Survival and Diary on AMC (woo hoo!)

[triste realtà]

Survival was on AMC tonight at 8. It will be on tomorrow at 6 followed by Diary. There are other viewing times that you will have to look up.

George hosted tonight for the world television premiere.

I was pleasantly surprised by the movie after thinking it was going to be unwatchable in the first few minutes. I especially like the boat yard scene but haven't finished watching the whole movie yet (till tomorrow). Sure beats the sheriff penishead soap opera. :elol:

[bassman]

It just blows my mind that AMC purchased the rights to Diary And Survival, but have yet to do so for Dawn or Day. Those two films are perfect for Fear Fest.

I love Fear Fest and all, but Diary and Survival are almost worse than all the Friday the 13th and Halloween films they played last year. And I'm definitely not a fan of those. Since the marathon started a few days ago I think i've enjoyed maybe two things: The Walking Dead and Christine. Their schedule has some good movies amongst the bad, so hopefully better things are to come.

[Wyldwraith]

I agree that AMC's Fear Fest has been very hit-or-miss,
It's always that way though, because they seem unable to drag themselves away from yet another showing of Hallowen: H20, some randomly chosen entries of the Friday the 13th franchise (though never 7, the only one I'm not totally burnt out on), and the omnipresent Stephen King stuff. That said, I liked Mimic 2. It suffers from sequel-weakening, but it's rather well done and interesting. However, the Mimic franchise is something you either dig the concept of or you don't. Not much middle ground there.

I agree that showing Survival followed by Diary is a very MEH decision. Hell, Land hasn't really gotten much basic-cable airtime at all, yet the craptastic Survival and Diary are showpieces for Fear Fest? Just proves what I've been saying for the last couple of years, that Fear Fest has been going downhill for the last several years. The basic diagnosis is simple enough: Businessmen are making the choices concerning the line-ups, NOT anyone who actually really likes a variety of horror movies. Disappointing, but not unexpected or incomprehensible I'm afraid. SyFy has actually (other than TWD of course) been stomping AMC. Much wider variety of popular horror movies, plus a lot of the older classics. Like The Hills Have Eyes (original).

So far as the showing of Dead films though, my biggest pet peeve BY FAR is that you see Dawn '04 slapped up everywhere, on numerous channels, throughout the year...but you NEVER see the original Dawn (my hands-down favorite of the original trilogy. Yea yea, I know a ton of people dig Day, and I think it's all right...I just like Dawn as much as many here seem to like Day as their #1 Romero Dead film.) or even Land. Land gets next to no showings on TV, but Dawn '04, and now we'll be seeing Diary and Survival every Fear Fest get that airtime.

They just need to put someone that actually likes the genre in charge of choosing their movie line-up out of the flicks they've bought rights to.

[bassman]

Land gets next to no showings on TV.


I have to disagree there. I've seen land on TNT, TBS, MTV, and I believe VH1. Quite a bit, actually.


What really stinks is that Fear Fest used to be GREAT. A few years back it was by far the best halloween marathon programming. Many classic horror films with only a few "meh" titles snuck in during the early morning hours. Now it seems like they're ditching the good stuff for the garabage 24/7.

On thing i've noticed each consecutive year is that they've played less and less of the Universal Monsters and replaced them with the crap 80's slasher films. WTF?

[bd2999]

Maybe it is just a matter of perspective but I have always liked Fear Fest and I still do. I do wish they had some of the classic movies on more, TCM seems to be doing that through Monday's in Oct. I would love to see some of the universal classics or some of the other black and white gems. I liked when they acquired Night of the Living Dead, although it is public domain so how hard that was is neglagible I guess.

I honestly love horror in general. The slasher movies, the old monster movies, big bug movies or whatever. I like it all. I am a fan of the Halloween movies and Fth13th and NoES along with everything else. I usually watch alot of the movies again during fear fest. Especially Halloween. I do get annoyed about how much replay there is considering how many good movies there are. It seems like once it gets going from about noon on or so it is replaying a movie that was on a few days before followed by what was on the night before and so on. Lots of good stuff being left off for that reason.

Onto Survival. I like Survival more than Diary. That said after watching it against last night I am still confused about some of the stuff Romero was going for in this movie. I think the general premise works. The island with two sides against one another, unable to put old grudges aside even now. I think that is fine, and the National guard thing is fine too.

What I thought was dumb was the hinting at that feeding the dead something else made a difference at all. So they will eat your food too? What difference does it make? IS this a hint on how to domesticate them? Because it really is not, the zombie on the horse is a bit strange that she can ride the horse. Some of the characters are sort of pointless. There are some good moments in it, but overall I think this one had alot of potential that it did not reach. I think it beats Diary solidly there. I think Diary needed to be another movie altogether to be saved.

Sort of a shift of topic but does anyone else think Diary would have been a more interesting movie if they would have just done a general camera sees sort of approach. Following various groups and their attempts at survival until they fall? So some would last briefly and others longer, and so on. I think the jist of it could still have gotten accross without so many bland and dull characters running around. We would get perspective of younger generations, older, military and so on and so forth. I think it is a much cooler concept anyway, especially to document the starting of this sort of thing.

[White_Zombie]

They just had Survival of the Dead on an hour ago.It took a lot for me not to break out in a tourettes like manner well throwing objects at the television including heavy furniture (and maybe the cat) well shouting MULDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON! rather loudly. Diary & Survival are complete trash, what was GAR thinking?

-- -------- Post added at 08:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 PM ----------

Let's not forget this cool fella...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E2ACf9vP49U/SI1O3gPnojI/AAAAAAAAARQ/pzbgsoJ5cdY/s400/samuel%2Bcopy.jpg

[Mr.G]

LOL...the Amish guy was the only redeeming quality of Diary. Nothing redeemable in Survival.

[blind2d]

I think I'm going to agree with Mr. G on this one.
Also, it was hilarious that they actually showed the zed chick riding the horse on the promo, and the sausage fork kill. What. Shit.

[bassman]

As if Diary and Survival weren't bad enough....tonight's 8pm showing is 'Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane'.:confused:

My TV used to never change from this channel during Fear Fest. The past few years I can barely watch.

At least tomorrow night is Slither. That's a fun one...

[Doc]

I don't see the charm in seeing favorite censored horror classics. :-/

[Mr.G]

As if Diary and Survival weren't bad enough....tonight's 8pm showing is 'Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane'.:confused:

True but at least you know what to expect before watching the Flight movie...I had high hopes for GAR's last two movies....and lets just say I was very sad after both.

[Eyebiter]

Turner Classic Movies is a good channel to watch the week of Halloween. Lot of old black and white movies but they are uncut with no commercials.

[sandrock74]

It just blows my mind that AMC purchased the rights to Diary And Survival, but have yet to do so for Dawn or Day. Those two films are perfect for Fear Fest.


Seriously, youd want to watch butchered (censored) versions of Dawn and Day???

[clanglee]

As if Diary and Survival weren't bad enough....tonight's 8pm showing is 'Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane'.:confused:

My TV used to never change from this channel during Fear Fest. The past few years I can barely watch.

At least tomorrow night is Slither. That's a fun one...

Hey! I liked that Flight of the Living Dead movie. . .it was just goofy fun.

[EvilNed]

Hey! I liked that Flight of the Living Dead movie. . .it was just goofy fun.

Agreed. I had a good time watching that one. It's silly, but entertaining.

[blind2d]

Meh, I'd rather watch Contagium if that's what I'm looking for in a zed flick... which it isn't.

[bassman]

Seriously, youd want to watch butchered (censored) versions of Dawn and Day???

I think AMC has time and time again proven themselves to not censor much gore. The only thing to be censored would be the constant use of 'f*ck' in Day. And yeah, I would have the tv on that channel if they aired it. It doesn't matter if it's censored or not, really. I know what really happens. It's all in the fun of the season of having these kind of things play all day and night.

[babomb]

It's all in the fun of the season of having these kind of things play all day and night. exactly right. to sit and smoke gray tobacco and enjoy horror flicks for a week. It does suck though that they keep replaying shit flicks like White Noise. Flight of the living dead was OK once...ONCE...Survival sucks ass, I do like Diary though. Not really sure why because it doesn't have any of the signature elements I look for in a dead flick, but survival seems too much like a fuckin western to me. I wish they'd play TWD more, I'd welcome edited versions of Dawn or Day. I don't care if they censor them, I own them on disc and have seen them so many times my brain can fill in the _____......

[AcesandEights]

I think my first exposure to Day was the highly edited version that used to show on Basic Cable (USA Up All Night in the 80s) and it was still a very gripping film, even if hacked to bits.

Now, Dawn...Dawn I've never seen a tv-friendly edited version of, which is why I was exposed so late in the game to Dawn as compared to both Night and Day.

[babomb]

USA Up All Night was awesome!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5lQJmUR4FI&feature=related

-- -------- Post added at 04:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:39 PM ----------

while we're at it, remember this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1NKoMNy5bY

[triste realtà]

To the Romero hating human centipede that trudges all over every thread about the recent flicks, check this out:

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2011/10/14/why-the-walking-dead-trumps-george-a-romero/

Some choice cuts from the replies:


Are you in a parallel universe? Walking Dead was boring and stupid. Too much non-zombie drama, unappealing leads, and idiotic premises. As I've noted before, the more stupid the character, the more noticeable the Southern accent. And the lack of guns!


The most boring predictable banal drivel to ooze from my screen. This show was the reason i was keeping satellite after second episode i cancelled. I have to concur AMC took a great comic, butchered it, and stuffed the carcass with every cliche they could think of.


The Walking Dead', similarly, only does the zombies right. Everything else is atrocious, from the stock redneck racist character (how do they always survive the zombie apocalypse?) to the pointless 'my wife is cheating on me and miraculously both she and her lover survived' subplot to all the lame plot contrivances dreamed up to keep the guy from getting to his destination, all straight out of hack screenwriting 101.

It's a dreadful, show with good zombie effects. And apparently even that will be somewhat going away due to budget cuts. So look for them to ramp up the 'human drama' angle to cut corners.


I *really* liked the first few episodes of Walking Dead, but lost interest when the subplot about the love triangle became a dominant theme. I also didn't like the show's formula of beginning and ending with lots of action, only to cram the middle half-hour with meandering personal conflicts. Personally, even at its finest moments, Walking Dead never came close to the tension and tragic shock of the apartment raid scene of the original Dawn of the Dead.

HIS HEAD IS SHAPED LIKE A PENIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This post is inspired in part by the picture on the front of this week's tv times.

-- -------- Post added at 10:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:34 PM ----------

I do not remember Day on up all night but I have a possible false memory of seeing Raiders of tLD on there.

Dawn would have one hour of commercials on top of censoring.

[Mike70]

i agree with all the statements made about the walking dead. it is boring soap opera fare. whatever faults george has, he has never sunk to the family drama (the lowest form of tv after the sitcom) level of "the walking dead." well maybe there are some moments in "survival" but that's the exception that proves the rule. most of my favorite TV shows are anthologies. that avoids all the bullshit of carrying characters along season after season.

AMC is showing diary and survival way too much, like they do with pretty much everything else.

[bassman]

To the Romero hating human centipede that trudges all over every thread about the recent flicks, check this out:....(generic TWD hate)

Why must everything be a comparion of TWD and GAR? Not everyone will like it all and there's no real reason to compare. Man, this comparison is feeling incredibly old to have lasted only one year...

[JDFP]

Why must everything be a comparion of TWD and GAR? Not everyone will like it all and there's no real reason to compare. Man, this comparison is feeling incredibly old to have lasted only one year...

I agree, Bass. I don't see what the need to compare/contrast is other than the fact that they include zombies in both. I thought Romero's original trilogy was a masterpiece of horror film-making and three of the greatest horror films ever made ("Day" being the single greatest horror film ever created, in my opinion). But Romero hasn't made a great zombie film since 1985 (well, I did enjoy "Diary" but I digress, it wasn't great like the original trilogy by any means).

"The Walking Dead" for me is the best zombie-related thing made since 1985 in my opinion. But, it's not just about zombies. The same people who seem to be complaining about TWD seem to be the same folks ripping "Day" apart for the first half of it yelling: "This is all about people that mostly aren't likeable yelling about how unlikeable the others around them are! There aren't any zombies in this! Just yelling people! Give me some zombie gore and eating people, yeah!" In fact, I'd say the reaction would be about the same.

Personally, I wouldn't mind to see entire episodes of TWD without a single zombie in it, as I've said before and said again, as it's a show about survivors first and foremost and the tragedy of their situation. Sure, there are zombies in the show, which is awesome, but the overall story is about the survivors and their struggles. In fact, there are times zombies can distract from the overall story of the survivors (i.e. "Well we haven't seen a zombie in awhile, let's throw one in here with some good gore just so we remind people there are zombies!"). If all you are wanting is mindless zombies doing what mindless zombies do there's PLENTY of that out there. Some people classify drama of the human condition as "soap-opera-ish" -- well there's plenty of stuff out there that doesn't focus on the human condition as well, so I'd say have at that as well.

I think TWD is a great drama that happens to have zombies in it - but overall it's a drama about faulted and all too human people that also includes zombies. And hopefully this won't disintegrate into another genre thread.

j.p.

[AcesandEights]

To the Romero hating human centipede that trudges all over

I don't think anyone here hates Romero...he never shot anyone's dog or stole anyone's bible. Not that I'm aware of, anyway.

People are reacting to the quality of work he's been phoning in as of late.

[krisvds]

Why must everything be a comparion of TWD and GAR? Not everyone will like it all and there's no real reason to compare. Man, this comparison is feeling incredibly old to have lasted only one year...

But didn't you in fact also (paraphrasing here) write things like 'TWD is the best thing since day...' and 'TWD is so much better than recent GAR offerings'... I'm confused.

[bassman]

But didn't you in fact also (paraphrasing here) write things like 'TWD is the best thing since day...' and 'TWD is so much better than recent GAR offerings'... I'm confused.

Yes I did. Back when these discussions first began when the first season aired, I believe. I still stand by those statements. It's not the fact that one would have that opinion or the opinion that Romero's latest are better than TWD, it's the fact that it gets brought up in every thread regarding either of them. It's been a year now, there's no reason to keep up the comparison in threads unrelated to TWD.

It's fine if people don't like TWD just as it's fine if people don't like Romero's latest offerings. I believe it's past time to agree to disagree and let it all slide by without the same tired old argument. But now that I think about it, that's asking too much on the internet...

[krisvds]

I believe it's past time to agree to disagree and let it all slide by without the same tired old argument. But now that I think about it, that's asking too much on the internet...

Ooh. Perhaps. But comparing every undead offering to GAR's original trilogy is the bread and butter of this forum. And fun it is too, no? There's always some life in the zombie argumentation. No harm intended.

[kidgloves]

Heres the Fearfest videos with Uncle George

http://www.amctv.com/fearfest-3/videos/fearfest-george-romero-on-horror-films

[bassman]

If you're into bad old horror films, they'll be playing The Brain Eaters early tomorrow morning. Followed by the original The Fly, which i'm looking forward to. Also, Tales From the Darkside: The Movie just entered the schedule early this morning and is set to play several times this weekend. :)

[babomb]

TWD is supposed to have all the drama, that's how the source material was and it's why it was chosen to be made into a series. From what Kirkman says it isn't really about zombies as much as it's about characters surviving in that world. Which is why there's such an effort made to not call them zombies at all.
It seems like there's alot of people around here that are turning against TWD simply because it's gotten so popular.

[blind2d]

I'm not against it. Sure sometimes the human characters get... tiring after a while, but it's still a great show with fantastic zeds. And as for popularity... it doesn't figure for me. If I like something, I like it, no matter how popular OR unpopular it may be. Case in point, Friendship is Magic (quite popular, but fuck it) and Polysics (most folks go, 'who?').
The graphic novels ARE a smidge better though, IMO.

[Thorn]

I am ashamed to admit my first Blue Ray ever was Survival of the dead, but in the end it is still something I watch from time to time. Do I love it no? Do I like it? Not really, but hey.. .zombies and George are like sex even when they are bad there is still a pay off at the end.

[clanglee]

and Polysics (most folks go, 'who?').
.

Polysics are great man. . .who couldn't love a modern Japanese Devo?

[jilljohnson]

We want you on our new show. We are looking for people in the Tri-state area who want to sell anything that has to do with George Romero. It could be a replica, a prop from a movie, an autographed item, anything! Submit yourself today. www.secretstashcasting.com

[Ragnarr]

Bland of the Dead, Survival of the Schmed and Diarrhea of the Dead. C'mon George, I'm sure that you could do better if you really wanted to. Please, by all means want to.

[triste realtà]

It's already lots better than everything else. Take a look at the crap flung from inside the TV nowadays:

http://blogs.redeyechicago.com/off-the-markley/2010/12/01/the_walking_dead_is_the_most_overrated_show_on_tel evision/

It doesn't even get better like most TV shows:


I like watching zombie films too, but the plot contrivances and cliched dialogue found in the Walking Dead makes watching this show an exercise in channel surfing. I thought the writers might have worked to clear these problems up in season 2, but having just caught the first episode of season 2, I can say the problems have only gotten worse.

[AcesandEights]

http://www.featurepics.com/FI/Thumb300/20101008/Man-Sharpening-Axe-Grinding-Stone-1665625.jpg

[Ragnarr]

It's already lots better than everything else. Take a look at the crap flung from inside the TV nowadays:

It doesn't even get better like most TV shows:

I guess my attitude regarding GAR's last three movies has more to do with me getting all pumped up to see them initially, then being let down; more to do with my personal disappointment rather than (inhales) really really really really really really really really really really really really poor attempts to recreate the koolness of GAR's original three.

(oh crap... Aces is sharpening his axe! I better run for cover!)

[triste realtà]

Save it for your therapist, fanficker :duh:

http://img.memecenter.com/uploaded/The-Walking-Dick_36a5643700d620fdc2cabe00f6bffb03.jpg

[babomb]

There's no doubt that the last 3 paled in comparison to the 1st 3.

[AcesandEights]

(oh crap... Aces is sharpening his axe! I better run for cover!)

Sorry, Ragnarr, that was not the impression I meant to give. It was more of a commentary on people having an "axe to grind." :D

[Ragnarr]

Sorry, Ragnarr, that was not the impression I meant to give. It was more of a commentary on people having an "axe to grind." :D

All in good fun of course brother; I knew you weren't gonna give me the axe. On one of the medieval forums I often visit, it's common for folks there to post comments followed by "ducks for cover" or "runs for cover". :)

[clanglee]

It's already lots better than everything else. Take a look at the crap flung from inside the TV nowadays:

http://blogs.redeyechicago.com/off-the-markley/2010/12/01/the_walking_dead_is_the_most_overrated_show_on_tel evision/

It doesn't even get better like most TV shows:

But you are an Italian horror fan. . .how can you sift through all that drek, bile and crap and hate something that at least makes an attempt to make sense like the Walking dead?

[triste realtà]

But...but you said you liked Grapes of Death. Same thing.

I am posting links that explain why that horrible show sucks. Here is another one to all the bad reviews on IMDB from people who actually want to like it:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/reviews?filter=hate

It is bottom of the barrel dummy love this show gets.

[acealive1]

wow........survival was bad....

[bassman]

Damn. It must be really hard to accept that people have different opinions. The majority must make it even more hard...

[Ragnarr]

Damn. It must be really hard to accept that people have different opinions. The majority must make it even more hard...

I suppose it's like putting ketchup on scrambled eggs. Some folks say "yum" while others say, "why would ya wanna ruin perfectly good ketchup?" :)

[Yojimbo]

Though GAR's original trilogy has yet to be outdone by anything put out since by anyone INCLUDING GAR's last three, I did enjoy LAND/DIARY/SURVIVAL for what it's worth. They are masterpieces compared to a lot of the "zombie" films I have seen. Zombie Apocalypse comes to mind.

I also like TWD with one exception - that little boy is an unbelievably weak actor. Well, two exceptions would be more accurate since I think that little girl is a substandard actor too.

[blind2d]

Yeah, good child actors are hard to come by, which is too bad, but whatever, I just try to ignore them... the show seems a lot better that way.

[Yojimbo]

Yeah, good child actors are hard to come by, which is too bad, but whatever, I just try to ignore them... the show seems a lot better that way.

Good advice - but very hard to ignore those little crappy actors since they keep basing plotlines around them. But the show seems a little better when the little girl is lost in the woods and the little boy is passed out from his wound!

[Ragnarr]

good advice - but very hard to ignore those little crappy actors since they keep basing plotlines around them. But the show seems a little better when the little girl is lost in the woods and the little boy is passed out from his wound!

Not having any kids myself, it's hard for me to relate to the parents on TWD. The kids on the show certainly seem to be like two flies that somehow keep landing inside a cup of coffee that you would otherwise enjoy sipping on.

[clanglee]

Actually I like a lot of bad Italian/Spanish films. . .but there is no denying their lack of general cohesiveness. There are only a few gems really out of that genre, And my patience for such films have waned as I have grown a bit older. But touche. To each his own I guess. . .

[Brubaker]

It just blows my mind that AMC purchased the rights to Diary And Survival, but have yet to do so for Dawn or Day. Those two films are perfect for Fear Fest.

I love Fear Fest and all, but Diary and Survival are almost worse than all the Friday the 13th and Halloween films they played last year. And I'm definitely not a fan of those. Since the marathon started a few days ago I think i've enjoyed maybe two things: The Walking Dead and Christine. Their schedule has some good movies amongst the bad, so hopefully better things are to come.

1. Presumably it is less expensive to get the rights to air less successful, later day works from Romero than it is the earlier movies. For all we know, it may actually cost more money to get the rights to show Dawn than it does for both Survival and Diary combined.

2. For AMC, it probably makes perfect sense to show movies from the Halloween series leading up to Halloween. Can't vouch for Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street, though. Also worth noting that there are still Halloween movies being produced today, on account of a couple different reboots of the series, plus the fact that most of the movies in the series are reissued again and again every couple of years.

[bassman]

2. For AMC, it probably makes perfect sense to show movies from the Halloween series leading up to Halloween. Can't vouch for Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street, though. Also worth noting that there are still Halloween movies being produced today, on account of a couple different reboots of the series, plus the fact that most of the movies in the series are reissued again and again every couple of years.

It's not that they show those movies, it's that they ONLY show those movies. Last year(10), all they played were the Fridays and Halloweens. Over, and over, and over, and over again. Fear Fest used to have a large variety of classic films. Not so much anymore, it seems.