Gospel of the Living Dead

Kim Paffenroth (Ph.D. Notre Dame) is Professor of Religious Studies at Iona College.

Acknowledgments Preface Introduction The Themes of the Current Zombie Movie Genre 1. Night of the Living Dead (1968) Romero's First Look at Hell, Sin, and Human Nature 2. Dawn of the Dead (1978) Consumerism, Materialism, and the Fourth Circle of Hell 3. Day of the Dead (1985) Violence, Perverted Reason, and the Lower Circles of Hell 4. Dawn of the Dead (2004) Limbo and the Partial Victory of Reason and Virtue 5. Land of the Dead (2005) The Deepest Abyss of Hell and the Final Hope Conclusion The Meaning and Future of Zombie Movies Notes Bibliography Index

Despite [ Night of the Living Dead's] bleakness, the author finds spiritual hope. By attacking human arrogance, the movie reveals the first part of redemption--when 'we realize our weakness and insufficiency.' -- "Chronicle of Higher Education" Paffenroth weaves Christian theology, social criticism and allusions to Dante's Inferno throughout his discussion of films that feature cannibalism, mayhem and terror-a feat that probably has to be read to be believed. This is an excellent resource not just for fans of low-budget zombie films, but for anyone who wants to understand the appeal of the genre. -- "Publishers Weekly" Whether readers agree with Paffenroth or not, this book will make a person think.. Paffenroth does the horror world a service by taking the subject of one of its luminaries and treating it as seriously as its fans. -- "Dread Central"