Romero In General...

[capncnut]

I see so many half-assed posts about how Diary Of The Dead is the bomb. Don't get me wrong, Diary and Land were okay but I'm almost 100% sure that most here wont even begin to hold the two up next to Night or Dawn Of The Dead.

What's the point?

My point is one that has been held up as a topic many times before and I wont deny it. I feel it's high time GAR made a non-zomb movie for once and concentrated on something that actually kicks ass as opposed to sucks ass. The last non-zomb movie he made was Bruiser (which was okay) but damn, the over-abundance of these half-assed zomb flicks since Day are seriously pissing me off.

I think he needs to get his ass back to Pittsburgh and make something that really cooks. Be it, horror, drama or comedy - I don't care - get some of those old GAR era actors back like Amplas and really craft a story that hits the spot as opposed to 'generic' stuff that we've been used to for the last seven years.

Apparently he was supposed to be making Solitary Isle, what the f**k happened to that? He said during an interview last year that he was interested in making a legitimate Creepshow follow-up, what the f**k happened to that?

All I hear is on the web news is Diary 2 and some zomb comedy. To be honest, I couldn't give a s**t about that, I just want the GAR that rocked my world way back when to come back!

Feel free to throw rocks at me!

[bassman]

I see what you're saying. I've heard/read many times that Romero has had many different kinds of projects in the works, but none make it to the screen. This is only my viewpoint, but I think that he probably has a hard time getting work outside of the dead films beause he's considered the "Godfather of the zombies".

In all honesty, he's become typecast. He's Romero and that's what he's famous for. He's stuck with it...

I obviously have no idea about the ins and outs of the man's career, but I have a feeling that he's not given the money to make a film unless it's a "Dead" film.

I have been wanting a non-zombie film from Romero for years, but it's like asking a 1980's Cronenberg to make a non sci-fi film about acountants, you know?

I love Romero's work. It's made a huge impact on my life(obviously...I'm here), but the man deserves a playground. To be honest, the man probably doesn't have much longer. I'm waiting for his defining moment. I hope we can all see Romero's Citizen Kane before he passes on.

[AnxietyDilemma]

I wouldn't get your hopes up, I heard rumors that "Diamond Dead" got the green light again. Not sure how accurate this is.

[Danny]

i love his work, but you only get one life to live and its such a shame if he just sticks to one subgenre or movies, id love to see him do something nonzombie for once.

[SymphonicX]

Bruiser was horrible, just a travesty of crap. Unhelped by the ****ty marketing and packaging that it got.

The last good non-zed movie he did was The Dark Half, that was a well crafted little movie...brilliant.

I miss the family we are all used to, John Amplas, Savini, Christine Romero/Forest, David Early, Scott Reineger, Ken Foree, Richard and Don Rubinstein, Taso Stavrakis, all those dudes and more....they really helped Romero make himself into a formiddable filmmaker but since those connections have expired he hasn't managed to make anything with nearly as much heart...

[bd2999]

Yeah, I think he has been invovled in many movie projects that have never made it past the planning stage. Heck, it took forever for him to even get funding for another zombie movie like in Land as you will recall.

Its just rough for him to get a project green light when it does not involve zombies. Its a shame because most of his movies overall are good movies and have a good message.

And although I would not hold Land or Diary to Night or Dawn and compare I will say that as a legendary horror director Romero has good quality throughout his movies and that many other directors in the same grouping usually never make to many good movies again. Wes Craven and John Carpenter for example. Not that they only are one hit wonders but they have a good movie or so and then the majority oftheir stuff becomes not so good.

[axlish]

For some reason every production meeting that Romero has ever had has made its way to the net and imdb. I've made it a practice to not even think about a Romero project until it is actually greenlit.

Go back to Pittsburgh?: Yes

Work with some previous actors: To an extent, sure. But lets not go overboard like Rob Zombie.

Abandon Zombies: No, but yes on mixing in a zombie film on every third project. Lets see what else this guy has to offer in his older age.

[capncnut]

I wouldn't get your hopes up, I heard rumors that "Diamond Dead" got the green light again. Not sure how accurate this is.
According to cinematical.com (http://www.cinematical.com/tag/DiaryOfTheDead/), he's already prepping for Diamond Dead.


If you're any kind of horror afficionado, you've probably either heard about or even read the script for George Romero's Diamond Dead - it's one of those projects that's been around for so long no one even talks about it anymore. The film is a horror-comedy about a rock band called Diamond Dead whose members are all zombies and whose hot babe manager tries to use her media wiles to take them to the top despite their rather unappealing habits, like eating brains and stuff. It takes swipes at the media, Christian fundamentalists who hate the band, and various other Romero-style targets. In a forthcoming interview with Suicide Girls, Romero surprises by excitedly announcing to me that in the last week, Diamond Dead has raced back to the forefront of his upcoming projects slate. "I got a phone call two days ago, before I came here, from the producer saying 'We're back!'" he says, noting that he was more surprised than anyone because he worked for years on the project and "it looked dead." Since the financing has apparently just kicked in as this is going to press, no further details are available.

Romero also notes that he's very eager to get going on a sequel to his new film, Diary of the Dead, saying "I wish I could have gone further with it. If there is a possibility of a sequel, I'd actually love to do it, cause there's a hell of a lot more. I'd love to go further with that theme." At the same time, fans of Romero's previous and much larger film, 2005's Land of the Dead, should most certainly not expect a sequel to that any time soon. Romero expressed guarded admiration for that film, but called his experience with big-budget filmmaking "grueling" and said "it was just too hard." He also feels that Land "lost touch with its roots" and he has no idea how a sequel could even happen, if he were inclined to make one.


I miss the family we are all used to, John Amplas, Savini, Christine Romero/Forest, David Early, Scott Reineger, Ken Foree, Richard and Don Rubinstein, Taso Stavrakis, all those dudes and more...
I think it could be cool if Romero dropped a few cameos here and there...

[Redman6565]

I agree with the comments about GAR not getting money to do other stuff because he's famous for the dead series. That sucks but it's reality. It would be great to see alot of the folks like Savini come back and work with GAR as well.

Another thing I think that is hurting him is that GAR has gotten alittle preachy in his last two zombie flicks. I think this is turning off a lot of his hard core fan base. I will still buy his next dead dvd even though he's beating us over the head with his social take.

When you view Night, Dawn, and Day they have GAR's social take on the world but damn they were all fun movies. They were all three about zombies first. That's why we are here. GAR needs to get back to that. It doesn't bother me if GAR dies doing nothing but dead movies. I only hope he gets back to basics and makes them fun again.

[AcesandEights]

Well, with Land being a film I fairly enjoyed (though I cringed at times)--as I've said before--warts and all, and with Diary being very sub par in most of its aspects, I have been left wondering if GAR has much left in the tank offer. That may sound harsh, and I'm more than open to him doing new things or staying with zombies, but even when he talks about, say for example, some of his comedic ideas in interviews, as of late, it all sounds a bit ham fisted. I'm wondering if he can still pull anything off that I'd find to my liking.

None of the above is to say I think Romero's 'lost it', just that things, tastes and interests change on both the part of the content creator and the viewer.

[Redman6565]

I don't think GAR has lost it either. I wonder how close GAR follows what's going on at Avatar Press. They put out a Night series written by John Russo which has GAR's name on the covers. Russo is also writting a series entitled 'Escape of the Living Dead'. There is some good stuff for GAR to work from here. Much better than the story for 'Diary'. From what I gather on the Avatar sight Russo is one of the main writers of Night. He's doing some cool stuff.

[capncnut]

Russo is also writting a series entitled 'Escape of the Living Dead'.
This worries me immesely as Russo's solo track record has been nothing but dogs**t. Let's hope it doesn't follow his Night 30 series to closely...

[TheGovernor]

I agree with the comments about GAR not getting money to do other stuff because he's famous for the dead series. That sucks but it's reality. It would be great to see alot of the folks like Savini come back and work with GAR as well.

Another thing I think that is hurting him is that GAR has gotten alittle preachy in his last two zombie flicks. I think this is turning off a lot of his hard core fan base. I will still buy his next dead dvd even though he's beating us over the head with his social take.



I mentioned this to him when I saw him in Chicago a few weeks ago. I just said in a light hearted way to stop getting preachy with politics in his movies. He laughed and said "Sorry man. I way out there on the left!"

Other people mentioned about him moving back to Pittsburgh and getting together with the old crew. Fango had an audio interview with him recently posted on their website. He basically disses Pittsburgh and the old Romero family by saying Toronto is more dedicated to the arts and he now has a "new family" up there who he's making movies with because they're so dedicated.

He also made a remark that the only family atmosphere he had on a Pittsburgh shoot was Night and it was never the same after. I took it as a slap in the face to the people he worked with for so many years.

[jim102016]

I mentioned this to him when I saw him in Chicago a few weeks ago. I just said in a light hearted way to stop getting preachy with politics in his movies. He laughed and said "Sorry man. I way out there on the left!"

Other people mentioned about him moving back to Pittsburgh and getting together with the old crew. Fango had an audio interview with him recently posted on their website. He basically disses Pittsburgh and the old Romero family by saying Toronto is more dedicated to the arts and he now has a "new family" up there who he's making movies with because they're so dedicated.

He also made a remark that the only family atmosphere he had on a Pittsburgh shoot was Night and it was never the same after. I took it as a slap in the face to the people he worked with for so many years.



So, GAR has (allegedly) **** on his roots? Looking at his last few films, it adds up.

[DubiousComforts]

This has been posted on Motor City Nightmares (http://www.motorcitynightmares.com/) web site:

"On July 11th we got the word from Mr. George A. Romero that he unfortunately had to leave for Europe this week to begin work on another film project and will not be in attendance. This is the only reason he'd ever miss a show."

He also made a remark that the only family atmosphere he had on a Pittsburgh shoot was Night and it was never the same after. I took it as a slap in the face to the people he worked with for so many years.
Then you took it the wrong way. Everyone involved with NIGHT will tell you the exact same thing. The Latent Image split up soon after that film.

If you're longing so badly for the good ol' days, then someone simply needs to pony up enough cash to allow Romero to shoot on film and edit the finished product himself without an interference. I won't be holding my breath. What was the last film Romero actually edited--Knightriders?

[TheGovernor]

This has been posted on Motor City Nightmares (http://www.motorcitynightmares.com/) web site:

"On July 11th we got the word from Mr. George A. Romero that he unfortunately had to leave for Europe this week to begin work on another film project and will not be in attendance. This is the only reason he'd ever miss a show."

Then you took it the wrong way. Everyone involved with NIGHT will tell you the exact same thing. The Latent Image split up soon after that film.

If you're longing so badly for the good ol' days, then someone simply needs to pony up enough cash to allow Romero to shoot on film and edit the finished product himself without an interference. I won't be holding my breath. What was the last film Romero actually edited--Knightriders?


I was referring to his post-Latent Image movies. From listening to the audio commentary for some of these films, he gives the impression it was a big family and a happy time in his life, particularly on the Martin and Knightriders DVDs when he seems to get sentimental.

[capncnut]

I was referring to his post-Latent Image movies. From listening to the audio commentary for some of these films, he gives the impression it was a big family and a happy time in his life, particularly on the Martin and Knightriders DVDs when he seems to get sentimental.
Agreed. Even Christine Forrest revealed that Dawn's happy ending came about because she told GAR: "Look, we've had so much fun making this thing, it would be rotten to just kill everybody off." Or words to that effect.

Also when GAR is talking to Roy Frumkes in Document Of The Dead, he's raving like a kid in a candystore, not to mention the fact that all the crew had smiles on their faces when talking to the camera. Seemed like a good team unit alright.

[TheGovernor]

Agreed. Even Christine Forrest revealed that Dawn's happy ending came about because she told GAR: "Look, we've had so much fun making this thing, it would be rotten to just kill everybody off." Or words to that effect.

Also when GAR is talking to Roy Frumkes in Document Of The Dead, he's raving like a kid in a candystore, not to mention the fact that all the crew had smiles on their faces when talking to the camera. Seemed like a good team unit alright.

I remember the Knightriders DVD when (I think at the end during the funeral), George and Christine are reminiscing and George says "Take me back to those days" or something close to it. It sounded like he was getting emotional and I thought to myself how cool it would have been to be a part of something like that. No Hollywood BS, no egos, just friends making movies.

[Griff]

Other people mentioned about him moving back to Pittsburgh and getting together with the old crew. Fango had an audio interview with him recently posted on their website. He basically disses Pittsburgh and the old Romero family by saying Toronto is more dedicated to the arts and he now has a "new family" up there who he's making movies with because they're so dedicated.

He also made a remark that the only family atmosphere he had on a Pittsburgh shoot was Night and it was never the same after. I took it as a slap in the face to the people he worked with for so many years.

Er, no, that's NOT what he said. He said that the filmmaking community in Pittsburgh had disbanded (and headed mainly out to L.A.) so that there was essentially no 'family' in Pittsburgh to go back to. From what I hear, the unions and sh*t kinda killed off Pittsburgh's movie industry many years ago.

Slap in the face... tool.

[SymphonicX]

This has been posted on Motor City Nightmares (http://www.motorcitynightmares.com/) web site:

"On July 11th we got the word from Mr. George A. Romero that he unfortunately had to leave for Europe this week to begin work on another film project and will not be in attendance. This is the only reason he'd ever miss a show."

Then you took it the wrong way. Everyone involved with NIGHT will tell you the exact same thing. The Latent Image split up soon after that film.

If you're longing so badly for the good ol' days, then someone simply needs to pony up enough cash to allow Romero to shoot on film and edit the finished product himself without an interference. I won't be holding my breath. What was the last film Romero actually edited--Knightriders?


Diary?

[Redman6565]

Diary?

haha Diary = flop.

Why should someone just 'pony up the money'? Maybe if GAR had done better with his last two films there would be more people willing to do that. Look at how all the GAR fans in here fight over their takes on Landand Diary. When your fan base isn't unitedover what you are doing you have a problem. My concern is that Diary may be to bad to get the kind of funding he needs to do a really good zombie flick. I hope that isn't the case.

[Dead Hoosier]

The GAR of 1978 is dead ... he is the zombie now, churning out his confused, political garbage -- and I'm about as liberal as it gets. He's making movies for dummies ... "dummies, dummies."
So you want him to make a non-zombie film? What is his overall success rate? Certainly less than 50 percent. Personally, I don't think he has made a good movie in 23 years or a great one in 30.
Some people just peak early. Even the best produce crap from time to time, but his recent products have been somewhat embarrasing.

[DubiousComforts]

I was referring to his post-Latent Image movies. From listening to the audio commentary for some of these films, he gives the impression it was a big family and a happy time in his life, particularly on the Martin and Knightriders DVDs when he seems to get sentimental.
It was more than 30 years ago. So what do you propose they do -- bring everyone back to Pittsburgh for old times' sake? Richard Rubinstein is in a different business now. He doesn't produce movies, he collects royalties. Ever watch any of the movies that he has produced since parting ways with Romero?


Diary?
Romero didn't edit DIARY. The last film that he is credited with editing is CREEPSHOW.


haha Diary = flop.
So you're Weinstein's accountant and you would know? 'hahahahaha' = FAIL


Why should someone just 'pony up the money'?
Because I said so. :D Big money had no problem "ponying up" for a track record-less Zack Snyder and a scriptwriter who's only credit up to that point was Scooby Doo in order to make the most expensive zombie flick ever. If it only had a brain...


Look at how all the GAR fans in here fight over their takes on Land and Diary. When your fan base isn't unitedover what you are doing you have a problem.
At least Romero has a fan base. Perhaps you can hang out on a message board dedicated to some other director of "really good zombie flicks" ...if you can find one.

[jim102016]

It was more than 30 years ago. So what do you propose they do -- bring everyone back to Pittsburgh for old times' sake? Richard Rubinstein is in a different business now. He doesn't produce movies, he collects royalties. Ever watch any of the movies that he has produced since parting ways with Romero?



Looking at recent films, maybe they should all get together again, break Rubinstein out of his coma. Stranger things have happened.

[capncnut]

Big money had no problem "ponying up" for a track record-less Zack Snyder and a scriptwriter who's only credit up to that point was Scooby Doo in order to make the most expensive zombie flick ever.
Dawn 04 was pony, pony and trap = crap. :D

[Trin]

Ironically Dawn '04 was brainless and led by a relative newcomer but in every way that a Hollywood executive would care about was successful.

I don't know a darned thing about making a movie, but if I were a big named studio with money to throw at a project I'd rather put it toward a newcomer that will do what I say than someone with a questionable track record who has a reputation for thumbing his nose at authority.

Heck, as a 30 year GAR fan whose 2 favorite movies end with "of the Dead" I'm not sure I'd put money down on GAR at this point. And I'm not even talking about making a profit. I'm talking simply as a fan trying to fund the most satisfying zombie movie. Is GAR going to turn in the best zombie bang for the buck? Would Zach Snyder or some other newcomer do better? There was a day when that question would be laughed at. That day is no more.

....... aw, crap....... I'd give GAR the money.....

[clanglee]

. When your fan base isn't unitedover what you are doing you have a problem. .

I have to disagree with you here. I am a Huge GAR fan, and I didn't really care for Land or Diary much. I argue about those 2 movies a lot, but that doesn't stop my love for George's first 3 Zombie movies, or other classics like Martin or Creepshow. Nor does it affect my hope for a future good movie from him.

Besides, look at Star Wars. Lucas has pissed off a LOT of fans with his new trilogy. Did that affect sales? Oh no. Did that stop the franchise from making money or attracting people? Oh no.

[MonkeyFarm]

I didn't really like Land or Diary, in fact I really disliked Diary...anywayz.
I have yet to watch a non dead romero movie, i know he has done martin and that movie on bikes but its medevil or something...its got hopper in it and i have watched a creepshow but i could not really tell whos were whos unless i saw the credits again...my point is that i agree his last two zombie movies sucked balls and if it needs romero to do a non dead movie to ensure it is a movie of some quality then so be it...c'mon George do something which i can present to the goons who have yet sampled your work so i can use it as a catalist for them to watch your old skool stuff

[DubiousComforts]

Ironically Dawn '04 was brainless and led by a relative newcomer but in every way that a Hollywood executive would care about was successful.
You're 100% correct, though it's not the least bit ironic. It's simply business as usual as far as Hollywood in concerned, the general lowering of the bar in entertainment that you wrote about in another thread.

What is ironic is that people are wishing for the good ol' days of Pittsburgh, which were the polar opposite of the Hollywood approach to "successful" product.

[acealive1]

I see so many half-assed posts about how Diary Of The Dead is the bomb. Don't get me wrong, Diary and Land were okay but I'm almost 100% sure that most here wont even begin to hold the two up next to Night or Dawn Of The Dead.

What's the point?

My point is one that has been held up as a topic many times before and I wont deny it. I feel it's high time GAR made a non-zomb movie for once and concentrated on something that actually kicks ass as opposed to sucks ass. The last non-zomb movie he made was Bruiser (which was okay) but damn, the over-abundance of these half-assed zomb flicks since Day are seriously pissing me off.

I think he needs to get his ass back to Pittsburgh and make something that really cooks. Be it, horror, drama or comedy - I don't care - get some of those old GAR era actors back like Amplas and really craft a story that hits the spot as opposed to 'generic' stuff that we've been used to for the last seven years.

Apparently he was supposed to be making Solitary Isle, what the f**k happened to that? He said during an interview last year that he was interested in making a legitimate Creepshow follow-up, what the f**k happened to that?

All I hear is on the web news is Diary 2 and some zomb comedy. To be honest, I couldn't give a s**t about that, I just want the GAR that rocked my world way back when to come back!

Feel free to throw rocks at me!


what he's doing is trying to stumble upon another goldmine since that moron cheated him out of most of the profits from the movies he wrote previously in the dead series.

[Trin]

To be honest, I couldn't give a s**t about that, I just want the GAR that rocked my world way back when to come back!Here's the critical point. Fans don't really care where GAR makes movies. What they care about are the movies he makes.

I'd love to see GAR making the movies of old as well. Heck, who wouldn't? But returning to the places where he made those movies isn't going to transmorgrify the GAR of 2008 back into the GAR of 1968. He's changed. I'm willing to believe that surrounding himself with the people who influenced him back then would help, but in all likelihood they've changed too. The end result may very well be worse than what we've got now.

IMHO the best bet is to let the man make the movies he wants to make with the crew he feels is currently best suited to help him be successful. After that all we can do is hope for the best.

[Millard Rausch]

Traded Fort Myers for Toronto,...?
he's off his rocker :dead: