Why I'm leaving George Romero

[Doc]

It all depends on your opinion of what horror is. I too think Diary has more of a teen slasher feel, but at the same time find the thought of an army of the undead with weapons pretty damn scary. The hate for Survival is pretty astounding too me. I don't ever remember Land, and Diary even being this hated. I haven't seen it myself, but all the negativity the film has been getting is making me think twice before just buying the dvd/blue-ray the first chance I got.

[Skippy911sc]

I think the recent disconnect comes from the idea that people would actually do what is shown in the last three movies. I am sorry to say but I don't know anyone who would film another person being chased and killed instead of help them. These movies have become weekend projects. The scripts must have some major flaws or the editing is just terrible. People don't act and talk the way they are shown in the movies. Just watch day or dawn or even the original night again and then watch these new ones. The newer movies had some bigger actors as well and they still are crap (in my opinion). I will continue to watch them but my theory on the great directors falling short in their older age is being proven correct time and time again.

[Trin]

That is the core of the matter Skippy. You place yourself in the shoes of the characters and end up going wtf for 90 minutes. Not true of the original trilogy. The originals gave us several different perspectives on the events, with a few standout protagonists that we could rally behind (ie voices of reason). Even in the case of the antagonists you still have a good grasp of what they're after and why. Most often their actions make sense and the only reason they are antagonists is because they're portrayed as pushy or arrogant. In many cases we get people arguing the points made by the antagonists (see Rhodes and Cooper). The decline began when the character's motives began to serve the message instead of the plot. Land was the first. Too many characters making decisions that no rational person would make all to serve some over-arching message. Bleck. Diary took that to the next level, with characters whose sole purpose was to push message. Survival was more on par with Land. Many of the characters had understandable motives, but the plot was still ultimately driven by the message.

[DubiousComforts]

I think the recent disconnect comes from the idea that people would actually do what is shown in the last three movies. You've just described both Zombieland and Dawn of the Dead '04 -- movies that are being cited as "awesome" and "entertaining" in this thread.

[rongravy]

I am sorry to say but I don't know anyone who would film another person being chased and killed instead of help them. You may not know any, but there's loads of them out there. I've seen alot of vids where people stand there filming with their cells instead of helping... It used to be called OGRISH, the site, now it's Liveleak... Everybody wants to be famous, doesn't matter who bleeds out. Maybe we're just old. My kids and their friends do and say things that make me go WTF on a daily basis...

[Trin]

You've just described both Zombieland and Dawn of the Dead '04 -- movies that are being cited as "awesome" and "entertaining" in this thread. I don't think the criteria for calling those movies awesome or entertaining revolved predominantly around the decisions made by the characters. That said, I would argue that the characters in both those movies had a more pragmatic view of survival than the idiots in Diary. You may not know any, but there's loads of them out there. I've seen alot of vids where people stand there filming with their cells instead of helping... While that may be true we're talking about the context of storylines worth portraying in a movie. In the GAR universe there are a million stories of idiots dying... what we're concerned with is the ones worth seeing.

[DubiousComforts]

I don't think the criteria for calling those movies awesome or entertaining revolved predominantly around the decisions made by the characters. Then what is the "criteria"? I sure hope it's not "check your brain at the door, it's a popcorn flick." That said, I would argue that the characters in both those movies had a more pragmatic view of survival than the idiots in Diary. Sez you. There was an overabundance of idiocy on display in both films, and so it seems the audiences that consume them. The filmmakers clearly take their audiences to be a bunch of idiots because it's only about being dazzled by the pretty colors.

[Trin]

Then what is the "criteria"? I sure hope it's not "check your brain at the door, it's a popcorn flick." People can think it's awesome because it has shiny lights and big explosions if they want. I'm only pointing out that the statement that someone thinks it's awesome doesn't imply that it was judged on the criteria of character actions making sense and being what we'd do in similar situations. Sez you. There was an overabundance of idiocy on display in both films, and so it seems the audiences that consume them. And yet still Diary outdoes them on idiocy. The filmmakers clearly take their audiences to be a bunch of idiots because it's only about being dazzled by the pretty colors. And GAR insults our intelligence by pontificating ridiculous message in every film and expecting us to swallow his crazy views of what people would do in a crisis. Choose your poison.

[RustyHicks]

Night, Dawn and Day are classics, no doubt. Land was so so, Diary was crap and I have not seen Survivor Island yet...although I hear both good and bad reviews When it comes to Geroge's new movies, I will more than likely see them but I won't be holding my breath that he'll recapture that charm that he had with his first three zombie movies

[fartpants]

Now whom else is going to cover his ass in candle wax and poke holes in the side of his penis with red hot nails. hey some of us pay good money for that

[fulci fan]

I think the reason why the first three were awesome was because the "political messages" were not intentional. The last three did have intentional political messages. Since the fans found deeper meaning than was actually there in the original three, Romero feels the need to intentionally put the political bullshit in there because he thinks that is what the fans want, and it ends up harming the film and his career (my opinion).

[clanglee]

I think the reason why the first three were awesome was because the "political messages" were not intentional. The last three did have intentional political messages. Since the fans found deeper meaning than was actually there in the original three, Romero feels the need to intentionally put the political bullshit in there because he thinks that is what the fans want, and it ends up harming the film and his career (my opinion). From your lips to God's ears my friend. +1

[SmoothHussler]

Romero is a dinosaur. Day of the Dead was corny and ghetto too (but I still love it). Every movie since has been a joke. Fact is he has no new ideas, can't write and pretty much got lucky with Night and Dawn at a time when audiences were different and expected different things. He hasn't been relevant in the genre in years. He will always be remembered for pretty much starting the genre we all love, but he's not had it in a while.

[Wyldwraith]

Romero is a dinosaur. Day of the Dead was corny and ghetto too (but I still love it). Every movie since has been a joke. Fact is he has no new ideas, can't write and pretty much got lucky with Night and Dawn at a time when audiences were different and expected different things. He hasn't been relevant in the genre in years. He will always be remembered for pretty much starting the genre we all love, but he's not had it in a while. I'm not sure I can give my unqualified agreement to this sentiment. While I agree and accept the position that GAR will most likely continue this lame-ass stagnancy he's stuck in, I don't believe he's actually INCAPABLE of constructing a decent plot and believable characters. Instead, I believe that HE BELIEVES that the construction of that decent plot and/or believable characters must take a back seat to the Almighty Message. Were GAR to give up pushing Message/Commentary, I believe he could recapture at least something of Day's level. As for the "horror" argument. I haven't felt really tense, horror-laced content in one of GAR's movies since the SWAT apartment clearing and the cross-country helicopter flight of the original Dawn. Peter's various harrowing moments in those early portions of the movie held the most intensity, and felt the most immersive of everything in GAR's body of Dead movies.

[JDFP]

Romero is a dinosaur. Day of the Dead was corny and ghetto too (but I still love it). Hey, if you feel that way about "Day" you should check out Romero's 1985 version which is neither corny and certainly not 'ghetto' like the 2008 piece of shit. It's actually probably the greatest horror film ever made. The only scene from it that's actually corny is the golf cart scene. "Rhodes, you bastard!" as Rhodes is doing 5 MPH away on the golf cart and Steele stands there. j.p.