Looking for advice

[WelchWitch]

Hello all, just found out that I will be a Zombie this year. And after all these years that is the one thing I have never been. Just looking for some suggestions, advice or ideas on what to say(or not say, are zombies more real not talking?), what to do and any other things that have worked for you.

[Taena]

drag one of your legs behind you then when they really think you can't run, get right behind then and draw out your words when you talk. We have one Zombie that is more of a comedean that is a zombie and when they laugh he flips out ... I think it scares alot more ppl that way when you toy with there minds.

[Smiley]

My best advice is to watch zombie films or clips of zombies on YouTube. There are different variations of the zombie (slow ones, fast ones, stiff ones....not so stiff ones), so don't feel like you have to do the same shuffle-step-shuffle. Neck twitching, gargling, moving with loose upper body (search for "Return of the Living Dead Tar-Man" video clips), are all good suggestions. Talking, however, is a tad unorthodox for a zombie. Aside from degrees of moaning and the occasional/cheesy "Brains", they don't really say a thing.

[Warren Vanderdark]

Having seen a wide variety of horror films featuring zombies over the years, I'd say the most common traits are:

1) A stiff-legged or shuffling walk (think The Mummy, but without the bandages)

2) A glassy-eyed stare

3) Random twitches or a seemingly involuntary head motion to one side


Wait a second... I think I've just described our haunt's clientele on late Saturday nights

[OgeXam]

A lot of zombies want to moan and say "BRAINS" while this was scary a long time ago, and still works on some here is a fun tidbit.

Every now and then you get a group of people who love to laugh at watching people get scared and just enjoy the haunted house and cannot be scared. It is your job to entertain these people.

If you have more then one zombie in an area and you see said customer have one zombie say "BRAINS" and the other say "CLICHE"

You will have that got rolling and talking about it for years to come.

Good advice is to just make all motions seem very labored. Breath deeply and raspy.
A gutteral moan as if you are trying to talk works wonders too.

[jasonswoods14]

you could lie down,so they think you are just a dummy,but you could just sit up and groan loudly.

[Killer Katie]

I really would avoid the whole leg dragging thing... it's way to cliche! My personal thought on a zombie, is very loose limbs - I walked like I had no muscles between my hips and my foot, very slow, deliberate steps. I hung one arm lower than the other - again very loose, and twitched a lot. Once I got closer to the victim, I straightened and took off at a full run straight at them. As for voice, at first it was grunts and strange pitches - no words. When i ran, it was a high pitched wail. It was pretty effective. I also agree with the above post that stated watch all sorts of zombie movies and find the one that fits you the best, that your the ost comfoprtable in and just go for it. Costume and makeup help out a lot to get into character. yo'd be surprised what just comes to you while you're "zombified"
Good luck!!

[Jim Warfield]

Of the kids in high school with me, a large percentage of them were zombies, or zombies in-training, study hall, math class, PE, they seemed to have all the fun of low expectations from teachers..then after my final head injury playing football I woke up as a zombie! Cursed to wander the hallways and classrooms not having a clue as to where I was coming from or going to.
A few old textbooks under one arm, a puzzled look as they say nothing to you in return, mumbling, walking back and forth..Jim's Zombie, circa 1967.
I think they gave me a diploma and set me out on the streets for their own further amusement.