Zomzomzom
Oct
31
In the battle for the “greatest horror figure of the undead,” the zombie camp appears to have found a second life. For a while, particularly with the success of the Twilight series, vampires appeared victorious, resigning zombies to little more than bloodied dunces. True to form, zombies have risen from the dead, recently spotlighting in movies (Zombieland), books (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) and…zombie walks?
The first recorded zombie walk was held in 2001 as way to promote “The Trash Film Orgy,” a midnight film festival held in Sacramento. Since then, zombie walks have blossomed into an annual event in most major American cities–the largest, according to The Guinness Book of Records, was held in July and drew 3,894 zombies to the streets of Seattle in memory of Michael Jackson. (Yes, I heard it was a thriller.) Part surrealist performance art, part political protest (most walks are staged in conjunction with food drives), zombie walks are the perfect way to get down for the cause while still looking like a badass punk rocker fresh out of a car wreck.
In true Hawaii fashion–a few years late, but still on time–Kumu Kahua Theatre presents “Art of the Living Dead,” featuring Hawaii’s largest zombie walk through downtown Honolulu on Halloween night, when the ghosts and goblins are at their blood-curdling prime. Get there early for a zombie-themed short film contest and spine-tingling performances from select members of the tantalizing Cherry Blossom Cabaret, the improvisation group On the Spot and other special guests.
Tickets are $20 for this 21-and-over event, which includes an alcoholic beverage of your choice. All proceeds will go to Kumu Kahua Theatre, “the only theatre dedicated to plays written by, for and starring the people of Hawaii.”
Note: while helping Kumu Kahua Theatre set a new world record for largest zombie walk, it’s customary to stay in full zombie character while marching, which means only communicating via grunts and growls, moaning “braaaains” like a hungry boozer and occasionally eating the flesh of onlookers.
–Mitchell Kuga
