In recent years the unthinkable has happened: zombies are finally mainstream. It wasn’t until the 1960s that zombies began to increase in popularity thanks to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, but they’ve always been on the sidelines of pop culture. Now, with The Walking Dead becoming one of TV’s highest-rated shows, and World War Z making over half a billion dollars worldwide, we can safely say that zombies are “in” right now.

Director Alexandre O. Philippe (The People vs. George Lucas), a self-professed zombie fan since age 6, realized that no one has made a definitive documentary about the zombie. Now Philippe has changed that with his new film Doc of the Dead, a fun documentary exploring the history of zombie culture along with how popular the undead have become today. Philippe interviews people like George A. Romero, Simon Pegg, Bruce Campbell, Tom Savini, and many more, including “zombie scholars.” The film serves as a light, breezy crash course in zombie history while simultaneously exploring all the various ways zombies have embedded themselves into pop culture.

Doc of the Dead screened earlier this year at Hot Docs 2014, and Alexandre O. Philippe was kind enough to sit down with us and discuss his film. For US readers, you can currently see Doc of the Dead right now on Netflix Instant, Amazon Prime, or Epix HD. Canadian audiences will be lucky enough to catch Doc of the Dead on the big screen though, as it will begin to make its way across Cineplex theatres in Canada starting July 11th. See all dates and locations HERE and be sure to read our full interview below!

I’m not aware of any documentaries other than yours that try to make a definitive film about zombies. What made you decide to tackle this subject matter?
I do a lot of pop culture oriented documentaries, so I always try to keep my finger on the pulse of pop culture and trends, what’s happening right now, what’s hot. A few years ago zombies were starting to get into the mainstream in a really big way and I really set out to explore why it’s happening now. I also happen to be a horror fan. I’ve been watching zombie movies since I was 6 years old, so it seemed like a perfect fit.

How long did it take you to make the film?
Two years. I had the idea initially 5 years ago but I was finishing People vs George Lucas and I had committed to The Life and Times of Paul the Psychic Octopus, so really I didn’t get to start until 2 years ago. It turned out to be a really good thing because I was able to catch the wave of The Walking Dead becoming so popular, along with World War Z coming out in theatres. So now I think it’s the perfect time to release a zombie doc.

With this and People vs George Lucas you seem to be making documentaries some would describe as “geeky” or “nerdy.” Are you naturally attracted to these kinds of topics?
Yes, I’m naturally a geek if that’s your question [Laughs]. I’m proud of it. I’m really fascinated by pop culture. I think it’s an extremely important cultural aspect to study and take seriously because it’s fun, and it brings people together. There’s a lot we can learn from pop culture in terms of who we are. When 2 billion people download “Gangnam Style” on YouTube you can’t call it trivial. You have to look at it and say “What is it about this thing that people are so crazy about?” It’s just as valid as some of the heavier or darker topics in other documentaries. That’s why I do it.

Your film covers a lot of ground with such a short runtime. You zip through a lot of information in a very accessible way. How do you structure your film and decide on what to cover?
We had to look at the milestones of zombie culture, the milestones that are part of the answer to the question “Why are zombies so popular today?” This is the way pop culture works. You have several milestones, and then you have a tipping point. All these milestones pile up and they lead to that moment where suddenly it goes from fringe culture to mainstream. This is exactly what happened with zombies.

What are the milestones? Obviously 1968 because of Night of the Living Dead and the other Romero movies coming out after that. Return of the Living Dead because the idea of zombies eating brains comes from that. The Walking Dead was probably the tipping point, as well as World War Z being the first huge Hollywood zombie movie. It’s the first PG-13 huge zombie movie. That’s a game changer. Whether you like it or not it changed everything for zombies.

Did you have any difficulties deciding what areas of zombie films you couldn’t include in the film?
I had to make some really tough decisions in terms of what to include and exclude. People have asked me “Why didn’t you include Lucio Fulci?” or “Why didn’t you include Nazi Zombies?” or whatever. The problem is that if you start getting into that you’re going to have a five hour film. I had to take the shortest route to get to the point of zombie culture. Zombie walks, zombie car washes, zombie runs, all of that stuff right now.

You have a lot of interviews with big names in zombie culture. Was there anyone you really wanted to include but couldn’t?
To be honest I think we got all the important ones. The one I was hoping to get was Danny Boyle, but I knew we wouldn’t get him because he doesn’t think he’s made a zombie movie. So if you approach him saying you’re making a documentary about zombie movies he’s not going to talk to you. I’m not entirely surprised we didn’t get him, but [I think] he made a zombie movie. Sorry Danny! [Laughs]

You dedicate some time to the debate between fast and slow zombies in your film. Where do you stand on fast and slow zombies?
I tend to be very inclusive. There is no one definition of the zombie. I would actually argue that Invasion of the Body Snatchers is actually a form of zombie movie. I’m not talking about the modern flesh-eating zombie we know from Romero’s movies. To me the zombie is the idea that you’re looking at someone you used to know who no longer is capable of thought or emotion. Heck, the Borgs in Star Trek are a form of zombie. I enjoy them all if they’re done well.

Was there anything in your research that surprised you?
When we found out that there’s a clause in the Haitian penal code stating that turning people into zombies is prohibited by law. It’s pretty freaky stuff. When we interviewed Max Beauvoir, who is essentially the Pope of Voodoo in Haiti, he talks about zombification as if it’s just something they do. It’s a spiritual thing is what he says. If that’s not evidence that zombification exists, then what is? It’s pretty freaky stuff.

You let your interview subjects speak a lot on what they personally find fascinating about zombies, so I wanted to ask you the same thing. What is it about zombies that resonates with you?
The obvious answer is that I’m a horror fan and it gives me thrills. Besides that, I think the zombie is really interesting because they’re us and, in that sense, a blank slate. You can project anything you want [on them]. You can think of any theme and use zombies as a story to express that theme. That’s what’s really exciting. I think they’re much more versatile as a movie monster than vampires and werewolves. I think that’s what the world is waking up to right now, their versatility. And I don’t think we’re seeing the end of it, either. Not by a long shot.

Capsule reviews of several documentaries shown at the 2013 SF IndieFest.

The Life and Times of Paul the Psychic Octopus

In Weymouth, England, there was an octopus named Paul. He correctly ‘predicted’ eight straight games in the 2010 World Cup, an astonishing anomaly. All over the world, people viewed the simple cephalopod as everything from a mascot, to a prophet, to a genius, to a god. Paul became a veritable phenomenon, permeating the pop cultures of multiple countries. Some people loved him and traveled for miles to crowd around the tiny tank he called home. Others hated him (typically people whose national soccer team Paul predicted would lose.) Though Paul is not with us any longer, he’s the most famous octopus of all time, and his story is one of the most unique in the world.

The film, directed by Alexandre O. Phillipe, is a concise, well-polished, entertaining chronicle of the amazing life of Paul. As a documentary, it works well because it humanizes Paul, as the world did a few years ago, though it does take time to analyze the mind-blowing improbability of Paul’s ‘predictions’. The absurdity of the fact that the film includes an interview with a dead octopus’ publicist is irresistibly humorous and endearing. The film uses cartoons and playful editing to keep the mood light, and the film flies by, though mostly due to how fascinating and surprisingly heart-warming the subject matter is. Phillipe’s film doesn’t simply rattle off statistics and fun facts; it tells a story that is interesting in that it says more about us than it does the ‘psychic’ sea creature.

RATING: 8

Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp

Iceberg Slim (real name Robert Beck) was one of the greatest pimps of all time because he was uncompromising and emotionless (Iceberg), charming, and impeccably dressed (Slim). In black culture, there is no one more synonymous with the pimp game as Slim. Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp takes an in-depth look into the dark, troubling path Iceberg ventured down, from witnessing his mother manipulate men, forever altering his view on women, to becoming “street-poisoned” by the devilishly dangerous world of pimping, to becoming one of the most influential and heralded black authors of all time.

Interviews with Beck himself show just how intelligent and articulate he was, and make it clear why his work has been so influential for so many generations. It’s riveting to watch interviews with his daughters and ex wife (who do not get along, to say the least) cut together along with Slim’s admirers who revere him as a revolutionary; this ‘portrait’ is deep and complex. Director Jorge Hinojosa utilizes illustrations to aid in telling Slim’s story, and the colors and sounds Hinojosa chooses make you feel the culture Slim was birthed from, not just watch it.

The film illustrates what pimp life is like with complete and utter honesty and accuracy, detailing the ugly nature of the life, much like Slim’s famous books. It would have been nice to spend less time with the celebrities (most of them essentially say the same thing; that they love and are knowledgeable of the legend of Iceberg Slim) and more time with his family, who provide the most probing and personal insight. Nevertheless, it’s an incredibly illuminating film about the life of an enigmatic and legendary figure.

RATING: 8.5

Faceless

Faceless is an important movie in that it looks at the tragedy of September 11th, 2001 from a perspective not previously explored. We follow the journey of a Mexican man who leaves his family, crosses the US/Mexico border illegally, and takes a job as an undocumented worker in the United States, supporting his family from thousands of miles away. This journey is a commonality for Mexicans, but what is not so common is that this man worked in the World Trade Center, and was a victim of the tragic terrorist attacks. He was faceless; no ID, no social security number, no address. After the attacks, families mourned their lost loved ones, but this man’s family was faced with the burden of searching for their beloved father, who, in this country, didn’t exist.

The film presents interviews with people with wildly different vantage points to the tragedy: The man’s family, border patrol volunteers, a man who plants water bottles Johnny-Appleseed-style along the border for illegal immigrants to find, an immigrant from a different country, France, and more. The decision to present such incredibly diverse viewpoints of this starkly relevant story is one that pays off; the film is frighteningly sobering and thought-provoking. Unbelievably disturbing real-life footage captures the brutality and violence of the dangers of illegal immigration and the attacks themselves.

The film occasionally pauses to meditate on the frightening events with a reading of a somber poem set to beautifully staged imagery. Director Tristan Albrecht should be commended for being mindful of the weight of the subject matter while simultaneously being conscious of filmmaking and storytelling.

RATING: 8.9

Inside Lara Roxx

Director Mia Donovan presents the tumultuous process of documenting the titular Lara Roxx over the course of five years in Inside Lara Roxx. Lara, a Montreal native, was told that if she moved to Los Angeles and let people film her having sex, she could make thousands of dollars a week. Giving in to the allure of the almighty dollar, Lara traveled to LA and started working in the adult film industry. Within two weeks, she contracted HIV and became the subject of a media storm. After the storm died down, Donovan started filming.

Inside Lara Roxx takes the approach of simply placing Lara in front of us and inviting us to watch as she breaks down mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in the aftermath of her disastrous experience in the porn industry. Donovan shows footage Lara in different stages of mental and physical decay, and what results is a saddening, cautionary look into the dark side of the porn industry. Donovan isn’t a silent director throughout the film, and periodically we hear her have conversations with Lara. The scenes in which we witness the relationship between subject and director are the film’s best. What hurts the piece is that the structure is mostly shapeless, with nothing to tie Lara and Donovan’s story together. It’s just a string of footage and interviews that lacks cohesion. However, Donovan’s film is always intriguing and sheds light on an important issue.

RATING: 7