. I’d call Nate and invariably the question “where do you draw the line?” would come up. We at the ZRC would like to bring that debate to you, our readers. Where do we draw the line on what is and what is not a zombie movie? Every Monday we’ll post a new movie to be debated by our readers and ask the question: Zombie Movie Or Not? Every Sunday we’ll post our findings and possibly strike that movie off our Zombie Movie List. The week should give you enough time to rent the movie if need be or if you desire.
What every reader must keep in mind is that there are two basic types of zombie that every zombie movie based off of - the Voodoo Zombie and the Romero Zombie. The Voodoo zombie, while not always raised by Voodoo necessarily, is basically a person, either undead or entranced, that is controlled by a person or entity for the purpose of completing tasks, often killing. Romero Zombies are basically mindless, flesh-eating undead whose bite will turn victims into zombies. Now, not all movies adhere to all of these rules, but if the basics are there, you got a zombie movie.
For the first week I figured we’d start with an easy one to get people in the mood: Frankenstein. There have been many movie adaptations of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and I don’t see why we can’t be talking about all of them right here.
IS: Frankenstein’s monster is an automaton raised form the dead to do Dr. Frankenstein’s bidding, like a Voodoo Zombie. While not a flesh eating zombie, he’s still a killer and falls just inside the realm of zombiedom.
IS NOT: Frankenstein’s monster is raised from the dead after being spliced together from parts of other human beings. While raised form the dead, he’s hardly undead as he is still mortal in every way.
Now it’s up to you, reader. What do you think? Frankenstein: Zombie Movie Or Not?
Interesting concept! With the very concept of a zombie movie as ambiguous as it is, this could spawn some lively debate.
I’m inclined to say Frankenstein is not a zombie movie for a couple of reasons. The first is pedantic: the concept of the “zombie” hadn’t even entered the Western mindset when Shelley wrote Frankenstein.
Second, it seems to me that most zombie movies are about a horde (or, in the case of the voodoo zombies, a work crew). Exceptions exist, but these exceptions are called zombie movies because they refer to themselves as such, and because they borrow from the existing body of zombie lore. Frankenstein borrowed from nothing (except a little bit of Coleridge).
There are no hard and fast zombie rules out there, though - if 28 Days/Weeks Later are any indication, you don’t even have to be dead to be a zombie anymore. So it may come down to personal preference for this and most other ambiguous cases. Even so, I look forward to others’ responses.
wait don, 28 days/weeks later are not zombie movies. they are infected with rage, not undead flesh eaters.
but wait, i love this concept of is it a zombie movie or not!!! i would have to agree with Don 100% in regards to his repsonse to this about frankenstein; i don’t mean to bring in my dungeons and dragons / world of darkness nerd skills, but frakenstein’s monster was a construct made of parts of dead bodies, would that make it undead? since it has none of the drives that apply to zombies, it seeks to be human.
Coleridge did reference the undead though… man, Don, you made some really god points.
Wait…. 28 weeks/days later isn’t a zombie movie????
so-called romero zombies’ bites don’t turn you into a zombie. they kill you and anyone who dies becomes a zombie.
i would like to propose that there is only one type of zombie, and that creature is simply a being capable only of automatic movement, or an automaton. that is the only way to incorporate all of the “classic” zombie movies under one banner. anything else is simply gravy added to make the zombies more enjoyable. following that definition of zombie excludes frankenstein’s monster from the ranks of zombie, as the monster makes decisions that aren’t just knee-jerk responses. it also includes 28 days later as a zombie movie, but excludes movies like george romero’s crazies.
28 Days Later is a whole other week. Don’t ruin it ;) Let’s stay on point here.
I can’t believe I just used an emoticon.
Haha! Hilarious. Alright Badhammer… Until we meet again :)
haha oh nooooo’z! you guys are using emoticons and i am writing like an lolkitty… let’s stop this before it gets out of hand. haha
One tried and true test as to whether or not it’s a zombie is if the “zombie-ness” can be spread from one to another. Though Frankenstein is the Living Dead, I do not believe he’s a zombie. Simply being undead doesn’t qualify you for fitting into the zombie equation. Vampires are undead, and this qualifier would allow vampires to be seen as zombies, but this isn’t the only qualifying test that can be applied to zombies.
Masterbates: It seem that your definition excludes zombies like Bub from Day Of The Dead. No?
bub was presented as having deeply ingrained instincts. i believe that falls under automaton.
I don’t think Frankenstein is undead at all, just living again. Is someone that dies and comes back to life undead? He can still be killed by normal means. Being undead affords certain properties of immortality, unless a special way of dispatching undead is used. In the case of zombies, their brains must be killed. But not all zombies are undead, like voodoo zombies, though most voodoo zombies are written as being undead.
I do not think Frankenstein’s monster is a zombie. I do not think the monster even qualifies as undead. For me, to qualify as undead, you (one single, whole body) would be brought back by a supernatural force. Skeletons, (most) zombies, vampires, ghouls, etc… are undead. They are pretty much being raised up in a somewhat deteriorated version of how they went in. Frankenstein’s monster is an amalgamation of various body parts. Different books and movies vary in just how many and what parts were slapped together, but at a minimum its one body and one brain put together and brought to life. He is the original cyborg (from dictionary.com: a person whose physiological functioning is aided by or dependent upon a mechanical or electronic device.) Although the monster is purely biological, Dr. Frankenstein needed the aid of his machines and electricity in order for the monster to function. I think if the story had been written in a more modern setting it may very well have used something a little more sophisticated than a bolt of lightning, neckbolts, and some jumper cables for Dr. Frankenstein to succeed in reversing death. Frankenstein’s monster is no zombie.
I also disagree that he could be killed by normal means, Jeff. Like an early Jason Vorhees or Michael Myers, you think he’s dead but keeps popping up throughout the movies and books.