Horror movies attract huge audiences; fans rush to see them as soon as they come out. These movies often show blood-chilling scenes involving zombies, vampires, werewolves, and others of the undead.
Avid fans know there’s a difference between zombies and vampires, both of which are terrifying creatures in their own right. Vampires suck human blood and eat flesh in the dead of night, but they still can think and maintain a sense of the humans they once were; they die if they’re exposed to sunlight. Zombies, on the other hand, no longer are able to think and will feed on flesh at any time of the night or day; sunlight doesn’t destroy them.
What Do You Fear?
Most fans agree: zombies are more frightening than vampires are. Vampires have been portrayed in a romantic way in many movies such as the highly popular “Twilight” series and the HBO series “True Blood.” Vampires sometimes have been mocked because they have humane and compassionate—almost human—feelings. In other movies, such as “30 Days of Night,” vampires have been portrayed as loathsome.
Zombies are more frightening than vampires. How can something with no brain have any compassion or humanity left at all?
In the Beginning…
The idea of vampires originated in Bram Stoker’s famous horror novel about Count Dracula. Zombies don’t have any such literary mention; they’re common in Haitian or Creole cultural myths, and first appeared in the movies in the 1968 film “Night of the Living Dead.”
More Differences
Not all vampires are alike; they have distinct personalities. They often live alone or with just a few others; they don’t gather or live in large groups the way zombies do.
Vampires are afraid of garlic and holy water. They prefer to drink blood, and don’t show much inclination to eat human flesh. Zombies, on the other hand, have a lust to consume the internal organs of anyone they can.
Compare and Contrast:
- Powers.
Zombies are weaker than vampires. Vampires have amazing superpowers: they can change to another form, read people’s thoughts, and control someone else’s mind. In the series “True Blood,” the main vampire character—Bill—can read the thoughts of all the humans around him.
When vampires hunt as a group, they can be quite focused on their goal. A group of zombies, however, can be sidetracked very easily.
Vampires also can fly, which is something zombies can’t do. Vampires are very fast and can travel faster than light. Zombies only can run to catch you, so they’re easier to escape from.
- Appearance
Vampires look “normal;” their bodies are not scarred or damaged. They often are very charming and have pleasant personalities. Zombies often are portrayed as having partly decomposed bodies and vicious personalities.
- Behavior.
Vampires stick to a certain code of conduct, which zombies don’t do. Vampires can’t enter your house unless you invite them; zombies can enter any place, any time they choose. Being mindless, zombies aren’t able to think or reason. As a result, if you get into a vehicle and drive away, they can’t figure out how to follow you in another vehicle, so you can get to safety if you have your car and your car keys.
Zombies aren’t able to recognize human beings, although vampires are. To a zombie, you’re just a piece of flesh to be eaten; if you can get someone else between you and a zombie, you can get to safety while the zombie is distracted.
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