Tag Archives: George Romero

Doc of the Dead (2014)

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Whether you love or hate George Romero and his films, there’s no denying that without his zombie movies there wouldn’t be the zombie culture we know today. Surely we might have two or three zombie movies concerning the sleepy servants of voodoo masters, but we wouldn’t have the flesh eating hordes that are currently consuming pop culture and the world as we know it. There’s also a very good interview where filmmaker Alex Cox notes that were it not for “Night of the Living Dead” becoming public domain, there likely would not have been inspiration for filmmakers to offer their own zombie entertainment for horror fans.

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George A. Romero’s Empire of the Dead

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I’m just going to throw it out there without fearing a spoiler troll. So we find out in “Empire of the Dead” that doctor Penny Jones is indeed the little sister of Barbara and Johnny from “Night of the Living Dead.” So that would mean that they were named Barbara and Johnny Jones. And that the scenario that took place in 1968, really was present times. The world we gander upon in “Empire” is set in New York five years after the zombie apocalypse ensued, so, it’s 1973? Or is “Night” set in modern times? Which one is it? And what happened to Barbara after she survived Johnny dragging her away from the zombie horde? Do “Dawn of the Dead” and “Day of the Dead” just not count anymore? Does “Empire of the Dead” officially wipe them out of existence?

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The PC Thug: You Can’t Keep a Good Zombie Down

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Okay, so I know not everyone enjoyed “Land of the Dead.”

Many people I spoke to during the time of its release seemed to hate it, though I persisted in my thoughts that it would eventually gain appreciation, much like “Day of the Dead” eventually did. I fondly remember many people telling me that “Day of the Dead” was a terrible film back in the early nineties, and now it’s considered a classic. Even director George Romero considers it his favorite.

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Fervid Filmmaking: 66 Cult Pictures of Vision, Verve and No Self-Restraint [Paperback]

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In the interest of full disclosure, author Mike Watt is a friend and respected colleague who sent us a PDF of his latest book for review. This is nonetheless an objective review of his book “Fervid Filmmaking.”

You have to give it to author Mike Watt. His book isn’t built around 66 great films, or even 66 of his favorite films, but 66 films of importance and relevance that really say something about the genre they’re representing. Take for example the entry in to “Survival of the Dead” by director George Romero. While I’m often a Romero apologist, author Watt really does manage to break down the specifics of the film, and cite past interviews with director Romero to paint “Survival” as a film made by a man perpetually chained to the sub-genre that made him a horror icon.

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KnightRiders (1981) [Blu-Ray]

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It’s obscene how underrated “KnightRiders” is. For a Romero movie, it’s such a departure from the norm that his fans are accustomed to, but it’s also very much a George Romero film. Not only does “KnightRider” garner much of the tropes that Romero is fond of, including the biker aesthetic, journeymen characters anti-heroes, commentaries on the monotony of domestic life, and a meshing of various races, but you can also make a great game out of spotting cast members that have been in Romero films, or will eventually be in one. Hey, there’s Joe Pilato! Look! Scott Reiniger! Patricia Tallman!

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Birth Of The Living Dead (2013)

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birth_dead_07It’s no easy feat to create a new dedication to “Night of the Living Dead” that doesn’t feel rehashed or regurgitated from other documentaries. Rob Kuhn’s documentary had every chance to be just a summary of “Document of the Dead,” but thankfully is a fresh and very entertaining look at the horror film that changed the world. Director Kuhns doesn’t just explore how “Night of the Living Dead” changed horror films, but how it changed the pop culture and American landscape for fifty years after its release.

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Dear Filmmakers, Stop Imitating Romero! or Why the Worst Movie of the Year Won't be in my Top 10

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notldquadFor a while I kept 2013’s “Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection” on candidates for the worst movies of the year top ten for many months. I actually intended to brand it the worst movie at one point. But while it is the worst movie of the year, there’s simply no point in putting it in the top ten at all. It’s not because at its core it is a stupid independent film with a low budget, but because complaining about “Night of the Living Dead” wannabes is pointless at this period of film.

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