Studio interference in Land?

[Fecunditatis]

This is what Romero told C. H. U. D.'s Devin Faraci in Sundance:

"I loved doing Land of the Dead, and I always have to say this because it's the truth, but Universal let me make that movie. I was terrified of those boys in the Black Tower, but they were great. They let me make the film the way I wanted to make it. But it's just too hard, and it's not what I set out to do with this. I'd much rather keep it small, stay at the two dollar betting window".

Read the whole interview (mostly about "Diary") in
http://chud.com/articles/articles/13598/1/EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-GEORGE-ROMERO-DIARY-OF-THE-DEAD/Page1.html

[bassman]

Of course he's going to say this in some circles. He doesn't want to piss anyone off. Look at some other interviews and you'll see that he's a bit more honest about it.

[DjfunkmasterG]

It wasn't so much Universal as it was the producers. Some of those guys were jerks. When i was on set they kept hassling over which zombies would be used because some of were filmed being shot in the head.

[MinionZombie]

Damn producers! *shakes fist like a fogey*

Oh well, Land was still good I say ... of course, as you all know.

Anyway, I certainly look forward to seeing Diary and GAR getting fast & loose again, but in a way he wants, not being fast because you're running out of time. I have a feeling Diary will display more of Romero's classic mojo.

[RJ_Sevin]

George is probably just being diplomatic. And when he says that Universal left him alone, he's probably talking about his on-set experience -- maybe Universal literally left him alone on set.

But before production? In the past, he has used the word "rape" to describe what Universal did to his script, by demanding re-write after re-write.

[acealive1]

George is probably just being diplomatic. And when he says that Universal left him alone, he's probably talking about his on-set experience -- maybe Universal literally left him alone on set.

But before production? In the past, he has used the word "rape" to describe what Universal did to his script, by demanding re-write after re-write.


you'd think george wouldnt need a re write since he started a phenomenon with zombie films and made it popular. so all of his zed films have been remade.....where does universal get off telling him how to write a film? might as well tell argento that his films are sub par

[Monrozombi]

you'd think george wouldnt need a re write since he started a phenomenon with zombie films and made it popular. so all of his zed films have been remade.....where does universal get off telling him how to write a film? might as well tell argento that his films are sub par

well when dealing with a studio, they have a lot more influence then alot of people think. Its not the prettiest side of the business but if George really wanted to get his zombie film made and distributed then you have go w/ the studio.

This is the main reason George has never gone Hollywood and why a lot of times people reject his scripts as they aren't as mainstream as most other filmmakers and he's one to stick with his vision. This is why he likes to remain independent more of who George is comes through in his film when he's making films independently

[Griff]

George is probably just being diplomatic. And when he says that Universal left him alone, he's probably talking about his on-set experience -- maybe Universal literally left him alone on set.

Pretty much. I heard him say that they refused to give him any extra shooting units until the final day, despite his constant requests. Romero's biggest disappointment with LAND would seem to be that he simply didn't get anywhere near the amount of footage he needed to tell his story effectively. For example, he thought that the hanging scene in Fiddler's Green was so ineffective he cut it out of the theatrical release.


But before production? In the past, he has used the word "rape" to describe what Universal did to his script, by demanding re-write after re-write.

Ha. I'd love to read that interview.

[acealive1]

well when dealing with a studio, they have a lot more influence then alot of people think. Its not the prettiest side of the business but if George really wanted to get his zombie film made and distributed then you have go w/ the studio.

This is the main reason George has never gone Hollywood and why a lot of times people reject his scripts as they aren't as mainstream as most other filmmakers and he's one to stick with his vision. This is why he likes to remain independent more of who George is comes through in his film when he's making films independently


my thing is if your work is constantly being remade and emulated, why would they have u go rewrite your script?

[Griff]

my thing is if your work is constantly being remade and emulated, why would they have u go rewrite your script?

Exactly. When Roger Avary approached the producers behind the then upcoming DAWN OF THE DEAD remake, they snarkily commented to him that Romero had never made a successful movie. You gotta wonder why then they were remaking one of his 'duds'.

Another intersesting quote from that interview:


It's grueling to have to do it that big, and I don't care so much for 'We have to have the big effects, we have to have action sequences' - I don't care to have that be one of the mandates.

Looks like alotta resources were put towards getting those bigger moments in the film, at the expense of the smaller and, perhaps, more important ones.

[acealive1]

Exactly. When Roger Avary approached the producers behind the then upcoming DAWN OF THE DEAD remake, they snarkily commented to him that Romero had never made a successful movie. You gotta wonder why then they were remaking one of his 'duds'.








very true. in other news,the man who made "the stuff" is getting green lit to remake almost all of his films with bigger budgets. i'd LOVE to see them take full advantage of the stuff marketing wise this time.

[Monrozombi]

my thing is if your work is constantly being remade and emulated, why would they have u go rewrite your script?

you're guess is as good as mine. But what I would think, going along w/ Griff's response to the same question is that they were probably trying to fit the film & script into what they thought would be a successful film. They had all the action, explosions etc in the DOTD remake, so why not do the same w/ George and have his name attached to it this time where DOTD 04 did not have that.

[Griff]

very true. in other news,the man who made "the stuff" is getting green lit to remake almost all of his films with bigger budgets. i'd LOVE to see them take full advantage of the stuff marketing wise this time.

Larry Cohen? Wow.

[acealive1]

Larry Cohen? Wow.


i forgot his name,but if thats him,then yes.

[Suicycho]

Studio interference or not, it was the ham-fisted message that killed Land.

People thought, wow, another GAR zombie flick. Cool.

Then they saw it, and realized it was a, preachy, far left, America is a wretched place op-ed disguised as a zombie movie.

I know, Night and Dawn were full of commentary, but it was broad and generalized where Land was narrowly focused, self-righteous left wing political rhetoric.

[bassman]

Studio interference or not, it was the ham-fisted message that killed Land.

People thought, wow, another GAR zombie flick. Cool.

Then they saw it, and realized it was a, preachy, far left, America is a wretched place op-ed disguised as a zombie movie.

I know, Night and Dawn were full of commentary, but it was broad and generalized where Land was narrowly focused, self-righteous left wing political rhetoric.

I really hate to get back into this argument...but I have to say it...

I think you should re-watch Romero's older films and pay closer attention.

[Suicycho]

I really hate to get back into this argument...but I have to say it...

I think you should re-watch Romero's older films and pay closer attention.

Ya, I didn't want to re-hash this either, but the attempts to lay the blame for Land on the studio's is kind of a copout I think.

Re-watch them?

I can recite Night, Dawn & Day line for line and explain what is happening shot for shot.

The social/political commentary is very broad and general, not political rhetoric.

[bassman]

The social/political commentary is very broad and general, not political rhetoric.

I guess you and I saw different films....

[MinionZombie]

I didn't feel clubbed to death by political commentary in Land.

Things like 'don't negotiate with terrorists' I felt was more a little nod & wink to the audience, a bit of a gag.

As for the rest of the film, I never really feel pressured by the commentary, in fact I don't really notice it at all, I'm too busy concentrating on the central theme of "ignoring the problem" and the whole "they're us and we're them" thing ... as well as it just being a good movie. :)

[Trin]

I agree that the "we don't negotiate with terrorists" line was more campy than a statement. I didn't feel clubbed by that.

I did feel like the "ignoring the problem" aspect of the movie was a beating at the hands of the movie's message. The unfortunate victim of the beating was the plot. So much of the movie revolved around setting and actions precipitated by the over-stated message.

Land was a poorer reflection of human society than the previous movies. In Night and Dawn the actions of the characters were believable and sound. Any political commentary drew from the storyline and didn't detract from the believability of the characters. Day pushed the boundaries a bit, forcing me to scratch my head at some of them. But Land... man, the actions of the people were caricatures of how people would really act.

I don't think the studio caused any of that.