Clue

It began with a simple question... "Is that Mrs. Peacock?"
"Yes... yes, it is."

Then we discovered the whole bloody lot of them. Quite genius.

Smart jackets

A sharp trend for fall: short jackets look smart in any wardrobe.

Toronto Zombiewalk 2011

The 9th year of the Toronto Zombiewalk was possibly the most fantastic to date, with cooperative weather (no dissolving corpses), a real life zombie wedding (congrats Adam and Thea!) and a versatile and wide-ranging horde. I'll be posting more of my favorite deadlings in coming months. For now, as a corpse warmer, here are a couple shots of my favorite pair of the day. I loved their showgirl/Shriner combination... it's rare to see two people dressed in vivid color and with such considered detail from fez to heels.

Happy Birthday to ZombieLily

Happy Birthday to ZombieLily!

Buffalo Lodge

 

I took this shot a while ago, but was only prompted to post it after stumbling across the Native Appropriations blog and reading multiple posts about the Hipster Headdress and why it's so inappropriate. I hadn't realized it was "a thing" in some circles, but I suppose that means I haven't been exposed to many hipsters. (Just a few dead ones. See also, "the best kind".) So zombies, carry on your reverse-ironic-mocking of hipsters and cultural appropriation with your blood-smeared cardboard cut out headdresses.

Snuggy

No fashion here, but let's be honest. A leopard print Snuggy makes a statement that can't be ignored.

Pretty in pink (and white, and red)

 Autumn brides are the most colorful, I find...

Everybody loves a zombie in uniform.

 

Just two of a few uniformed servicemen spotted around town...

Guys on the street

You've got red on... Never mind.

Carmen Miranda

A lovely touch of tropicalismo in the horde...

Jean-Paul Mullét

 




































No blog about Toronto's wildly varied afterlife would be complete without mention of Jean-Paul Mullét, aka Mullet the Clown.

Poster photo by Paul Fegan, Art by Kam Gates & Jorge Mij, Design by Allan Turner.

I had the good fortune of catching the opening night of Mullet's Make-a-Play at the Toronto Fringe Festival and really must recommend this show to anyone whose interests intersect in the ever-widening circles of zombie fandom, comedy, theatre, clowning, or even circus arts.

Mullet bills himself as a Zombie Clown, but he's no two-note brainseeker. He's complex... so much so that the more I read into his act, the more what's left of my head hurts.

Watching the show, my first impression is that he knows the classics, for he's embodying choice elements of roles and archetypes from across the history of the clownly art. Beyond the basic poles of Joey & Auguste, straight man and anarchist, there's a dash of Scaramouche Jones tragedy, a hint of Emo Phillips inflection, a sprinkle of tramp... or is it moss?

Hell, I came here just to laugh. But the Make-a-Play is equal parts tragic and comic, guilelessly innocent then darkly forceful. Demon beating is involved. Improv comics are abused. (I enjoy this part more than I should. Sorry, comedians.) There are tales of young clowns lost in the wilderness. Random choirs. Monologues with dinosaurs. It's different every night. It's unpredictable, a lot of it is spontaneous and unguarded, and as such you can't prepare yourself for it.

One thing is clear... whereas zombies just want your brains, Mullet wants your heart too.

Photo by Michael Wong

You can find more about Mullet at http://www.memullet.com/. Tickets for his Make-a-Play are available at the Fringe Box Office, online here, or by calling 416-966-1062. "Day of" tickets ($10) go on sale at the Theatre Passe Muraille an hour before each performance.

FOUND!

 

Amelia Earhart went missing on  missing July 2, 1937. I think we've found her. A little worse for wear, but well preserved nonetheless!

Disco is Dead

True, but it's been dead at least a decade. That means it's probably due for a revival any minute now.

1920s redux

It's spring and all is green. Including this vintage zombie straight from the 1920s, finely pickled and preserved by time...

Psychogothdecorabilly

Just in time for summer... a zombie style assault by designer Marisa of FashionWhore Couture:

...Braintini, anyone?