Interview with a Zombie

Meet Bristol’s number one zombie. Four years ago, Matt Hall bagged a role as an extra in Cockneys vs Zombies and found himself well and truly bitten by the zombie bug. Nowadays, when he’s not working for Bristol City Council as a physiotherapist’s assistant, he’s lumbering about with the legions of the undead.

As a ‘scare actor’, he’s worked with Weston Super Frightmare and in the Zombie Apocalypse Maze at the Walker Stalker convention at Olympia. Only last week, he won the coveted Best Zombie Award at the Bristol Horror Convention.

Together with a business partner, Matt has also launched Rottendead, which hires out a ‘live horror photo booth’ to events around the country. Your next chance to be scared shitless by him is at Bristol Film Festival’s Horror in the Caves Halloween weekend in Redcliffe Caves.

He’ll be shuffling up behind you at the screenings of Shaun of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead on Saturday, October 29, and returning for a second helping of fresh steaming intestines during Scream on Sunday, October 30. Before Matt had a chance to scoff our brains, we took the opportunity to launch some quickfire questions in his direction.

Congratulations on winning the Best Zombie Award at the Bristol Horror Convention. What were the judges looking for?

The most imaginative scary zombie, with true likeness to on-screen zombies.

Is there a great deal of competition for work in the zombie world?

I’ve not encountered any as yet  – maybe due to them dying off!

How long does it take to get into the full costume?

Just over an hour (waiting for the blood to dry).

From your viewpoint as a professional zombie, what’s the most common mistake that amateur zombies make?

They don’t have the shuffle or loose enough limbs.

What do your nearest and dearest make of your unusual profession?

My wife thinks I’m very creative, but at times can think I’m unusual.  The kids are not keen when I hide in cupboards!

Slow-moving, lumbering zombies or nippy ones, and why?

I’m a slow moving zombie, but do like nippy ones. They are more frightening.

What was the most fun you’ve ever had in zombie garb?

I once worked all weekend in a zombie apocalypse maze. Twelve hours of constantly scaring people was like heaven.

Have you ever genuinely terrified someone?

I made two women so scared that I had to leave my seat on the number 72 bus into town, due to them being frozen in fear!  (The best part of the job is to scare someone witless.) 

What’s your favourite zombie movie?

The Return of the Living Dead

When you watch a zombie flick, are you rooting for the zombies or their human victims? Be honest now…

Silly question (always the zombies).

Your Rottendead business website says you provide horror photo booths for parties, corporate events and weddings. Has anyone ever actually booked you for a wedding?

We have our first wedding booked for March next year. 

Would you do a funeral if asked?

Yes, we would love to.  Our customer base is very diverse. 

Why do you think zombies are so enduringly popular?

There has been a huge boom recently. I think it’s down to the popularity of The Walking Dead.

If you could eat anyone’s brains, whose would they be and why?

James Dyson. I feel they would be easy to suck up!

Read more: Halloween Horrors Ahoy – The Essential Guide to Spooky Halloween Film Screenings