The zombie comedy subgenre is beginning to resemble the “Die Hard on a…” movement of over a decade ago: the primary consideration seems to be “Where’s the wackiest place for the undead to congregate this time?”. Generally, this kind of brainstorming-for-spec-dollars bores me, but I have to admit that The Harvard Zombie Massacre ain’t a bad idea.
The screenplay, by the rookie duo of Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, centers on a zombie holocaust that threatens to destroy the most prestigious learning institution in the country. As with all films of this genre, the satirical/metaphorical possibilities are myriad: if the zombies are students, you’re making a commentary on the monolithic, “politically correct” type of thinking that allegedly dominate campuses nowadays; if they’re townies, it’s the educated few versus the ignorant masses; and if they’re Yalies, it’s the first horror movie pitched exclusively to the intellectual elite. Of course, I don’t know if Hernandez and Samit are thinking this deeply on the subject; could be they just thought haughty Ivy Leaguers getting their limbs ripped off was some funny shit.
Warren Zide will produce The Harvard Zombie Massacre for his Parallel Zide venture. He’s also producing of Joe Dante’s forthcoming Bat Out of Hell, written by the sexually advanced duo of Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan.