Romero: new movie "more like Dawn"

[krakenslayer]

I don't think this has been posted here yet. Here's the link: http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-10-30-romero-zombies_N.htm?csp=23&RM_Exclude=aol

These lines in particular have me excited:

One side wants to kill off zombified loved ones before cannibalistic urges strike. The other would rather wait to see if there is a cure for such cravings. "They want to leave Grandma in the rocking chair for a while longer," he says. "It's not a good idea."

A few characters are reprised from 2005's Land of the Dead and 2007's Diary of the Dead. "Diary was like Night. It had a brooding personality," he says. This one is more like 1978's Dawn of the Dead, "with a lot of action."

I don't know about you guys, but to me this sounds like some pretty old-school Romero! Two human factions fighting over what to do about the zombies, lots of action action, and the promise of a gore soaked finale when "grandma & co" break loose. Sounds kinda Dawn/Day-ish.

Returning characters from LAND though!? Maybe Alvin Van Sprang's trooper is actually Brubaker?

Fingers crossed they drop the handheld camera thing. It was a good gimmick for one movie, but based on this description it has the potential to be a classic Z movie if shot straight.

[Bub666]

The more I hear about this movie,the more I can't wait to see it.

[AcesandEights]

Withholding judgment, here.

[bassman]

This quote is going to cause so many fanboys to flip out...

[EvilNed]

Well, usually don't take anything George says in interviews as anything of value, because he's always, always so damn unclear... It's like he's always speaking in metaphors. Diary had personality? Just like Night? What the hell does that mean?

[Danny]

Withholding judgment, here.

mm, same here.:|

[axlish]

The only person I'd care to see again from Land is Foxy. I love the idea of characters from both films mixing, hopefully it works.

[Neil]

I don't think this has been posted here yet. Here's the link: http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-10-30-romero-zombies_N.htm?csp=23&RM_Exclude=aol

These lines in particular have me excited:

One side wants to kill off zombified loved ones before cannibalistic urges strike. The other would rather wait to see if there is a cure for such cravings. "They want to leave Grandma in the rocking chair for a while longer," he says. "It's not a good idea."

A few characters are reprised from 2005's Land of the Dead and 2007's Diary of the Dead. "Diary was like Night. It had a brooding personality," he says. This one is more like 1978's Dawn of the Dead, "with a lot of action."

I don't know about you guys, but to me this sounds like some pretty old-school Romero! Two human factions fighting over what to do about the zombies, lots of action action, and the promise of a gore soaked finale when "grandma & co" break loose. Sounds kinda Dawn/Day-ish.

Returning characters from LAND though!? Maybe Alvin Van Sprang's trooper is actually Brubaker?

Fingers crossed they drop the handheld camera thing. It was a good gimmick for one movie, but based on this description it has the potential to be a classic Z movie if shot straight.

Just hope it's good... I can't take another let down :(

Land was OK, but Diary was a step in the wrong direction! (IMHO)

[AcesandEights]

Just hope it's good... I can't take another let down :(

Land was OK, but Diary was a step in the wrong direction! (IMHO)

Man, I feel the same way.

[darth los]

Just hope it's good... I can't take another let down :(

Land was OK, but Diary was a step in the wrong direction! (IMHO)

I hope it is like dawn. There's nothing wrong with following a formula George. It's like a sports team after they win a title and want to all of a sudden go away from the style of play that made them champions. Does that make sense?

For some reason artists like to stray from the "formula" so they don't get typecast so to speak. They want to show they can do something different. Show their range. The problem is that it might very well suck.



:cool:

[capncnut]

Diary had personality? Just like Night? What the hell does that mean?
God only knows.

Diary was supposed to be a reboot of the Night scenario so it's obvious that Island will be a reboot of the Dawn scenario. But on an island instead of a mall - I think this is what he's getting at. I'm not too optimistic to tell you the truth.

And mixing up characters from two different film series. WTF?

[MinionZombie]

Sounds interesting, here's hoping it's a rocking flick.

While I liked Diary, I'm not all that fussed about it...it's kinda like a back-up GAR zed flick in a way, one I've not seen much so it's kinda new still, unlike Dawn which I almost know as well as my own cock ... ... :eek::lol::D:sneaky::p:clown:

I really liked Land though, I'm a Land Lover. :)

As for hand-held camera, someone who's working on the film (in costumes I believe), said that it's shooting like a traditional movie - i.e. NO Blair Witch stuff. :):):)

I certainly like the sound of it, lets hope he just has fun with it but delivers something more akin to the GAR we all know and love so well. I don't mean "just do Dawn again", cos that's not the way to go, but let's have that passion and excitement again.

[lullubelle]

I'm with acesandeights, I will wait until I see it to judge, not fare to judge the project without seeing it first. :)

[Yojimbo]

Confused. The article says that GAR's film takes place a couple of weeks after the original 1968 Night outbreak. Is this then a period piece, with actors and sets dressed up to look like late 1968, or do they mean a couple of weeks after a NOLD-like (modern day) outbreak, after the initial time frame which DIARY was supposed to have happened?

And by returning characters, do they mean actors featured in the other films playing different characters in this film, or do they mean the same freaking characters, such as Riley years before he ended up being Kauffman's bitch?

Confusion aside, though, I am looking forward to this film and am hoping for the best. While Diary and Land were not as fun as the original trilogy, I did think that they had merit and I think that George still has it in him. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be as fun as DOTD 78 with the creepiness of NOLD 68.

[Eat Flesh]

Count me in as looking forward to this. Slightly apprehensive but I am hoping GAR will give us all a pleasant surprise with this one.

I am a total sucker but saying "more like Dawn" gets me psyched up a wee bit.

[RJ_Sevin]

I really dig the minimalist approach to the zombie look this time around. I'm hopefully optimistic regarding this one. It has the potential to be a truly worthy installment in the series.

[MinionZombie]

Yojimbo - it won't be a direct sequel to Night, it just means that Night - and indeed Diary - were in the first days of the plague.

Dawn, and now seemingly this new flick, are in the first few weeks of the plague (and who knows, maybe it'll continue on for many more weeks or a few months, like Dawn did?).

None of the films are directly linked, they all just happen to take place in a zombie outbreak, and each new film takes a further leap along in terms of how far into a plague they are. :cool:

[krakenslayer]

Confused. The article says that GAR's film takes place a couple of weeks after the original 1968 Night outbreak. Is this then a period piece, with actors and sets dressed up to look like late 1968, or do they mean a couple of weeks after a NOLD-like (modern day) outbreak, after the initial time frame which DIARY was supposed to have happened?


People ALWAYS ask this when a new Romero film comes out. The answer is no, because the setting for these films is timeless - they're always set in the "present day", or the "near future", whenever that happens to be. Night looks like it's set in the 60s because it was shot in the 60s, but that doesn't mean Dawn was set 10 years later. It's like the James Bond movies; they're always set vaguely in the present, while Bond doesn't age.

Pay close attention to the films. GAR actually takes pains to avoid telling the audience what year it is supposed to be.

[Yojimbo]

People ALWAYS ask this when a new Romero film comes out. The answer is no, because the setting for these films is timeless - they're always set in the "present day", or the "near future", whenever that happens to be. Night looks like it's set in the 60s because it was shot in the 60s, but that doesn't mean Dawn was set 10 years later. It's like the James Bond movies; they're always set vaguely in the present, while Bond doesn't age.

Pay close attention to the films. GAR actually takes pains to avoid telling the audience what year it is supposed to be.
I am aware of why night looks like it was set in the 60s, and why Dawn looks like it was in the 70's and that this is a commonly asked question where the answer is typically "No" as you stated.

I realize that it is a common misconception among folks that all the films are tied together in a specific continguous timeline, and obviously this is due to misinterpreting GAR's intention. I realize this because, like most of the freaks here, I have been paying very close attention to the films.

But in this case, I think that this is a fair question, and not one that comes out of an unfamiliarity with the director or his storytelling process, because the article explicitly stated that it was taking place a couple of weeks after the initial 1968 outbreak, rather than saying that it took place a couple weeks after the initial outbreak.

Following the precedents set by GAR with his prior 6 dead films, I would venture to guess that the article is incorrect, though there is always a chance that GAR might throw a curveball here and deviate from his standard practice.


Yojimbo - it won't be a direct sequel to Night, it just means that Night - and indeed Diary - were in the first days of the plague.

Dawn, and now seemingly this new flick, are in the first few weeks of the plague (and who knows, maybe it'll continue on for many more weeks or a few months, like Dawn did?).

None of the films are directly linked, they all just happen to take place in a zombie outbreak, and each new film takes a further leap along in terms of how far into a plague they are. :cool:

This makes total sense. I assumed that the article was mistaken when it assigned a specific year to the outbreak.

[MoonSylver]

I think some of the reviewers get their facts a bit jumbled. I assumed they were trying to draw a parallel between how Dawn was a few weeks after Night & this is a few weeks after Diary. I also assumed the "returning characters" referred to Steve/Guardsman/Brubaker. Now if this LITERALLY the same character remains to be seen (& I have my doubts).

I think sometimes it's best to read between the lines on interviews & not take them verbatim.;)

[Trin]

While I liked Diary, I'm not all that fussed about it... unlike Dawn which I almost know as well as my own cock ... ... :eek::lol::D:sneaky::p:clown:Some things work as hand-held and some just don't.

Let's face it. GAR could have the movie based the day after Night with 2008 cars driving around and the original sheriff reprising his role though the actor is 40 years older. And then Dead Reckoning could pull up with Riley and crew on their way to Canada fresh out of watching the Green get destroyed even though those events are a good 3+ years into the timeline. And then Bub could show up alive working for the military pre-Day and then Bub could show up dead post-Day and Bub could kill Bub.

And GAR would not think twice about the consistency issues.

[MinionZombie]

Some things work as hand-held and some just don't.

Let's face it. GAR could have the movie based the day after Night with 2008 cars driving around and the original sheriff reprising his role though the actor is 40 years older. And then Dead Reckoning could pull up with Riley and crew on their way to Canada fresh out of watching the Green get destroyed even though those events are a good 3+ years into the timeline. And then Bub could show up alive working for the military pre-Day and then Bub could show up dead post-Day and Bub could kill Bub.

And GAR would not think twice about the consistency issues.
Yeah ... ... I doubt that's gonna happen. :p

[clanglee]

Some things work as hand-held and some just don't.

Let's face it. GAR could have the movie based the day after Night with 2008 cars driving around and the original sheriff reprising his role though the actor is 40 years older. And then Dead Reckoning could pull up with Riley and crew on their way to Canada fresh out of watching the Green get destroyed even though those events are a good 3+ years into the timeline. And then Bub could show up alive working for the military pre-Day and then Bub could show up dead post-Day and Bub could kill Bub.

And GAR would not think twice about the consistency issues.

And we would STILL go see the movie!!

[blind2d]

Hell yeah! Also, Bub eating Bub would be really cool!
PS: I'm not awake or sober right now, so whatever I just said shouldn't be taken too seriously.

[AcesandEights]

Bub eating Bub would be really cool!


You just freaked me out, Man! :skull:

[Bub666]

Bub eating Bub would be really cool!


:confused:

[bassman]

Bub eating Bub would be really cool!

Technically hasn't he already eaten a bit of himself? Well...it was more like tasting.:clown:

[MinionZombie]

Technically hasn't he already eaten a bit of himself? Well...it was more like tasting.:clown:
mmmm, he likes to shave his flesh off and suckle at it with his thumb ... tha doidy basturd! :D

[bassman]

WTF??? Western of the Dead?:confused:

http://joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=14406

[AcesandEights]

WTF??? Western of the Dead?:confused:

http://joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=14406

Head...spinning... :eek:

[MinionZombie]

Surely by "western" they mean, western-look, or western-themes, rather than Eighteen-Eighty-Something Of The Dead. :p


an action-oriented horror film that also functions as, believe it or not, a Western.

Methinks the people on the island have resorted to the early days of America, the lawless days, the days endlessly examined in the movies and on TV, this sort of mythical past that so many people (not just in America) would love to have the chance to try on for size - so perhaps the dead rising is an excuse - and indeed it's somewhat fitting.

The dead are rising, it's a lawless land, it's everybody gunned-up and shootin' down the bad guys kinda thing.

I'm liking what I'm hearing, and I'm certainly happy it's got 99.9% piss all to do with Diary - even though I liked that flick, I wouldn't want a second when all is said and done - and I'm also very pleased about the return to the traditional 'look', rather than all that Blair Witch stuff, which was good for a distraction but ultimately can't deliver enough goods to be truly sustainable in many circumstances.

Blair Witch managed it well - and it made absolute sense - but in Diary it's losing some point in being, and you miss a lot of action as a result, or it becomes a bit forced - like Cloverfield (although, it did at least give us the excellent South Park spoof "The Startling" :D) ... so yeah - woo! :)

[bassman]

Damn you MZ with your common sense and such.

Yeah, I guess I took it literally.:rolleyes: Even after seeing the photos of zombies in modern clothing.:lol:

[MinionZombie]

Damn you MZ with your common sense and such.

Yeah, I guess I took it literally.:rolleyes: Even after seeing the photos of zombies in modern clothing.:lol:
You went and got your head all heated up again dintcha? :p:)

Hooray for common sense ... ... and boobies! :D

[krakenslayer]

I'd say it's gonna be a "western" in the sense that From Dusk Till Dawn, Near Dark or No Country for Old Men are Westerns - i.e. set in the present day (or in this case the fictional near-future) but utilising certain imagery, plot devices, settings, characterisations, etc. common to traditional Western movies.

I doubt this will be set in the past, as we have already seen photos of zombies wearing modern-day clothing and a set pic featuring a car ferry (the "Slaughter Island Ferry", if I remember correctly).

[clanglee]

I hate to even admit this, but this is starting to really interest me. Must. . .resist. . temptation to get. . hopes . . up

Kahn!!!!!!

[MoonSylver]

I'd say it's gonna be a "western" in the sense that From Dusk Till Dawn, Near Dark or No Country for Old Men are Westerns - i.e. set in the present day (or in this case the fictional near-future) but utilising certain imagery, plot devices, settings, characterisations, etc. common to traditional Western movies.

I doubt this will be set in the past, as we have already seen photos of zombies wearing modern-day clothing and a set pic featuring a car ferry (the "Slaughter Island Ferry", if I remember correctly).


Bingo. This was my thoughts as well. NCFOM was actually the first one I thought of in the context of how to explain a modern "western-that-really-isn't-a western".

[Mike70]

WTF??? Western of the Dead?:confused:

http://joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=14406

i feel as if i've slipped into some sort of LSD fueled alternate reality. one in which the only music is by mazzy star and all the movies are zombie westerns - "come back, zombie shane."

oh, and like clang, i'm definitely interested in this thing now.

[Dead_fred]

this quote is going to cause so many fanboys to flip out...

ahhhhhhh epic!!!!

[RustyHicks]

Withholding judgment, here.

I'm with Ace...
I do hope it is better than his last, just have to wait and see.

[bd2999]

I look forward to it. I was a bit let down by Diary, although I liked it. I thought it did not need some of the narration during the whole thing. I would have rather it seemed something more akin to Quarantine with sort of the first hand very gritty feel to it. I know the intent of Diary was to have sort of a polished movie with film students dealing with it but still. I digress.

I think the idea for the movie is fine, the whole island thing, but to be honest there are alot of other things to be examined that I think could be super effective, like following one families survival or something like that, trying to live through the mess. I think the island thing can work, but I think there is something about the panic and confusion in the world that is drawing of this genre, and a whole load of other things. I suppose it is supposed to be like the mall, and have them supposidly safe from the world.

[Doc]

I'm somewhat excited myself but, comparing Diary to Night? Diary can't stand a chance against Night to save its life.

[Thorn]

Yeah I think they are talking about imagery, and the sense of lawlessness on the frontier sort of thing. Not that you will have cowboys riding around with star shaped babges throwing people in the pokey for holding up the stage coach.

[blind2d]

Dude, that just reminded me of the very awesome animated short by Gary Larson about the Zombie Ranch... hard to find, but well worth the effort. Not kidding, either. It's frickin' hilarious!

[MinionZombie]

Dude, that just reminded me of the very awesome animated short by Gary Larson about the Zombie Ranch... hard to find, but well worth the effort. Not kidding, either. It's frickin' hilarious!
Oh yeah, I saw that when I was a kid, great stuff. Saw it again recently, loved it.

[EvilNed]

I hate to even admit this, but this is starting to really interest me. Must. . .resist. . temptation to get. . hopes . . up

Kahn!!!!!!

I'm going to leave you as you left me... Buried alive!

[MoonSylver]

I'm going to leave you as you left me... Buried alive!

"I'm going to leave you as you left me! As you left HER! Buried...alive...aliiiiiive...."

http://www.toybender.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/khan.jpg

[DevilDog]

A few characters are reprised from 2005's Land of the Dead and 2007's Diary of the Dead. .

Translation: It's going to be as ****ty as both of those were.

[Mike70]

Translation: It's going to be as ****ty as both of those were.

Dear god! devil dog is back in the hizzale. holy sh*te dude, where you been keeping yourself?

[bassman]

Dear god! devil dog is back in the hizzale. holy sh*te dude, where you been keeping yourself?

The dude has only made three posts and you're that fond of him?:rockbrow:

[EvilNed]

"I'm going to leave you as you left me! As you left HER! Buried...alive...aliiiiiive...."

http://www.toybender.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/khan.jpg

Sci-five!

[MinionZombie]

The dude has only made three posts and you're that fond of him?:rockbrow:
Devil Dog has been a HPOTD member for a long time going back to the old version(s), but he's not been around much on this incarnation of the forum - he's a military man, if I'm not mistaken?

[bassman]

Devil Dog has been a HPOTD member for a long time going back to the old version(s), but he's not been around much on this incarnation of the forum - he's a military man, if I'm not mistaken?

Ah, I see. Sometimes I forget that everything started over when we moved to this new forum.

[MoonSylver]

Ah, I see. Sometimes I forget that everything started over when we moved to this new forum.

I'll NEVER forget...my poor post count! :( All of my nuggets of wisdom lost to the ages!:lol: Oh, & all of the old members fallen by the wayside too. (Crappingbear where are yoooouuuu....) ;)

[krakenslayer]

Devil Dog has been a HPOTD member for a long time going back to the old version(s), but he's not been around much on this incarnation of the forum - he's a military man, if I'm not mistaken?

You know, it may seem strange coming from a "new member" but I've been frequenting these forums since before you even needed a membership to post!

I love this place even though no-one on here probably even knows of me!

[DevilDog]

Dear god! devil dog is back in the hizzale. holy sh*te dude, where you been keeping yourself?

Here and there. Here and there. Have been living in the land of the banking gnomes for quite a few years now. On holiday in the US at the moment.


Devil Dog has been a HPOTD member for a long time going back to the old version(s), but he's not been around much on this incarnation of the forum - he's a military man, if I'm not mistaken?

Was a military man. Have been a, shall we say, free agent since '05.

[MinionZombie]

You know, it may seem strange coming from a "new member" but I've been frequenting these forums since before you even needed a membership to post!

I love this place even though no-one on here probably even knows of me!
Ah the days of DiscussionApp (i.e. pre-Loom days)?

I was around at that time too, this is my 10th year here in fact ... ahhh memories. :)

[Mike70]

Ah the days of DiscussionApp (i.e. pre-Loom days)?

back in the old, shall we say, free range days of HPOTD. remember the great crash of '01? when the entire forum went up in flames and we all had to start over again.

now hopefully, crappingbear will come walking back through the door one day.

[MoonSylver]

back in the old, shall we say, free range days of HPOTD. remember the great crash of '01? when the entire forum went up in flames and we all had to start over again.

Yep, that was a pisser. How many times have we started over now?


now hopefully, crappingbear will come walking back through the door one day.

Hear, hear!!!!

[Thorn]

Crappingbear was good people.

We always got along. So many other people though I forget their names.

Their was that girl on general forums who argued incessantly about politics and why she hated America... the author who wrote "contingency cannibalism" who basically would sacrifice the mentally challenged in order to escape the zombie plague himself. I wrote a fictional story actually in which I featured a mentally challenged person as a protagonist just to counter that "if you are injured or retarded you have no value" mentality.

So many people, and then names slip into the internet void.

I actually left when things became too political, I figured if I wanted that I could go to yahoo. I am here for Zombies damn it. That is why you wont catch me mulling about other areas it simply kills it for me.

No offense to any of the fine people here I do not care what your political leanings are, if you hate my country, or if I am not fond your countries politics. I would still try to save you in a Zombie outbreak and hope I can count on you for the same.

:rant:

[MoonSylver]

Crappingbear was good people.

We always got along. So many other people though I forget their names.

So many people, and then names slip into the internet void.

I hear that.


I actually left when things became too political, I figured if I wanted that I could go to yahoo. I am here for Zombies damn it. That is why you wont catch me mulling about other areas it simply kills it for me.

There was a least once in the past where I was tempted to bail due to some of the, um, rampant personalities on the old boards. For a little while it became a very unfun place to visit. And if it's no fun, why bother? Fortunately, the trolls moved on & the flames dies down.

[archivesofthede]

Khaaan!!

Sorry, I couldn't help it.

[darth los]

I don't know but I seem to be liking diary more and more these days. It's definitely something I'd watch before Land. Perhaps the movie studio influence DID affect GAR's ability to make the film he is capable of. :confused: