George Romero's Survival of the Dead

[Nostalgiabuff]

I skipped Diary, just looked stupid. I will check this one out at some point but not likely buy it.
I liked Land of the Dead though

[Mikey]

I liked Land of the Dead though

For me, I didn't care for Land of the Dead on my first viewing, but it grew on me after a while.

I can't see Diary every growing on me.

[Brazoo]

Diary was a huge let down. I need to see Survival because a friend of mine is in it, but after the initial reviews I was in no hurry.

When my friend first told me about this movie he said it was going to just be called "Of the Dead" and Romero kept saying it was going to be his last zombie movie.

[Cmonster]

Romero kept saying it was going to be his last zombie movie.

Let's hope so. He's done... I agree that NOTLD is amazing and a true genre classic. I've even found some new love on recent viewings for Dawn of the Dead, a film I never really liked in the past. But how many times can you keep making the same movie? I dunno... He's old hat now. A one trick pony, about 6 tricks past the first. Like a lot of filmmakers his age, I can respect his earlier work for its purity and true genius, but IMHO he's never been able to make a film as good as NOTLD... Not even close. He's become a parody of himself... A joke. I'd actually like to see him make a movie that had nothing to do with zombies, as I feel he's using them as a crutch. He never evolved as a director, or grew past what he did in NOTLD and I think a lot of people know that.

SC

[Mikey]

I wish Romero would do a Rocky and make one last GOOD movie and then retire the Dead franchise with dignity.

The problem with Romero is he just don't care anymore... You can tell the way these recent movies are written, structured and filmed that either Romero did them on a smoke break or somebody else did most of the work.

Diary of the Dead is NOT a George Romero movie.

[spamn]

Let's hope so. He's done... I agree that NOTLD is amazing and a true genre classic. I've even found some new love on recent viewings for Dawn of the Dead, a film I never really liked in the past. But how many times can you keep making the same movie? I dunno... He's old hat now. A one trick pony, about 6 tricks past the first. Like a lot of filmmakers his age, I can respect his earlier work for its purity and true genius, but IMHO he's never been able to make a film as good as NOTLD... Not even close. He's become a parody of himself... A joke. I'd actually like to see him make a movie that had nothing to do with zombies, as I feel he's using them as a crutch. He never evolved as a director, or grew past what he did in NOTLD and I think a lot of people know that.

SC

I thought Monkey Shines was half decent - have you seen it?

But as far as zombies go - The Walking Dead comic beat him to this plot.

[Cmonster]

Diary of the Dead is NOT a George Romero movie.

I could not disagree more, Mike. It most certainly IS a George Romero movie. He has the choice to make it a good movie or a bad one. It's in his hands and no one else's. The creative decisions he's made on last handful of films, have been simply awful. That's no one's fault but HIS. Like you said, he seems to simply not care anymore, and is content to make and release crap, and that's what ****es me off. He figures; "Oh, it's a George Romero movie, I have a fanbase and they'll all flock to see it, no matter how good it is..." He may not come out publicly and SAY it, but what's the excuse when you've made great films like NOTLD and DOTD? "Oh, it's this or it's that... There's not enough money, or enough time..." I'm sorry, but I'm just not buying his BS anymore.

He's suffering from the Lucas syndrome. It's that kind of mentality from a filmmaker, that makes them a joke and to be quite frank here; To me personally, it's even more disheartening because I would KILL for the opportunities that these guys have had, and BLOWN. I put everything I am into my films, and like them or not, they represent what every fiber of my creative being is capable of at the point in my career that time they're made. Nothing gets left on the set, it all goes up on the screen. I put 100% into my work and have sacrificed a lot to make them what they are, believe me. To turn out work like "Surviving the Dead", is a sacrilege. There's simply no excuse for it, and this isn't the first time he's done it... He needs to STOP.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me or see it my way, because my perspective is quite different. Some may even like the film, and that's cool too. I'm just saying he's done better. Much better. But when those films are 30+ years old, and it's time to re-invent yourself as a filmmaker or do something new, the guy has FAILED. He's still trying to ride the zombie (pun intended) of a dying horse, into the ground.

Lame.

Sorry.

SC

[haggis]

I didn't think Diary of the Dead was all that horrible. Didn't merit a repeat viewing or anything though....

[fallensaviour]

I didn't mind diary and felt that survival was of the same caliber.Are they great?
No not by a long shot but they are Zombie movies after all.I'm not looking for great stories out of these or big scares just some dead guys eating people.In that premise it delivers.Effects are minimal make-up is very minimal.The budget for this I'm sure was under $100,000 or at least I hope it was...LOL
Part of what makes a good zombie movie for me are the make-up and effects so this film lacks that but overall it was an okay watch.I miss the days of guys like Savini.
Would I pay $10 nope but I would buy it out of the cheap bin for $5.

[samurainoir]

I'm sure if it was up to Romero, he probably wouldn't have kept returning to Zombies either.

Up until recent years when HiDef digital and desktop editing evened out the playing field for feature length film, I would say that it wasn't necessarily down to Romero alone that he kept returning to Zombies. I understand that he has many projects that never got off the ground because he couldn't get the funding together.

If you were part of a group of investors or the head of a studio, what would you be more likely to finance for the fullest return on your investment? A Musical by George Romero of Day of the Dead?

List of unproduced Romero projects...

* Bolts By Michael Gornick & George Romero 1985 (Laurel Entertainment)
* Copperhead Conquers the Warhawks by George Romero and Jim Shooter 1983 (Laurel Entertainment and Marvel Entertainment Group)
* Imagine That story by George Romero; screenplay by Donald Bohlinger & J. Nathan 1986 (Laurel Entertainment) (actually there is a record of a treatment for this film being copyrighted in 1981 and many, many different versions of a screenplay including revisions by John Harrison, Michael McDowell, Donald Bohlinger, and James Nathan)
* The Devil’s Advocate teleplay/director’s shooting script by George A. Romero 1985 (Laurel TV)
* Frankenstein film treatment by George A. Romero 1982 (Laurel Entertainment)
* Generic Movie film treatment by George A. Romero 1982 (Laurel Entertainment)
* Gunperson screenplay by George A. Romero 1973 (Laurel Entertainment)
* Hoffmann - through the mansions of the moon treatment for a musical play by George A. Romero 1985 (Promittor, Inc.)
* Jacaranda Joe screenplay by George A. Romero 1994 (Sanibel Films, Inc.)
* Knights original screenplay, first draft by George A. Romero 1979 (The Laurel Group, Inc.) (could this be related to Knightriders, a sequel perhaps?)
* Old soldiers never die, Satan sends them back!: Day of the dead by George A. Romero 1983 (Laurel Entertainment, Inc.) (what the hell is this?)
* The Phantom Strikes by George A. Romero 1982 (Laurel Entertainment)
* Tales from the Darkside: The Movie 2 by George A. Romero, Michael McDowell, and Gahan Wilson 1992 (Laurel-DSM, Inc.) (I had no idea a sequel was written!!)
* Whiz Kid screenplay by George A. Romero 1986 (Sanibel Films)
* Synopsis of The Necronomicon by George A. Romero 1979 (The Laurel Group, Inc./Filmauro, S.R.L)

[samurainoir]

I do find a list of unproduced projects fascinating to compare with Romero's actual filmography as a director. He obviously had other film ideas, but was slotted into the Horror category by his own earliest successes.

# Survival of the Dead (2009)
... aka "George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead" - Canada (English title) (complete title)
# Diary of the Dead (2007)
... aka "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead" - USA (complete title)
... aka "The Death of Death" - USA (alternative title)
# Land of the Dead (2005)
... aka "George A. Romero's Land of the Dead" - USA (complete title)
... aka "La terre des morts" - Canada (French title)
# Bruiser (2000)
... aka "Devil's Mask" - Philippines (English title)

# The Dark Half (1993)
# Due occhi diabolici (1990) (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar") (as George Romero)
... aka "Two Evil Eyes" - USA

# Monkey Shines (1988)
... aka "Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear" - USA (promotional title)
# Day of the Dead (1985)
... aka "George A. Romero's Day of the Dead" - USA (complete title)
# Creepshow (1982)
... aka "Cuentos de ultratumba" - USA (Spanish title)
... aka "Stephen King's Creepshow" - International (English title) (long title)
# Knightriders (1981)
... aka "George A. Romero's Knightriders" - USA (complete title)

# Dawn of the Dead (1978)
... aka "George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead" - UK (closing credits title), USA (complete title)
... aka "The Zombies" - Philippines (English title)
# Martin (1977)
... aka "George A. Romero's Martin" - USA (DVD box title)
# O.J. Simpson: Juice on the Loose (1974) (TV) (as George Romero)
# "The Winners" (1 episode, 1974)
- Willie Stargell: If I Didn't Play Baseball (1974) TV episode
# The Crazies (1973)
# Hungry Wives (1972)
... aka "Season of the Witch" - USA (video title)
# There's Always Vanilla (1971)

# Night of the Living Dead (1968)
... aka "Laugh Track: Night of the Living Dead" - USA (video title (redubbed comic version))
... aka "Night of the Living Dead: 30th Anniversary Edition" - Philippines (English title) (recut version)

[samurainoir]

Was anyone interested in this film?

Chris Bradley is a young man who returns to his home city of Pittsburgh after several years of drifting and working odd jobs around the country since his discharge from the U.S. Army. Rejecting moving back in with his father and not wanting to return to the family business of manufacturing baby food, Chris meets and shacks up with Lynn, an older woman who works as a model in local TV commercials, and whom becomes his 'sugar mama' of supporting him financially and emotionaly, which begins to put a strain on the affair especially when Lynn finds out that she's pregnant and does not feel that Chris would make a responsible father or husband.

Neither was anyone else. This sophomore slump sent him right back into the horror genre where he attained his first success.

[ctc]

>Copperhead Conquers the Warhawks

Holee smokes! This NEEDS to be made.... whatever it's about! That's a great title!

And I think one of the problems with ANY zombie film is that, no matter what you do it's already been done. It's tough to come up with something unique 'cos the genre brings with it some big limitations. (So.... it can properly be said that Walking Dead beat a LOT of 'em to the punch; but Deadworld beat THEM to it 20 years ago....) Even makeup-wise: a dead guy is a dead guy, there are limits THERE too.

Don C.

[johnmiic]

Perhaps he should have opted to re-make The Crazies instead. I am intrigued by this film but will wait for video.

[mazinz]

Perhaps he should have opted to re-make The Crazies instead. I am intrigued by this film but will wait for video.

the new remake was actually pretty good. If Romero was involved it would have turned into another sucky film fest

Really if you think about it, besides the original night, dawn and I will even inc Day, what the hell has he done after them that was actually good?