The Best Locations in Dallas To Hide In A Zombie Apocalypse – Dallas Observer

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The bright side of 2021 is that we're all a little better prepared for a zombie apocalypse. Weve been paranoid about the symptoms of a disease that's easily spread, and anxiously watched for warning signs. Weve all (or at least some of us) quarantined to prevent further infections. Empty streets and protective measures arent just the imaginings of a zombie-inspired apocalyptic event but the daily reality of COVID-19 that we faced over the past year.

Zombie movies have been a popular horror subgenre for decades, first gaining acclaim with George Romeros 1968 masterpiece Night of the Living Dead, a bare-bones survival story that doubled as an allegory for Cold War politics and race relations. Romero continued to bring his critical social commentary to the films sequels, with 1978s Dawn of the Dead examining consumerism and 1985s Day of the Dead exploring militarism.

Zombie media, however, only spiked in the coming decades with Danny Boyles hyper-realistic 28 Days Later and Edgar Wrights self-aware satire Shaun of the Dead both proving to be innovations within the genre. However, zombie films have seen a decline in recent years, and for two obvious reasons. First, The Walking Dead remains dominant and covers the nuances of the genre so extensively that its hard for other stories to provide a new take. Second, cheaply made films dilute the genre, and it can be hard to distinguish between charming low-budget films and the garbage cinema headed straight to DVD or online video services.

Zombie fans are hoping this year will change that; not only is Romeros long-lost passion project Amusement Park finally being released this summer, but controversial filmmaker Zack Snyder (who also directed the surprisingly enjoyable 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead) recently debuted his two-and-a-half hour zombie epic Army of the Dead on Netflix.

In a post-pandemic world, will zombie movies end up being a strange sort of comfort food? Were not entirely sure, but the last year has given us all the preparation we need to survive any impending zombie apocalypse headed our way. Here are some Dallas locations wed use to our advantage if the undead do finally emerge.

NorthPark CenterA mall hideout worked out well enough in Dawn of the Dead. Would there be any demon-slaying devices hidden at Wetzels Pretzels?

The Six Floor MuseumCmon, JFK-era zombies? How has Hollywood not transformed the most famous assassination in history into a cheap zombie flick?

Immersive Van Gogh ExperienceVincent Van Gogh did in fact cut off his own ear, so maybe the upcoming immersive exhibition will offer some clues on where to inflict maximum damage on a squadron of corpses.

Six Flags Mini Mine TrainSpeedy World War Z-esque zombies scaling the side of the Titan or the Texas Giant could be terrifying, so we reckon if were going to hide out at the Arlington amusement park, well stick to the family-friendly area.

The Fort Worth StockyardsIf all the undead need is flesh to survive, does it have to be human flesh? We might have a few other options to distract them.

The Dallas QAnon ConventionWed imagine that the living dead would seem charming in comparison.

Urban TacoIf Shaun of the Dead taught us anything, its that if youre facing an inevitable zombie invasion, you might as well camp out somewhere you enjoy. Bars might deplete our resources quickly, so how about the best damn taco place in the city?

AT&T Performing Arts CenterZombies cant get us if they cant find parking.

Addison Improv Comedy ClubWe might as well just make a night of it.

Austin bonus:The State Capitol BuildingIf you're in Austin during a zombie takeover, there's only one choice for shelter. I mean, its not like Gov. Greg Abbott would do anything about it. Who else has better experience at being the stock moronic government figure in a pandemic movie?

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Liam Gaughan has been covering film and television since before he had a driver's license, and in addition to the Observer has been published in About.com, Schmoes Know, Taste of Cinema and The Dallas Morning News. He enjoys checking classic films off of his watchlist and working on spec scripts.

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The Best Locations in Dallas To Hide In A Zombie Apocalypse - Dallas Observer