SYDNEY ZOMBIE MARCH 2011

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SYDNEY ZOMBIE MARCH - MARCH 26th 2011

March 28th 2011 01:11

Zombie March organiser Michael Berman addresses the horde

I finally attended my first zombie march! But I have to be straight up with you: I wasn’t in special effects make-up, a mask or a costume. Lame I know, but I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be as impressive as the overseas zombie marches I’ve seen footage and stills from. And I was right; it wasn’t as impressive. But it certainly had things going for it. The Sydney Zombie March organiser Michael Berman has certainly managed to garner a sizeable and enthusiastic horde of zombies, and this year was easily the biggest gathering yet. But I have a couple of serious reservations. I have my beef with the Sydney Zombie March, if you will.

It was like those fancy dress or masquerade parties that you go to where only half the people attending have bothered with a costume or a mask. It gives me the shits. Hosts and/or organisers have bothered to stage something where there are very specific regulations and a bunch of lazy party poopers spoil the vibe for everyone. The Sydney Zombie March suffered at the hands of too many half-arsed wannabes and hangers-on. It lacked the genuinely macabre and ghoulish soul the march demands.

The zombie marches I’ve seen from America and Canada are full-blooded, gutsy, with real meat on their bones. The whole point of the zombie march, as far as I understand it, is a chance to do some exhibitionistic role-playing a la the putrid living dead. A phantastic opportunity to get covered in special effects make-up sores, wounds, and all manner of gangrene-infected, rotting flesh, and then lurch and stumble down the street in broad daylight moaning, groaning, gurgling, and regurgitating (well, maybe not that), as one of hundreds of fellow zombies, all in the name of the art of horror.

But to make it work properly and effectively en masse, everyone has to participate. And that doesn’t just mean splash squeeze some ketchup on your t-shirt and stroll down the pavement with a cheesy grin on your face. You have to get into character. There’s a kind of method acting involved; role-playing. That’s half the fun!

I was disappointed at how many participants in the Sydney Zombie March simply didn’t bother with doing much at all. They weren’t dressed up, they weren’t in make-up, and they didn’t act like a zombie. I don’t want to bag out the march completely, as there was definitely a multitude of very impressive zombie specimens on parade, and I offer a zombie Bub salute, a la Day of the Dead (1985), all those people! It’s just a shame so many bad apples riddled the bunch.

It was apparent that the majority of the Sydney Zombie March was made up of Gen-Y and iGen kids. There weren’t too many of my Gen-X demographic, and certainly no Baby Boomers as far as I could see. With so many of the younger generation, which was to be expected, it seemed to me that there was a conflict of enthusiasm and apathy; the kind of arrogant attitude that smacks of “I wanna be part of the scene, but I can’t be bothered respecting its intent.”

The other intriguing element was the “street fashion” look, where many of the girls were dressing in their idea of ghoulish couture. It was curious, to say the least. Which brings me to my other gripe, which I have to take on board with a grain of salt; the media. When I say "media" I mean all the photographers and videographers that were clambering around trying to get a good pic or clip. It sullied the whole event. But I'm calling the kettle black, because I was one of those annoying documenteurs. It was hard trying to record video clips without getting a photographer in shot! Or a gawking bystander for that matter.

With several hundred participating in the Sydney Zombie March it would have been really cool to have witnessed everyone in zombie garb and everyone adopting their own zombie lurch. At best, amidst the controlled chaos – and yes it was a nightmare for the clutch of street supervisors whose job it was to keep the zombies off the pavement and on the street, and to make sure no zombies touched any parked or passing vehicles and especially any staring bystanders or passing strangers – there was probably a hundred odd of the dedicated True Believin’ zombies who were fully made up and remained in character for the duration of the march (and probably the remainder of the day and night).

This year the police allowed the zombies to occupy a section of the street for the duration of the march which started at the fountain in Hyde Park, walked onto Elizabeth Street, turned down into Liverpool, and then I think up Pitt, then up Park, and then back onto Elizabeth and into Hyde Park, where I was privy to the front zombies break into a Zack Snyder-styled zombie sprint.

I didn’t attend the Zombie March de-briefing, so I’m not sure which zombie won for best overall costume/make-up, but I’ve selected the best looking zombie pics from my wife’s awesome photographs, and I’ve included three video clips that I captured.

I’m sure most, if not all, of the Sydney Zombie March participants had a fun time, and I commend the organisers for their efforts, and to the city council for allowing the zombies to walk on the street. But it's a frustrating irony that the city council allowed the March to occupy part of the street, but then had the police harassing the March organisers to make sure all the zombies moved swiftly and orderly. Not cool.

I hope for future marches (and there’s another Sydney March in October) the role-playing is embraced with more hunger, commitment and dedicated bloodlust! I'm not just talking about the look, I'm talking about the character! And I hope the city council makes more of an allowance for the half hour or so March and doesn't cramp the zombies' style!

C'mon Sydney! Bring it on!

Sydney Zombie March clip #1:

Sydney Zombie March clip #2:

Sydney Zombie March clip #3 (here you get to see the full choatic mix of True Believers and zombie charlatans):

Send more paramedics!

All photographs courtesy of Vanessa Caruana
except pic of Michael Berman and "Send more paramedics!" pic which were taken by me.

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: set-pieces

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Comments

15 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Anonymous

March 28th 2011 01:50

i found that by the time of the march i was just to the point of having enough. it ran later than scheduled and it is a big even just getting ready and getting there if you are not a local

i was over the whole thing and not much in the mood for acting my zombie best when the run began. It did also not help when you are told to "hurry up and keep up to the group" a moment later "you are not acting like zombies".

i found just hanging out in a big group with other zombies prior to the march, more eventful and fun than the actual march its self. I think other zombies will agree with this.

and i was one of the ones with special effects make up and even contacts

i have been attending these for the past 3 years

Comment by Bryn

March 28th 2011 07:40

Horrorphile

Anon, cheers for the comments. Sounds like you were one of the True Believers, but caught in the compromise of the urban situation. I might have sounded a bit harsh in my judgement, perhaps I had my expectations set too high ... It's great that there is a Sydney Zombie March! Hope you had a peer round my site.

Comment by Anonymous

March 28th 2011 11:53

I have to agree with the first anon, it was annoying being told to hurry up, killed the mood a lot.

Comment by a little bit

March 28th 2011 22:02

A Little Bit...

Don't give up! I've gone to the Minneapolis Zombie Pub Crawl 3 or 4 years in a row, and every year is better (and has A LOT more people).
The first year had a lot of people who made no real effort, but all the publicity (cameras,etc., like you're talking about) means that people who ARE excited about it come the next year because they're mad that they missed out.
The last one, in October, zombies took over the city and you'd have felt out of place if you weren't dripping in blood. Let me find a pic of myself quick.........

Your text goes here

Comment by Bryn

March 28th 2011 22:13

Horrorphile

Anon, yeah, killed the mood alright, pun intended I guess.

Comment by Bryn

March 28th 2011 23:13

Horrorphile

A Little Bit, it helps when the sub-culture is much more prominent ... Sydney's zombie appreciation society sub-culture is very mixed, as was evident at the recent Sydney Zombie March. Let's see a pic!!

Comment by Mountain Fog

March 29th 2011 07:04

Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!

Bryn, what a pity!

I didn't know this was on, not that I would have rushed into it...although, it might have been tempting with a bottle of that sfx blood I got for the film...nothing like a squirting neck wound I always say!

I think it should be tied in with a special screening, so instead of a red carpet, it should be billed as a "bloodied red carpet" and the State Theatre would make a great venue, there could be a short 'march', or stumble and shuiffle there, from the steps in Hyde Park, on Elizabeth, down Market to the theatre, a shorter distance and more easily controlled with traffic being released as each intersection is passed.

So, a horror zombie-thon should then complete the march with the blood red carpet...

prizes on stage, and whatnot, a few celebrity zombies maybe?

You know, if you could get Universal on board, you might even manage to tie it in with a zombie film launch, if they are releasing one...

If that is the case, count me in!

cheers

fog

Comment by Bryn

March 29th 2011 10:32

Horrorphile

Some good suggestions there Foggy ... I don't actually know any of the organisers, that's why I felt comfortable in voicing my honest opinion. But you don't want to tread on any zombie toes!

Comment by Mountain Fog

March 29th 2011 11:11

Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!

No,
true Bryn,

they may fall off!!

However, it is up to the PR handling the zombie flick more than these marching dudes...

IF Universal or someone...anyone...does another...

I am chaffing at the bit for one actually...

I want a sequel to Shaun of the Dead, and a really seriously freaked out zombie horror show... rivers of blood...great chunks of black congealed mucal bloodied bodies.... severing and hacking...

I can dream... what about an American 1950's set zombie flick, with a drive in burgerama.... or a drive-in funeral parlour! (one actually does exist in the States!)

cheers

fog

Comment by Bryn

March 30th 2011 01:23

Horrorphile

Dreaming is good. Some of the best concepts are borne from slumber.

Comment by Tracy

April 1st 2011 03:29

Movies and Life

Hey Bryn,

Where are the pics of you?!

Tracy

Comment by Bryn

April 1st 2011 04:01

Horrorphile

Tracy, I was behind the video camera! Wasn't feeling exhibitionist enough!

Comment by Tracy

April 1st 2011 23:52

Movies and Life

Aha, I see! Maybe next year huh?

Comment by Bryn

April 2nd 2011 01:04

Horrorphile

I don't want to participate in the March if so many of the participants aren't fully committed, and the council keep pushing the group to move fast. It's embarrassing, and ruins the whole point.