Post by RYTCHZ MAGIC on Oct 28, 2005 17:43:09 GMT 9
(US, 2005, d. George A. Romero)
George Romero can’t leave the dead alone! He re-created the zombie movie in the late 1960s with his small-budget, black and white horror film, The Night of the Living Dead. He made two sequels in the 1980s, Day of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead and so staked his claim to be the master of the living dead genre (and there have been several sequels and re-makes from other directors, including a recent Dawn of the Dead).
The Living Dead films have served as allegories of American society of the time. This is the case here, especially as it had release in some countries around the world just as New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The images of a desolated Washington with the poor struggling to survive and a rich coterie exploiting the situation and menaced by the living dead are a reminder of human vulnerability and that disaster can strike suddenly and the consequences devastating.
A group of mercenaries, led by Simon Baker, have a mission to destroy the zombies, especially as they menace the survivors. However, the dead are starting to react to stimuli, almost to think for themselves. Their leader moves them across the river towards the city. The mission is double-edged as a rogue mercenary (John Leguizamo) is trying to rob from the callous businessman who is profiteering from the situation (Dennis Hopper), so fighting the enemy and fighting within the ranks.
Romero uses a lot of the conventions of the genre with some people being made zombies, with attacks that are frighteningly ugly – and some touches of cannibalism – but this is not as ‘in your face’ as many recent horror films. In fact, some diehards might be disappointed that it has the lighter and less grizzly touch. But, as always, the appeal is to the horror fans.
George Romero can’t leave the dead alone! He re-created the zombie movie in the late 1960s with his small-budget, black and white horror film, The Night of the Living Dead. He made two sequels in the 1980s, Day of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead and so staked his claim to be the master of the living dead genre (and there have been several sequels and re-makes from other directors, including a recent Dawn of the Dead).
The Living Dead films have served as allegories of American society of the time. This is the case here, especially as it had release in some countries around the world just as New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The images of a desolated Washington with the poor struggling to survive and a rich coterie exploiting the situation and menaced by the living dead are a reminder of human vulnerability and that disaster can strike suddenly and the consequences devastating.
A group of mercenaries, led by Simon Baker, have a mission to destroy the zombies, especially as they menace the survivors. However, the dead are starting to react to stimuli, almost to think for themselves. Their leader moves them across the river towards the city. The mission is double-edged as a rogue mercenary (John Leguizamo) is trying to rob from the callous businessman who is profiteering from the situation (Dennis Hopper), so fighting the enemy and fighting within the ranks.
Romero uses a lot of the conventions of the genre with some people being made zombies, with attacks that are frighteningly ugly – and some touches of cannibalism – but this is not as ‘in your face’ as many recent horror films. In fact, some diehards might be disappointed that it has the lighter and less grizzly touch. But, as always, the appeal is to the horror fans.