| George A. RomeroBorn 4 February 1940 in New York, USA
George A. Romero is widely known as the zombie master after his macabre zombie trilogy. For being a horror film director is he unusually serious though his questionable subjects. His debut movie "Night of the Living Dead" was produced already in 1964, but wasnīt released until 1968. This independent low budget flick can be described as the mother of all modern horror films, and is a milestone in movie history. Many many have been inspired by the plot about a few people who are occupied in a desolate house by flesh-eating zombies. George A. Romero created in "Night of the Living Dead" the zombie genre, and it is still today very popular and watchable.
It was difficult for Romero to follow up the success with "Night". He seemed to struggle with himself for not get stuck in a pigeonhole as a director. The result was "Thereīs Always Vanilla" four years later. A typical seventies drama that barely no one have seen, and which only can be described as a commercial let-down. Same year made he also the strange "Season of the Witch" about witchcraft. Itīs one of Romeroīs own favorites, but failed at the box office. "The Crazies" (1973) was an action/disaster film with similarities to his living dead trilogy. It dealt with a little town that is infected by a biological weapon virus which turn the people go crazy, if they not died before. "The Crazies" was an improvement of his latest works, but like the two others it didnīt went home.
In 1977 came "Martin", his first real horror film since "Night of the Living Dead". This atmospheric vampire story is about a boy who think he is a vampire, and must have blood to survive. "Martin" is Romeroīs favorite of his own, and counts as one of his best. Ten years after his classic "Night of the Living Dead" made he the long-awaited sequel "Dawn of the Dead". A film which mangled the audience with non-stop action and violence theyīve never seen before. In "Dawn of the Dead" has the zombies almost taken over the world, and there is a sense of doom from the first to the last picture. But "Dawn" was much more than just a zombie flick. Itīs very intelligent with satirical elements of politics and social life. "Dawn of the Dead" is the definitive zombie film, and is acclaimed as one of the best horror films ever (the best if you ask me). It started a zombie boom all over the world.
His next film "Knightriders" (1981) dealt with a few people who tour from town to town with their knights of the round table show. But instead of riding on horses are they using motorcycles. "Knightriders" wasnīt all that successful at the cinema, but has later on become a cult classic on video, mostly because of the hair-rising stunts with the motorbikes. In 1982 co-operated Romero with Stephen King, and directed five short stories that King had written. "Creepshow" was a blend of horror and comedy and had up to then the biggest budget of his movies. Despite mixed reviews was it an evident hit. I think itīs one of his better.
In 1985 was it time for the the third installment in his living dead trilogy, "Day of the Dead". But here was Romero met with problems with the production. The executive in the film studio wanted to keep down the budget, and Romero must therefore make a whole new script to pull through the project. "Day of the Dead" didnīt turn out quite what Romero expected it should be, but he was for all that satisfied with the result considering the circumstances. "Day of the Dead" is generally believed as the worst in the trilogy, but has perhaps the best-looking zombies ever. Itīs still one of the best zombie movies that been made.
"Monkey Shines" (1988) is about a man who get hit by a truck and is paralyzed from waist and down. His fiancée leave him and he get oneself a trained monkey to help him with the household duties. But the monkey is a little too smart, and does soon as it like. "Monkey Shines" is a very slow horror/drama which focus on characters instead of suspense. In 1990 directed Romero and Dario Argento each an Edgar Allan Poe story in "Two Evil Eyes". It were none of the masters best works. However was "The Dark Half" (1993) a certain shake-up. Itīs a Stephen King story about an author who writes trashy novels under a pseudonym. When he officially kills his pseudonym starts suddenly the murders he written about happen in reality too.
After "The Dark Half" followed a long and tough period for Romero. He had several projects in progress but was turned down all the time by the film companies. Not until the year 2000 came his next film, "Bruiser". Another Stephen King adaptation which like his latest films got mixed reviews. It looks as if Romero lost the power since he made "Day of the Dead", and maybe can only a fourth installment in his living dead sequence save the remainder of his career. I think Romero has the ability to make another successful follow-up, because he is unique in his way to mix horror with drama.
Written by Kent Palmgren.
Filmography:
Night of the Living Dead (1968)Thereīs Always Vanilla (1972)Season of the Witch (1972)The Crazies (1973)Martin (1977)Dawn of the Dead (1978)Knightriders (1981)Creepshow (1982)Day of the Dead (1985)Monkey Shines (1988)Two Evil Eyes (1990)The Dark Half (1993)Bruiser (2000)
Back to Directorīs of Death |