When Danny Boyle’s film “28 Days Later” was released in 2002, it reinvigorated enthusiasm for entertainment that features mindless cannibals scouring the earth for brains. For over a decade, zombies have been a mainstay in video games and films, but have become a phenomenon with hit TV shows like “The Walking Dead” and “We’re Alive.” Since no one likes to watch alone, host a viewing party to marathon your favorite zombie TV show. And, here are just a few things that no zombie viewing party should be without:
Food for the Living Dead
If you want to be true to the nature of a zombie apocalypse, you and your friends can turn off all the lights and eat non-perishable food out of cans while listening intently for any suspicious noises. But, since zombie parties are more about the fun and less about the realism, you can toss canned food aside and create some creepy and delicious entrees.
Make mini-fingers out of wiener sausages, a skinless fleshy hand out of meatloaf and a bloody brain cake for dessert. And don’t forget about refreshments. Serve up some zombie punch to help wash down the other goodies.
Undead Costumes
No viewing party would be complete without some blood and guts zombie costumes. If you’re on a budget, throw together a DIY costume with some old clothes, fake blood and gorey makeup. If you want to look like a survivor instead of a zombie, go for an outdoor grunge look with camo pants, a tank top and sturdy boots. Then, rub some dirt on your arms and cheeks and add a few fake cuts and bruises with makeup to make it look like you just survived an attack. And, if you really want to raise the stakes, check out a costume site to find zombie accessories and costumes to ensure you’re the life of the undead party.
Zombie Apocalypse Decor
Now, to really sell you zombie TV viewing party, transform your comfy abode into something that resembles a possessed butcher’s shop. One easy touch is to attach cardboard to your doors and scrawl a message like “Zombie Safe Zone” across your entrance so your house looks like a fallout shelter. Set up a quarantine section by putting up caution take and fake rusty chains in a corner of your living room. Then, put up a few more signs inside your home with phrases such as “days since last contact” with a bunch of tally marks below it, or a “missing persons” list.
To further add to the ambiance, splatter fake blood on some old sheets and cover the walls. Or, cover your windows and walls with red handprints on wax paper to mimic a person’s last ditch attempt to survive as zombies pull their body into a feeding frenzy. If you’re planning on making your zombie party a regular occurrence, consider investing in electronic zombie props that move on their own, by remote control or with motion sensors.
