ROTTEN TOMATOES: George A. Romero on Diary of the Dead: The RT Interview Comments

George A. Romero on Diary of the Dead: The RT Interview

by Fred Topel | February 15, 2008

Summary

With sequel talk already on the horizon, RT chats up horror legend George A. Romero about zombie movies and the latest addition to his Living Dead series. Back to Article

(41-45 of 45 posts) | Reply

mattdaddy36 writes:
on Mar 10 2008 06:11 AM

There is a ton of direct to video trash out there. I'm sure Diary is better than 90% of that crap. However, to those that hated Day Of The Dead and Land Of The Dead, they were what his vision for the series called for. He wanted to use the zombies for more than a plot device. He was looking to use them as an allegory on the human condition. While I was disappointed in both movies (although when I saw this movie in the theaters, I loved it - there was no gore movies like it at the time), I like aspects about both. There was some fun gore effects, some interesting ideas, and some great zombie effects. In Day, the claustrophobic feeling and impending sense of doom were really what made the lasting impression. I can't say Land Of The Dead gave me a lasting impression, but the belly button ring gag was inspired! In Day Of The Dead, some of the actors and the music made it hard to get into. Land Of The Dead humanized the zombies too much and the slightly "Mad-Max-ish" world they lived in may have put some people off. To the guy who watched it on fast forward. Watch the damn movie. Make a real decision then. Since you already hated it, you will probably hate it again. But to say you watched it on fast forward and make any sort of opinion is just lazy. As for the remakes...the remake of Dawn by Zack Snyder isn't really a remake. The only similarity is the mall and the basic story. As a zombie movie, it is by far the best I have seen. The sense of true world chaos and doom is really palpable in this one. The makeup and effects are excellent. The acting is really good (say what you will about Sarah Polley, but she really brought some excellent acting chops to the film. Jake Weber is a great hero, and Ving Rhames is a great badass. This movie, after I got out of the theater, made me check my back seat before I drove home. I was very unsettled by it and I am a horror movie VETERAN. I really did not want to like the movie, as the original Dawn Of The Dead was my favorite movie of all time. It blew me away. I have not heard about a Day remake, and Nick Cannon sounds scary.

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mattdaddy36 writes:
on Mar 10 2008 06:13 AM

There is a ton of direct to video trash out there. I'm sure Diary is better than 90% of that crap. However, to those that hated Day Of The Dead and Land Of The Dead, they were what his vision for the series called for. He wanted to use the zombies for more than a plot device. He was looking to use them as an allegory on the human condition. While I was disappointed in both movies (although when I saw this movie in the theaters, I loved it - there was no gore movies like it at the time), I like aspects about both. There was some fun gore effects, some interesting ideas, and some great zombie effects. In Day, the claustrophobic feeling and impending sense of doom were really what made the lasting impression. I can't say Land Of The Dead gave me a lasting impression, but the belly button ring gag was inspired! In Day Of The Dead, some of the actors and the music made it hard to get into. Land Of The Dead humanized the zombies too much and the slightly "Mad-Max-ish" world they lived in may have put some people off. To the guy who watched it on fast forward. Watch the damn movie. Make a real decision then. Since you already hated it, you will probably hate it again. But to say you watched it on fast forward and make any sort of opinion is just lazy. As for the remakes...the remake of Dawn by Zack Snyder isn't really a remake. The only similarity is the mall and the basic story. As a zombie movie, it is by far the best I have seen. The sense of true world chaos and doom is really palpable in this one. The makeup and effects are excellent. The acting is really good (say what you will about Sarah Polley, but she really brought some excellent acting chops to the film). Jake Weber is a great hero, and Ving Rhames is a great badass. This movie, after I got out of the theater, made me check my back seat before I drove home. I was very unsettled by it and I am a horror movie VETERAN. I really did not want to like the movie, as the original Dawn Of The Dead was my favorite movie of all time. It blew me away. I have not heard about a Day remake, and Nick Cannon sounds scary.

(Reply to this)

jrdamwijk writes:
on May 14 2008 12:35 PM

Land of the Dead, while good, was no where near as good as Day of the Dead or Dawn of the Dead. Anyone who thinks Day of the Dead was bad, I would like to hear some reasons as to why. All I hear from the naysayers is that the film was "Stupid", I'd like to know in what way. That film remains my favorite of the series, and the most rewatchable by far. It may not be the "Best", but its my fave, and its in no way "stupid", it was Romero's idea to go in that direction with the zombies, that they still held close part of what made them human in the first place, and it honestly makes since. It was in a way that way in Dawn of the Dead, as the zombies all came back to the mall, they had some sort of good memory, and unfortunately they all flocked to a place of consumerism, which is one of the main points of his series. So Day of the Dead was just a further extension of what was put forth in Dawn of the Dead, that they weren't completely stupid, that they had some semblance of brainpower going on in their heads. And, let us remember, they are walking dead, and none of us are talking about that being rediculous. So now they think animalistically and instinctually and have memories and now that is somehow "stupid"? Come on, people.

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Gmince1 writes:
on Jun 17 2008 03:34 PM

Whewww! I had to go through signing up for an account just to say that George Romeros "NEW" movies are all freakin horrible! Absolutely ridiculous! I just rented Diary of the Dead today because even though I know it's gonna suck I just want to see how bad. Plus my girls cousin works at blockbuster so he gives me movies. (Trust me I wouldn't pay for this, I'll pay enough just by devoting an hour and a half of my life to watch it.) But all I'm saying is zombies used to be "slow" and "creepy". They used to "moan" and wear old suits that they were buried in. Now a days all the zombies are running around??? Now all the zombies are making screeching noises and don't tell me they're getting smarter??? My god, I can't tell if they're coming back from the dead or they're just infected like 28 days later! (Which was excellent, 28 weeks later sucked!) All I'm sayin is Georgie Boy says he doesn't wanna go too far and all this but he's pretty much gone overboard man. He needs to stop lol really though, just stop. Nick Cannon?? Wow. Let Rob Zombie do some zombie **** Romero's washed up. Just retire for Christs sake, your **** isn't even making theaters anymore. Alright how do I cancel this account!!

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Gmince1 writes:
on Jun 17 2008 06:38 PM

Well I just got done watching "Diary of the Dead" and I feel like doing to myself what "Mary" did to herself in the field in the beginning. Coming from a so called "Legendary" director of horror movies this was an absolute disgrace and as far as I'm concerned this movie belongs on FearNet for free, if anything at all. Was he unsure where he wanted the ending to go so he just sort of had the girl say "Don't Mess with Texas" and take the RV so they were stuck at the house???? Whatever. Sloppy.

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