Zombies are a trend that seems to come and go in the mainstream, but you can always sense it lingering in the background when it comes to topics of horror. Although having existed in folklore culture for hundreds of years, zombies didn't truly explode into popular horror until George A. Romero's late sixties romp Night of the Living Dead.

A terrifying, poignant flick not short on the social commentary, Night of the Living Dead has gone on to spawn many sequels, the latest of which being Diary of the Dead, which uses the currently popular "shaky cam" technique to document a zombie outbreak as and when it happens, showing just what happens to its hapless heroes as they run around in a bid to survive against the bumbling, stumbling undead.

However, the conception of a zombie today has changed somewhat. Since films like 28 Days Later, zombies don't technically have to stumble around and moan. Now many films depict them as feral animals, humans that have lost all reason and logic that only seek methods of survival, which can run like athletes when the prospect of a meal tickles what remains of their imaginations. And, though 28 Days Later arguably did not depict true zombies, many subsequent films have - including the remake of classic Romero film Dawn of the Dead, which differed greatly from the original and included the running undead rather than the slow and unsteady walkers characteristic of Romero's offerings.

And no matter what your arguments about which type of zombie is superior, the good thing about having such a range and diversity when it comes to the representation of zombies is that if you're thinking about becoming one of the dead for that upcoming Halloween party, the choice is all yours. Zombie costumes are recognisable, fun ways to grab some attention at the party, whether you want to represent the lumbering and stumbling Romero clan or the rushing and screeching tribe of more recent times.

In any case, one thing you can always be sure of is that - if the last 40 years are anything to go by - zombies will never go out of fashion. Even if new films are not being created, the zombie, like the vampire and werewolf, is a staple of horror tales - so don your zombie costumes with pride and get set to scare!

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