New Horror Movies Ep. 166: Dead Man Still Walking - The Purple Smurfs (1981)
Jay of the Dead'sNew Horror Movies presents… the 55th Edition of the world's greatest Zombie Movie Podcast — Dead Man Still Walking, starring Dr. Walking Dead Kyle Bishop! In this fascinating and unexpectedly subversive episode, Dr. Bishop welcomes special guest Jay of the Dead to explore the surprising horror history of "The Purple Smurfs" (yes, those Smurfs!) and their uncanny place in zombie canon. This is a must-listen for fans of zombie cinema. Likely inspired somewhat by Richard Matheson's novel, "I Am Legend" (1954) — yet before George Romero's shambling ghouls — there existed a little-known, infected-zombie narrative within the Belgian comic, Les Schtroumpfs Noirs ("The Black Smurfs") from 1959, later wisely adapted for American audiences in 1963 as "The Purple Smurfs." What seems like a simple children's story reveals shocking thematic roots in infection, rage, and apocalypse, complete with an urgent race to find a cure. Dr. Bishop herein declares, "Yes, the Purple Smurfs are zombies." Also during Episode 166 here, Jay and Kyle dive deep into both the original comic source material and the adapted, 1981 TV episode — part of a Halloween special featuring "The Haunted Smurf" as well as "The Purple Smurfs" — unpacking how the latter's infection narrative even precedes films like "The Crazies" (1973), "Rabid" (1977), and "28 Days Later" (2002). They discuss the sociocultural implications, from 1980s "Satanic Panic" anxieties to the comic's troubling racial undertones in its early form. Jay playfully speculates whether the story serves as a bizarre, STD cautionary tale — and even debuts his first-ever Horror trailer for The Purple Smurfs (1981) TV episode! As for Dr. Bishop's favorite color? You just might find the answer buried somewhere in this delightfully twisted episode of Dead Man Still Walking. Gnap! Gnap! Note: This episode was recorded on July 21, 2025. Note: To view ALL of Dr. Bishop's Dead Man Still Walking solocast episodes can USE THIS LINK. And to view ALL of Dr. Bishop's episode-by-episode commentaries on The Last of Us – Seasons 1 and 2, with Jay of the Dead, then USE THIS LINK. Dead Man Still Walking is a biweekly, short-form solocast hosted by Dr. Walking Dead Kyle Bishop, author of American Zombie Gothic and How Zombies Conquered Popular Culture. Dr. Walking Dead also presents a popular segment called The Dead Zone on regular episodes of this podcast. For his Dead Man Still Walking solocast episodes, Dr. Bishop will focus exclusively on zombie films, with the occasional exploration of zombie-related themes, zombie television, and other zombie media (e.g., comics, literature, etc.). Dr. Bishop is an academic and professional scholar of zombie films and other zombie narratives. He has been teaching for 23 years. Dr. Bishop serves as an English professor, Film Studies professor, and he's currently the English Department Chair at Southern Utah University. You are welcome to reach out to Dr. Bishop with comments or questions via email:Â
[email protected], X: @DrWalkingDead, BlueSky and Instagram (@DrWalkingDead) or by leaving him a voicemail: (801) 980-1375. You can also watch the documentary, Doc of the Dead (2014), which features Dr. Walking Dead. Find more links below for Dr. Bishop. Be sure to subscribe to Jay of the Dead's new Horror movie podcast on: Apple PodcastsSpotifyDeezer  You are welcome to email our show atÂ
[email protected]. You can also follow Jay of the Dead'sNew Horror Movies on X: @HorrorAvengers Dead Man Still Walking with Dr. Kyle Bishop is brought to you by Jay of the Dead'sNew Horror Movies, an audio Horror movie podcast. It features nine experienced Horror hosts review new Horror movies and deliver specialty Horror segments. Your hosts are Jay of the Dead, Dr. Shock, Gillman Joel, Mister Watson, Dr. Walking Dead, GregaMortis, Mackula, Ron Martin, Dave Zee and Spawn of the Dead! Due to the large number and busy schedule of its nine Horror hosts, Jay of the Dead'sNew Horror Movies will be recorded in segments, piecemeal, at various times and recording sessions. Therefore, as you listen to our episodes, you will notice a variety of revolving door hosts and segments, all sewn together and reanimated like the powerful Monster of Dr. Frankenstein!
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