The imaginary of the cinematic zombie in the representation of the defenceless: from Hollywood classicism to contemporary Europe

Abstract

This article proposes a critical and iconographic itinerary through the main historical manifestations of zombies in cinema. From the origins of classical cinema, the figure of the zombie has been associated with that of the immigrant, the slave. The objective of this paper is to observe and establish the evolution of this archetype in history, and to analyse its validity in contemporary European films that deal with the social and political reality of illegal immigrants, revisiting the figure of the zombie. In this sense, the article proposes a historical and political reading of this archetype in popular culture that is so present in both the cinema and television of our times.