Ghost and Zombie | Script Revolution

Ghost and Zombie

Ghost & Zombie
After dying from a zombie bite, a woman discovers her ghost is bound to her zombie body and she can’t move on.
Horrified by this grim existence, she searches for a way to free herself.

The zombie genre’s come a long way over the decades, baby. Sparking with Romero’s Night of the Living Dead in 1968, the genre’s expanded out in the last 50+ years to become a handy dandy hook for satirically eyeing every aspect of society. There’s Zombieland. Shaun of the Dead. Fido. Dead Like Me even managed to squeeze a young adult romance into the concept, for heaven’s sake!  As for Dead Girl, well – let’s not peak under the sheet of that dark gem. At this stage, one can’t be blamed for suspecting maybe EVERY nuance of undead “life’s”  been explored. 

Maybe. But what about the flip side of the zombie universe: death?

Zombie films tend to take a secular (and grisly) view of death: once you’ve been chomped or your head blown off, it’s game over. Lights out forever, pal. 

But suppose there WERE an afterlife: how can a soul or ghost separate from a body, if it’s been zombified and continues to walk the earth?

In Ghost and Zombie, that’s the dilemma young and fashionable Vi finds herself in. Slumped in the closet with a bloody bite mark on her arm, Vi’s clearly dead until - she’s so not. Twitching spasmodically, “Vi” opens milky eyes and falls out of the closet. A massive face-plant. Thud. 

From the window, someone watches the zombie’s flailing awkward attempts to stand - 

It’s Vi’s ghost, who regards the escalating horror show with equal measures of revulsion and relief:

VI’S GHOST
Finally! Let’s get out of here.
I never want to see the inside of this chintzy shithole again.

But not only does “her” zombie seem to be challenged on basic coordination, it doesn’t even hear Vi’s voice. As its missteps accumulate, Vi grows ever more impatient with... herself.

VI’S GHOST
No, not that way! The door!
Go to the door you stupid meat sack!

Followed by more laments…

VI’S GHOST
Fuck’s sake!
How hard can it be?

A zombie tumble down the stairs proves the final straw. Ghost Vi spins towards what’s left of her physical body, pissed off:

VI’S GHOST
Shit! If you’ve broken your legs,
I swear I’ll, I’ll ... shit!

Not that a ghost can do such earthly things. Thank goodness for all concerned.

Eventually, both Vi’s spirit and the zombie find their bearings. Her zombie’s hungry and on the hunt. Vi’s ghost trails it down the stairs, out of the house. Tethered supernaturally to the shambling shell, she horrifically has no choice.  

Why is V stuck in limbo? Her mindless zombie isn’t “telling”. And – unlike in Beetlejuice - there’s no undead manual to outline the rules. Will this be Vi’s forever fate: following around a rotting marionette through a zombie infested dystopian world?

At least temporarily? Yup. As with all “road trip” tales, there’s inevitably more than one pit stop before enlightenment can be reached. For instance, a run in with three Mad Max styled scavengers at the local grocery store. Will Vi’s zombie end up scoring two legged fast food snacks or eternal rest?

Frustrated by her grotesque predicament, Vi’s ghost finds herself rooting for a good head shot. But alas…

The Eager Scavenger finishes loading his shotgun and tries to snap it closed. It jams. 
Vi watches her zombie stumble toward him as he desperately tries to clear the jammed cartridge.

VI’S GHOST
Oh, come on! You’re wasting time!
Forget the, the ammo! Just bash its head in!

Panicking, the Eager Scavenger wrestles with his shotgun as Vi’s zombie corners him against a wall. 

VI’S GHOST
You fucking ... What are you doing!
It’s a human skull! Just bash it in! Bash it--

Vi’s zombie grabs the Scavenger and tears his throat out.

Munch. Munch. Damn. You’d think a girl could catch a break.

Or at least a companion who can talk. So when Scavenger’s ghost appears, V’s reaction is bittersweet. She rages at his failure to help her move on. Then breaks down in futile sobs when the Scavenger’s ghost ascends. Leaving her once more alone. 

Except for her zombie, which “drags” her along to ever greater horrors.

Will Ghost Vi ever find a way out? Or is she doomed to become a Walking Dead accessory/side kick – not just for a few “seasons”, but until the end of days itself?

Read Robert Bruinewoods’ Ghost and Zombie and find out. To do this one right will take a modest but respectful makeup budget. But for horror directors, it’s well worth it. Zombie fans are guaranteed to love the concept. They’ll slurp it up – brains and all!

The Script

Ghost & Zombie

After dying from a zombie bite, a woman discovers her ghost is bound to her zombie body and she can’t move on. Horrified by this grim existence, she searches for a way to free herself.

About The Reviewer

J.E. Clarke's picture
Real name: 

Known for her unique characters and plots, J.E. Clarke has optioned her feature length horror, "Containment" with Primestar Film Group (director Mike Elliott of Scorpion King 4 attached), her SF feature "Stream" with Purryburry Productions, John Noble of "Fringe" and "Lord of the Rings" attached.  Her fantasy/SF "Evergreen" (cowritten for Adam Zeulhke of Zenoscope Productions), is currently in preproduction, along with Entanglement...Read more

About The Writer

Robert Bruinewoud's picture
Real name: 

Melbourne, Australia 1982. I submit my first "screenplay" (and I use the term very loosely) to the BBC. It was a hugely expensive Doctor Who saga. Needless to say, it wasn't picked up. You can read all about it here.

Now, I’ve been advised that the above is not the way to sell myself as serious writer. I’m not sure why. The fact that any screenwriters’ first screenplay doesn’t sell is...Read more