Bring your body bags: George A. Romero's chilling vision of the TRIXIE virus disintegrating society, and humankind eliminating itself.
The gritty original "The Crazies" movie from 1973 is a low-budget production with a big scope. The similarities to the later, and more dynamic "Dawn Of The Dead" (1978) are obvious. But "The Crazies" is more realistic, as there are no undead, and it creates an even bigger picture of how humankind handles the catastrophe.
A cult classic of virus outbreak-horror, "The Crazies" is an analytic dissection of social mechanics under extreme stress, and a template for many zombie movies to come. It's not a perfect production, but still a highly thought provoking and exciting thriller - essential viewing!
The zombie outbreak has become the new normal, local communities have found ways to handle their situations. But not all is well. The fight for mere survival has turned into selection, and from there into a battle of beliefs. When the dead walk the earth - what's wrong and what's right?
It has taken the world at least 20 years to appreciate George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead". Today it's a celebrated milestone of cinema, and part of New York Museum of Modern Art collection. Pretty much the same goes for Romero's "Dawn of the Dead". "Day..." is slowly getting the same level of appreciation. "Land..." was a big budget production, and a box office success. "Diary..." is still mostly being ignored, but sooner or later will be recognized as another milestone. Which brings us to the relevance, or the lack thereof, of "Survival of the Dead". It was a tremendous failure at the box office, and has pretty much completely disappeared from public consciousness, except maybe as an example of a bad zombie comedy.
But is it really that bad? First of all, it's a quality low-budget production. It looks good, the cast is great, there are zombies and some ok special effects (albeit no Tom Savini here, but too much CGI), it has a good story, etc. - so in that regard we can't complain.
Where it fails, is in its rhythm, and tone. To some degree, a sober, underacting style has always been a part of George A. Romero's directing oevre, as has been comical quirkiness in his zombie movies. But in "Survial of the Dead" it mixes in a comparable unfortunate way, lacking the strong characters and center storyline that push things forward, as are masterfully displayed especially in "Dawn of the Dead". "Survival..." seems to meander from scene to scene, without really creating a steady pace, or a definitive direction. Did Uncle Georgie just get confused while telling stories?
Maybe he did, a little bit. But there's a certain depth to "Survival of the Dead" that must be explored. George A. Romero was 69 years old when the movie got released. It's about tradition vs. enlightenment, belief vs. science, family vs. community, and it's about the older generation. At the time (and even long before), Romero's insight into human existence was miles above that of the average zombie movie viewer. "Survival of the Dead" is different - expectations are everything.
In a sense, it's like trying to impress someone with a Miss Marple movie who's just watched "Se7en". Nope, this is not your spectacular "survival of the living", fight-to-the-death situation. But that doesn't mean that Miss Marple is a bad detective. "Survival of the Dead" certainly isn't the best of Romero's movies, but
it's still far more interesting than many other zombie film productions.
Somehow, the questions remains: What is it, that Romero was really after with "Survival of the Dead"? In some interview, he says something along the lines of "...and I
wonder how long it'll take them to get it..." about the movie, and its
critics.
It's the new normal - which is the old one. It's the channel you tune in to on TV, it's if you go to Starbucks or prefer Black Bean, it's if you vote red or blue. It's about the old guys in the back, that fight over paper, and send others to war. It's about the "why" of things in our cultural, civil society.
Only two years after the release of "Survival of the Dead", Donald Trump would start eyeing to become president of the USA, and when he finally did, in 2017, he'd put family before qualification, and superstition before science.
The groundbreaking, genre-defining zombie movie that has set the mark for all zombie movies to come.
A study of social psychology, a picture of its time, a pioneer in gore cinema, and an overall exciting and scary movie, "Night of the Living Dead" is still and will probably forever remain in the top five of the genre.
There might be a seventh George A. Romero "...of the Dead" movie!
Looking back at 2021, when Romero's previously almost unknown, near lost "The Amusement Park" got restored and released, it stirred up some talk about the director's legacy, and brought into light some of his unfinished ideas and plans:
'Now Suzanne Romero, widow of the filmmaker, is opening up about Twilight of the Dead and
sharing her plans to take it to the screen. She has been developing the
script with three screenwriters for the past few years and is ready to
meet with directors on the project, which has this tantalizing
logline: “The story is set in a decimated world. Life has all but
disappeared. But there still may be hope for humanity.” [...] George A. Romero wrote a treatment for Twilight of the Dead with
Paolo Zelati. After the director’s death, Zelati asked Suzanne Romero
for permission to continue with the script. He brought on screenwriters
Joe Knetter and Robert L. Lucas to help. [...] “It is no secret that Diary and Survival were not the way he envisioned the series ending, and George knew it very well,” notes Zelati. “Twilight of the Dead was his goodbye to the genre he created and wanted to go out with a powerful film.” [...] Suzanne Romero is now ready for meetings to find the right director to complete George A. Romero’s zombie saga. “This is the film he wanted to make. And while someone else will
carry the torch as the director, it is very much a George A. Romero
film,” says Suzanne Romero.'
It has been quiet for some time, but these days we're receiving (quite exciting) news that there's actual progress.
According to the news, Brad Anderson will direct the new movie, claiming it to be "...about social transformation, one that asks the question: What is it to be human?"
That sounds a bit blunt, but it fits well into the Romero-ian film universe, exploring social interaction and what drives an individual, or holds one back.
"Twilight of the Dead" is said to be produced and financed by Roundtable Entertainment, and filming is planned to start this year.
Wow, that's really good news - "Twilight of the Dead" is NOT vaporware!
Interestingly, the Internet Movie Database lists "Twilight of the Dead" among "Land of the Dead" (2005) working titles. This now makes obvious sense, but we can only speculate about the ideas George A. Romero originally had in mind for "Land of the Dead", and if he was able - or unable - to implement them.
Also note that "Paura nella citta dei morti viventi" (1980, Lucio Fulci, "City of the Living Dead", "The Gates of Hell") has a US pre-release title "Twilight of the Dead". Pictures of the movie poster can be found on the internet, but this movie is clearly unrelated to George A. Romero's "Twilight of the Dead".
While it is certainly questionable this movie is indeed his "masterpiece", it's just as certainly a welcome and very enlightening addition to George A. Romero's catalogue. It gives another interesting insight into the mind of the filmmaker, and is a rare snapshot of the time and place it was made.
Masterpiece or not, it has received rave reviews from several critics, and is a must-see for fans of Romero anyway.
Watch the trailer for George A. Romero's "The Amusement Park" (1973):
What do you do when you're done with your home office work the
best you can, have cleaned the entire house for the third time today,
have checked the latest numbers on COVID-19 spread, and properly washed
your hands (again!)? Watch a proper movie!
COVID-19 currently has pretty much the whole world in its grip. Many countries have restricted public life, to varying degrees, but one thing is very common these days: a huge number of people need to stay at home. A lot. This of course sets some limitations on how people can spend their day - and as we all know, movies are a great way to kill large amounts of time, and keep your head occupied when there's really not much else to do.
Here are some recommendations for chilling, sometimes outrageous or shocking, and entertaining movies that will certainly NOT get your mind off the current situation:
The Crazies (1973)
Director: George A. Romero
George A. Romero was a brilliant observer of human psychology and social dynamics, no surprise you'll find a couple of his films on this list. A virus outbreak pushes a community to its limits - it theatens the very nature of living together. Romero's "The Crazies" is a bold attempt to picture the catastrophe on many levels. It's a low budget movie, and it has its flaws, but nontheless it's a fascinating and chilling look at how society disintegrates when individual survival collides with social requirements.
An outbreak movie with Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and Morgan Freeman, directed by the guy who made "Das Boot" and "In the Line of Fire"? You certainly can't go wrong with this one. "Outbreak" is a big budget, full scale Hollywood production, it's to outbreak movies what "Saving Private Ryan" is to WWII movies. It might not be as realistic as "Saving Private Ryan" in every aspect, but if it happens that way, that's how it's gonna look and feel. The race to find the host of the virus, and save a town and its
people from destruction will make you hold your breath until the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5povsMKfT4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outbreak_(film)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Director: George A. Romero
The king and queen of all outbreak movies is Romero's "Dawn of the Dead". Never before, and never again, has the social apocalypse been dissected that precisely and spectacularly. This is the virus taken to the extreme, humankind on the brink of extinction, death is everywhere, and it's spreading, fast. What will you do? Will you run? Will you shoot? Will you dig in? Why will you do so, and why will you succeed, or fail? A pop-art masterpiece, "Dawn of the Dead" is the best outbreak movie and best zombie movie ever - in bright colors, with iconic characters, and some of the most memorable images ever put on film, it explores the roots and branches of social interaction under exceptional circumstances. And it's a hugely exciting movie to watch, it's fast, atmospheric, touching, gory, funny, sad, visionary, and what not else. You must not miss this one.
A note on the many different cuts of the film: get the "US theatrical" or "Euro-Cut/Argento" version, or just watch both. Avoid the "extra long"/"Langfassung"/Oliver Krekel "Ultimate-Final-Cut"/FSK16 cuts.
"The Crazies", again? Yes, it's a remake - and, yes, it's a good one! George A. Romero's cult classic got a new treatment in 2010, and they nailed it. It's different from the original, very different, but the mood is completely there - and then some. Everything is bigger, more polished, more stylized - but it still feels right. So what happens when the TRIXIE virus spreads, and people meet the "crazies"? Well, things don't look too good, in fact they look dead serious and horrific.
Based on Michael Crichton's book of the same name, "The Andromeda Strain" borders on a horror movie, with it's sometimes surreal, always stylized images. At each instant you expect a giant bug to leap into frame and eat someone. Yes, it's a creepy movie, but there are no giant bugs. Rather it's a fascinating, detailed look at the methodology and mindset of a set of scientists. The horror crawls up from inside of you, realizing the lengths and dangers involved in the process of examining the alien substance, and trying to uncover the mystery of "The Andromeda Strain".
a.k.a. "They came from within", "The Parasite Murders" - Director: David Cronenberg
"Shivers" is a weirdly dark, claustophobic, creepy movie, and a clever one, too. David Cronenberg has never failed to create an oddly believable and intellectually stimulating setting for his ideas, and "Shivers" is no exception. Sexually charged infected roam the streets. Think about it, the concept might sound absurd on first thought, but then - heck, it's an intriguing idea, assuming THAT's where the infection strikes, people driven mad by the need to reproduce. Anyway, watch it. It's a kind of low-fi movie, the sober tone only David Cronenberg is capable of creating, as he would later do in "Rabid" and "The Brood" and pretty much all of his movies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6B4oZhFaFI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivers_(1975_film)
Ebola Syndrome (1996)
Director: Herman Yau
Now this one is really hard to stomach. The trailer doesn't do it justice at all. Trust me, tastelessness has never been written in such bold letters. If "Ebola Syndrome" won't make you choke with hysterical laughter and repulsion at the same time, I don't know what will. Among all the mayhem, there's a simplistic, but decent story that has the potential to make you think, but ultimately it just adds to the insane cynicism. This movie will scare the Devil out of you, by the Beelzebub. COVID-19 is a walk in the park compared to "Ebola Syndrome". Happy Quarantine. You're gonna need it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frsAko2Ab28
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_Syndrome
Diary of the Dead (2007)
Director: George A. Romero
It's 2020, people are restricted to their homes due to COVID-19 outbreak. The internet has become the prime source of information. Bloggers and Vloggers start to question and rival offical channels and education. - George A. Romero at it again, he saw it coming, long before it happened. "Diary of the Dead" re-visits the days (or nights) of "Night of the Living Dead", the early days of the outbreak, only in a slighly updated setting: We're not experiencing the apocalypse first hand, but second hand, through the eyes of digital social media. "Diary..." is overshadowed by its predecessors, but it will be recognized as a prophetic vision, and a milestone, just like "Night..." would be, many years after being released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEvN2erclUU
https://myspace.com/diaryofthedead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diary_of_the_Dead
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Thanks for reading!
What do you think? Which are your favourite outbreak movies?
It's finished! George A. Romero's unseen film "The Amusement Park" from 1973 has been restored in 4k, and the restoration premiered at the New York Museum of Modern Art!
This is great news for fans of Romero, and fans of modern US cinema in general. In a review for Consequence of Sound, Matt Prigge wrote that "The Amusement Park" in a certain sense is "...the scariest film Romero ever made". From "Night of the Living Dead" we know where Romero gets his most effective scares from: the individual psyche in a social environment, and the very personal horror of failing to create healthy communication between the two. With "The Amusement Park" set to portray the problems of the elderly in society, and the film being so shocking to initial viewers it was put away, we probably can make a rough guess where this is going...
Internet Movie Database has updated the film's page with a movie poster:
Currently, there seem to be no plans for distribution, "The Amusement Park" will probably only shown on particular occasions, like the aforementioned premiere at the MoMA during the annual "To Save and Project" festival, or similar events.
Great news for German horror fans: giallo shocker "Trauma" (1993) by Dario Argento, and zombie uber-classic "Dawn Of The Dead" (1978) by George A. Romero have been removed from German "Index", now allowing legal uncut releases in Germany.
Captain Henry Rhodes, played by Joseph Pilato in George A. Romero's zombie classic "Day Of The Dead" (1985), is one the most iconic figures in all of horror cinema. Pilato as Rhodes is to horror cinema what Sean Connery is to undercover agent films, Sylvester Stallone to boxing films, or Juergen Prochnow to naval war movies: the definitive incarnation of the character he's supposed to be, where the actor becomes synonymous with his role, the one that sets the standard in its class.
Never before or after has the army-general-gone-mad been portrayed more boldly, Joseph Pilato made it look as if the man was physically burning on the inside. Pilato plays Rhodes, a character driven by fear and despair, full of hatred and impatience, with such grotesque intensity, you're shocked, and break into laughter at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWbg8A3rDg
This is not your average gun crazy soldier - this man has serious issues. He feels the ground slipping away beneath his feet, his own redundancy imminent, unable to adjust and cooperate. In the end, when it all falls apart, all that's left for him is to sacrifice himself for his narrow minded cause: "Choke on them!"
Joseph Pilato's screen time in "Day Of The Dead" is one of the (many) outstanding features of the film, a perfect match for George A. Romero's comic strip inspired style of direction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BKJHtobSvE
Joseph Pilato passed away on March 24th 2019 at age 70. R.I.P.
They're only very few, but those few who have seen it are deeply impressed, if not shocked, by it. Now a group of people is working on bringing "The Amusement Park" to a wider audience.
It's not a zombie film, but a scary one, about aging and society. And from what we can read in the few sources we have it really stirs up your guts - here's what film scholar Tony Williams, Professor and Area Head of Film Studies in the Department of English at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, had to say about it in the (only) "Cinema Spectrum" issue from 1980:
"... it is one of the most radical indictments of American callousness towards the vulnerable members of its society ... What gives
THE AMUSEMENT PARK its edge
is its keen combination of fantasy
and realism in an allegorical condemnation of selfish
materialism ... The film is too powerful for American society. It must never be released but kept in obscurity. ..."
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DrrbbYCV4AAScl0.jpg
Nowadays, writer Daniel Kraus, who has worked with Guillermo Del Toro, had a chance to watch the film, and made a couple of ecstatic tweets about it - here's one from Nov. 2018:
"With the exception of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD - maybe - THE AMUSEMENT PARK
is Romero’s most overtly horrifying film. Hugely upsetting in form &
function."
And here's another one:
"It's hellish."
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Drr_EjoWsAMa-np.jpg
So, in other words, as you may have guessed: everybody needs to see this! And, yes, Daniel Kraus and the George-A.-Romero-foundation are working towards a 4K restoration!
Keep your eyes open for "The Amusement Park" - if we have any news for you we'll post it immediately. See "Sources" section below for more links and some more detail information.
BloodyDisgusting.com hat am 2. Nov. 2018 berichtet, dass es eine offizielle Fortsetzung des George A. Romero Klassikers "Night of the Living Dead" geben wird, basierend auf Skripts des Orginal-Teams!
