From the time George Romero kicked off the modern era of zombie films with Night of the Living Dead to our recent resurgence of reanimated brain eaters, the zombie has changed little as a horror trope; a shambling nightmare bent on destruction, not so difficult to evade or fight off in single numbers, but a horrifying destructive force based simply on the sheer volume of available corpses, simply waiting for their chance to burst forth and feed. Whether fast or slow, these zombies acted as an effective stand-in for a variety of societal woes, from rampant consumerism to fear of the innate fragility of civilization.

But once a horror becomes too familiar, it demands reinvention to remain effective: a fresh analysis of new threats, new terrors to be found in the aftermath of zombie apocalypse.  In Alice Jacobs is Dead, we saw that shift, as terror lurked not in the horror of reanimation, but the struggle of those who live on and must come to terms with their loss. Tonight’s featured short, The First Wave, takes another interesting approach, as writer and director David Freyne explores what horrors yet lie in wait if we ARE able to find a cure once the zombies come. Enjoy!

(via io9)

Related Posts:

– Friday Night Features: “Cargo” Short Film

– Friday Night Features: “Alice Jacobs is Dead” Short Film

– Friday Night Features: “Still Life” Short Film

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Categories: Friday Night Features

Tags: David Freyne, Friday Night Features, George Romero, horror, horror shorts, short film, zombie, zombies