I see dead people!

One of my dying wishes is to be an extra in a Zombie film.............wouldn't it be ideal for me to be an extra in a zombie film IN my deathbed? How authentic would that be?
Too much?
My first zombie encounter was when I was about eight years old.....Now you're really wondering, aren't you?  No, I didn't see an actual zombie (D'oh really?). If I had- I'd probably be writing this from Seven Oaks Penitentiary
   One of the ways I fall asleep is imagining there is a zombie apocalypse and Chris and I are hiding out in our apartment. I imagine the world being over-run with zombies. We haven't showered for months, and a duffel-bag sits by the door with all the necessary zombie-killing materials inside. At night, we sleep in shifts........you can't just sleep during a zombie apocalypse you know....are you kidding me?  Zombie's evolve.....in a couple of months, they could be climbing the sides of buildings.....you need to have someone awake in order to unload on any 'climbing zombies', or whatever.....
Still reading? 
I'm getting totally distracted by my zombie fantasy.....Where was I?
So, I saw my first zombie film at eight.  My parent's were always pretty good about letting us see scary movies. They always explained to us that what we were seeing wasn't real, and it was just for fun.  These days, they shake their heads and laugh when I start to go on about zombies, but I say they are to blame for my zombie obsession!  Thanks Mom, thanks Dad!
On Friday night's back in White rock BC, my Mum would go off to Pacific Video and pick up a big stack of movies for the weekend.  She'd always pick old gems from the 80's......sometimes including one or two scary B movies.
On one particular evening, I was having a sleepover with my two best buddies of that time. We set up a tent in the living room and opened the door of the tent so that we could see the TV.
It was great.
And that is the first time I ever saw a Zombie film.  It was,  'Night of the Living Dead' by George A. Romero (King of Zombies, the man who started it all).  It wasn't the black and white version that I loved so much, it was the 1990 remake.  I think my friends were horrified. I remember them not being as fascinated with the film as I was. In fact, I think they asked me to shut it off!
I remember watching it a second time the next day, after they had left. My world had forever changed! While watching the film, I could be Barbara, running away from the zombies who were "chasing" her(these particular zombies hadn't evolved into the running, blood-vomiting zombies of today.....see, what did I say? They evolve!)   I was totally thrilled by the idea of boarding yourself up in a house with a bunch of total strangers, while ghoulies lurk in the dark somewhere.  I was enchanted with the idea of speculating with strangers, about what could be going on.... not only to your town, but to the rest of the world. To this day, I love to turn off all the lights, curl up on the couch, and hunker down to a zombie movie! It still scares me, and Chris definitely has to be home for this to happen!

Zombie's were also a contributing factor in my interest in Christopher, my boyfriend. Four years ago- I was on Plenty of Fish (a free internet dating website), looking for my fish...er...man.  I came across this one profile. I thought the guy was pretty darn cute, didn't drink...didn't do drugs...., AND, where it said, 'interests', he had put 'zombies'. I thought to myself,....anyone who lists zombies as an interest, MUST be my soulmate! And baddabingbadaboom, here we are, and we could probably fill a hope chest with the amount of movies, zombie memorabilia, and zombie books that we've acquired over the years. We've received so many books and zombie related materials from friends! They've definitely nurtured our obsession!

What's with the zombie love? I have no idea. Is it wrong if I feel like zombies are....in a way...beautiful? When I see a zombie, I want to draw it- or go ahead and make my own zombie. When zombies come into the picture, I'm bubbling over with excitement.  I think because a zombie takeover would be my ultimate fear-.......the people who you thought you knew- changing, into monsters!
Another thing I love about zombies, is that I think it can be used as a metaphor on society. I won't go too much down that road because that would be a little too granola for me. But if you watch '28 Days Later' (a film about the evolved, running, blood-vomiting zombie) it is most definitely a comment, or warning about society, and the way we are.  The director, Danny Boyle, has said so in interviews.

At Blanche MacDonald,  when we did a segment on how to make a zombie,  I thought I might pass out, I was so excited. At the time I was going to Blanche, there wasn't any classes on prosthetics (the appliances that change someone's facial shape) but the teacher's were really good about coaching us on it anyway. We were shown how to create your own zombie prosthetic by building up the area around the eyes with cotton and latex. It was so cool!  One of these days, Chris and I will take an afternoon....I'll pull my blood, guts, and paint kit from Chris's trunk, and make him into a zombie. . I'll film the process, so you can kind of see how creating a zombie works.  It's actually quite easy....you just have to be patient!

 I would love to do some zombies this Halloween.  We can do a simple zombie- or if you're willing to purchase a zombie prosthetic online- we can make it really complicated!.......Exposed mandibles anyone? Ha ha.

I bet some of you think I'm a real strange duck now, eh?.... A lot of people don't understand my fascination with zombies.  And you might never have guessed it, because I do a really good job of acting normal.  I do love the beauty component of makeup, but then there's this really, really, REALLY, ugly side of makeup that I absolutely go nuts for!


Take care until next time,
Much love,
Adrienne