Creating the Myth of a Perfect Monster: The Rise of the Nazi Zombies From Call of Duty to Dead Snow

In this Olio, we will explore the trope of Nazi Zombies, a bizarre character type that keeps resurfacing in pop culture. From CALL OF DUTY to DEAD SNOW. We will examine the sociological roots of this pseudo-archetype and consider how its meaning has changed over time. Reanimated S.S. soldiers have become a staple of the subgenre, appearing in video games, comic books and horror films from around the world. Participants will observe how the character type is used in pulp culture and connects to idealized American versions of justice and evil. We’ll look at the ways Nazi Zombies are similar to and different from history’s other mythical monsters. We will contemplate the appeal of this politicized ghoul, unpacking its layers and considering how we use fantastic alternate-history to understand of the past. Featuring rare video footage not available on Netflix of Hulu.

TEACHER:
Kevin Maher is an Emmy-nominated writer, an award-winning filmmaker and a so-called “pop culture expert” featured on The Brian Lehrer Show, the SyFy channel and AMC’s The SciFi Department. He hosts the long-running video variety show KEVIN GEEKS OUT, with evenings dedicated to exploring pop-culture staples like Lady Robots, Shark Cinema, The Devil, Visions of the Future, and adaptations of Stephen King. For details visit www.LoveKevin.com

By default, Kevin may be America’s foremost expert on Nazi Zombies, but let’s keep that off the resume, ok?