DISSECTING THE DIRECTOR: George Romero

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

“GEORGE ROMERO”

One of the biggest names in horror for the past 40 or so years has been George Romero. The man has spent a good portion of his career writing and directing films on an independent scale. It was back in 1968 that a little film called Night of the Living Dead was released, and it would leave a lasting impression on cinematic horror. Romero has been nicknamed the ‘Godfather’ of zombies, and his influences can be felt throughout that sub-genre. The subject of the undead is what most people remember and associate him with. However the man has made many other films about various other subjects; but they have not matched the popularity of his original undead trilogy. Is there more to the man than just zombies? Let’s take a look …

BEST WORK

Get Dawn of the Dead on DVD here
Get Dawn of the Dead on Blu-ray here

“When there’s no more room in hell, the dead shall walk the earth.”

It would probably come as no surprise to anyone that I believe his best film to be 1978’s Dawn of the Dead. It’s the sequel to Night of the Living Dead that would continue on and expand what had been done ten years prior. Not only is it Romero’s crowning jewel but it’s also considered a masterpiece of horror cinema which other directors have tried to match with their own films but with no success so far. So why is this film held in such high regard? For me personally it is the perfect film, and I do not bestow this honor lightly. The script also written by Romero is sharp, it carefully develops its characters all the while placing them in deep peril. The zombie element is far different than before, the world has basically stopped functioning due to the epidemic. The remaining humans need to do what they can to survive, and here they end up having to take shelter in the mall. But no place is truly safe as the zombies begin crowding around at the mall as well as some sinister visitors who also lay in wait over the horizon.

Night of the Living Dead had some great subtext littered throughout the film; Dawn of the Dead also drips with some great subtext. The funny thing is that Romero has claimed that with both films the subtext was never apparent to him and it just turned out that way. Race was the big subtle underlying theme with Night, and here there are many themes to be found. Consumerism and materialism are two big ones; with the setting of the film and the actions of the characters there is a lot to be said about those things. Particularly the explanation given as to why the zombies seem attracted to the mall, and why they do the things they do. Dawn is an intelligent film, it is raw and brutal and it does not stop till the end credits roll. The gore in this film holds up so well, it is almost a shame they don’t do it like that anymore. Tom Savini was responsible for the visual/practical effects; having previously worked with Romero the two became friends. What he achieved here is some of the best to come out of that low budget era; it does stand the test of time.

The acting was superb in the film as Romero really got the most out of his actors as well as how great the extras were too. The setting they managed to get fits in well, and despite the somber and bleak tone it manages to have a few lighter moments. The slow pace and build up have a fantastic pay off, Romero has the power to develop elements and give the audience an investment and when things go down, it really hurts. The film has many different cuts, I prefer the director’s cut but they each work in their own different way and are worth seeking out.

WORST WORK

Get Survival of the Dead on DVD here
Get Survival of the Dead on Blu-ray here

From one ‘of the Dead’ films to another, Romero’s weakest effort also happens to be his most recent. Survival of the Dead is a complete mess of a film, and personally I almost had a hard time believing that this was a Romero creation What went wrong? I think this really boils down to ‘beating a dead horse with a stick’. Romero has done zombies and he’s done them well, but what more is there to say? Honestly there really isn’t much more to say in the world he created and there isn’t a constant need to keep it going. Deep down Survival of the Dead felt like a family drama between two feuding families instead of a zombie film. Now the families had different ideas about zombies, where one lot want to keep their zombified family members around in-case a cure is found and the other lot do not. It’s a decent enough idea but the execution is terrible and this felt like a bad daytime soap opera and not a horror film. The smart subtext from the previous entries is non-existent here and what he is trying to say didn’t need to be encased in a zombie film.

There are some scenes that are so poorly executed that they are laughably bad (the ending is a real killer). The performances are also very weak and the characters were all extremely unlikable. There was no one to get behind, no one to relate to. For the first time in a Romero zombie film, I wanted the character I was meant to like to get munched on. As much as I really do love Romero’s work, I think the zombie genre for him needs to be put to rest. Do something different; I know he still has a good film left in him and I hope we do get to see that some day.

TRADEMARKS

Get Day of the Dead on DVD here
Get Day of the Dead on Blu-ray here

Romero has many different trademarks; the biggest one would be the zombies themselves of course. Having basically created the zombies we know and love today, he has used them constantly through his career. Some outings more successful than others, they are without a doubt a staple for him. During Romero’s earlier films, he liked to start them off in simply placing the audience in a scene. There was no build up to the scene, no background information, we are just placed there and have to fend for ourselves. I liked his unique approach and I almost missed this with some of his later films. He is a writer, and a good portion of the films he has directed he’s also written. The man has some great ideas and it’s interesting to see his filmography and take note of the ones he has written. A running theme through his work is the inclusion of strong female characters, as well as news broadcasts, which help with exposition.

The man likes him some Stephen King, and they have worked together a few times and even had projects in the works that didn’t quite work out. The most famous of their collaborations is Creepshow which is an anthology written by King (as well as appearing in a segment) and directed by Romero. Along with King, Romero has often worked with famed horror director Dario Argento, they even had planned to do an anthology with other directors. That didn’t work out; instead they both directed a short film each from the works of Poe and put it together in a film called Two Evil Eyes. Argento is also famous for having made a cut of Dawn of the Dead, that was much shorter and more action orientated for European audiences. Romero would go on to work with Argento’s daughter Asia in Land of the Dead. My personal favourite trademark of his however is his on-going partner ship with Tom Savini. They have known each other for almost 33 years and as well as often appearing in his films, Savini has done a good portion of the FX work as well throughout. Dawn of the Dead certainly got his name out there, and it is always fun to spot him in Romero’s different films and to see his handy work. For me they go hand in hand, and it almost feels wrong if Savini isn’t involved in some way shape or form.

HIDDEN GEM

Get Martin on DVD here

With all the talk about zombies, it’s best to say again that Romero has done more than just that particular genre. In fact one of his earlier films tackled the vampire sub-genre, in a new light (much like Night did with zombies). Martin is one amazing and unique film, and I would place it just below Dawn if I were to rank his films. Romero has been quoted as saying he believes Martin to be his favorite of his films, and I can see why. It tells the story of a young and troubled man named Martin who believes himself to be a vampire. However he does not conform to the usual vampire lore, he does not have fangs; he does not burn up in the sun. Instead he drinks the blood of young women, and he can’t seem to do so unless they are completely unconscious.

During the course of the film he is forced to live with his old cousin, who also believes him to be a vampire and unless he can change him he vows to kill Martin. It is an interesting exercise in psychology, social awkwardness and isolation and it gives the audience a chance to try and unravel the mystery of this young man. Is he delusional? Is he really a vampire? The central performance by John Amplas is astounding, he really made Martin a character that was fascinating and I was unable to take my eyes off him. He was sympathetic, and despite his actions I found myself really behind Martin. Romero purposely made this film rather ambiguous, and it bloody well works wonders. I fell in love with Martin, and I encourage you readers to seek this out.

NEXT PROJECT

Order Deadtime Stories Vol 1 DVD here

The latest thing to have the Romero name attached to it is Deadtime Stories, a horror anthology that has him on as producer as well as narrator (hence the presents part). As far as any upcoming director projects, nothing seems definite. There was some talk about a year ago of a Deep Red remake, as well as a couple more ‘of the Dead’ entries. When he does take on a new project, my hope will be that it won’t include zombies. I want to see something different, perhaps with his Deadtime Stories experience he may even venture into directing another anthology. This fan can only hope right?

OVERALL

Get Creepshow on DVD here
Get Creepshow on Blu-ray here

No matter what you may think personally of the man and his career, there is no denying he changed the face of horror. He gave birth to the modern era of zombies, and no one has been really able to replicate what he achieved. I find that I rather enjoy his work aside from a couple of turkeys; it is a solid career of work. He has some amazing ideas, and I would love to just spend a day in his mind and see exactly what goes on in there. The many films he’s made each have their own unique visual style and one is not like the other. His films certainly helped shaped me into the horror fiend I am, and all I can really say is thank you George Romero.