Night of the Living Dead and George Romero’s five other zombie movies, ranked

Beginning with his 1968 creation of Night of the Living DeadGeorge Romero is famous as the creator of the modern zombie. Romero is responsible for introducing the idea of Zombies are like stumbling, flesh-eating undead who seek to eat and destroy the living. Before this, zombies existed in the context of voodoo but not in mass media. His works spawned numerous spin-offs and sequels, with Romero’s zombie films inspiring and influencing countless others in the zombie and horror genres. However, Romero officially created six films, with a seventh, Twilight of the Living DeadBeing an upcoming posthumous production.

In the six films, the timeline is jumped around, with some of the sequels taking place shortly after the original but set in a different time. The movies were created in a 41-year time framewith many reflecting the era and technology available at the time of their creation. The films all take place in the same Living Dead universe but do not follow the same characters, with some human and a few zombie exceptions. Taking into account their differences in production quality, as well as the themes and relationship, and their portrayal of zombies, Romero’s zombie movies have developed a clear hierarchy.

6

Survival of the Dead (2009)

Romero’s last film before his death in 2017

The last of Romero’s films, Survival of the DeadFollows a group of National Guardsmen who flee to an island with more conflict and turmoil. The film struggles to balance horror and humor, which leads to an uneven tone. This inconsistency detracts from the tension and emotional impact, especially of Romero’s films. It was inspired by a famous western film, The great countryThrough which Romero wanted to explore the idea of ​​an eternal war. Although this provided a twist on the genre with plenty of gore, Many found it to be one of Romero’s less inspired works.

It is the only film in the series to prominently include characters from a previous installment, as the Guardsmen appeared in Diary of the Dead Two years before. The events of the movie are set soon after Night of the Living Deadwith some overlap with Diary of the Dead. As the last of the series, It’s not exactly groundbreakingAnd many find it feels more like a generic zombie film than a thought-provoking commentary like his past films.

5

Diary of the Dead (2007)

Romero’s take on emerging media

land of the deadThe fifth installment of the franchise, uses the found footage trope to follow yet another group of people at the beginning of the zombie invasion. Romero used the film to Focus on emerging media and topics of media, technology and reality in the digital age. This was executed mainly through the found footage of a group of ​​students who endure the apocalypse, using the Internet and blogs as their source of information. The film also used extensive CGI, making it wildly different from the homemade feel and practical effects of the original.

Land of the dead References the other movies in the series, however Ultimately takes place on a different timeline than the originals. like Night of the Living DeadIt shows the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. However, there is a more modern retelling, now following a group of film students with cameras. The movie also features voice cameos from media legends Stephen King, Quentin Tarantino, Wes Craven, Guillermo del Toro and Simon Pegg. While the film tries to deal with contemporary issues, it does not lack in its execution, especially when compared to Romero’s other projects.

4

Land of the Dead (2005)

Romero’s return to the genre 20 years later

land of the deadRomero’s fourth zombie film, was made during A resurgence of zombie films in the early 2000sincluded Shaun of the dead And 28 days later. Although Romero rarely took notes from Hollywood, it would have been a missed opportunity for the creator of the zombie genre not to participate in the growing trend, even though it had been 20 years since his last zombie film. The new movie was centered around the city of Pittsburgh, which found a way to use geographical resources and military under a feudal-like government to protect itself from the zombies.

Romero created land of the dead With the most important budget he has to date, resulting in a critical and commercial success, grossing $46 million on a $15 million budget. Although Romero wanted to cast some lesser-known actors, keeping with the humble roots of the series, Some big names appear as zombies. Tom Savini, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright all appear in zombie roles, a fantastic cameo for those who know where to look. A prequel video game, titled Land of the Dead: Road to Fiddler’s Greenwas released later in the same year.

3

Day of the Dead (1985)

Soldiers and scientists are at odds

Day of the dead is the third film in the series and spreads the zombie apocalypse from yet another attitude and point of view. The film takes place in an underground Florida bunker and follows a group of scientists and military personnel just a few months after the events of the second film. The military tone allows the film to Explore deeper themes of survival, humanity and the struggle for power from a different point of view. The main raises questions about ethics and morality in desperate situations, as the scientists and soldiers begin to distrust each other in the bunker.

The film was released unrated, because Romero insisted on steering away from larger production companies that would make him reduce the gore and violence to achieve an R-rating. This means that fans of Romero’s shocking carnage and carnage will be saturated by this filmPerhaps even more so than with some of the other films. Day of the dead Features Bub the Zombie, who ends up showing some resemblance to his previous human self. This movie is the least compelling or notable of the original trilogy, but still works as an essential addition to Romero’s collection of zombie films.

2

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Romero’s first look at zombies

The first of the series, Night of the Living Deadis often considered the first zombie movie. Although there have been other smaller zombie films before, Night of the Living Dead Popularized The modern zombie as it is known today: mindless and gore. The movie created zombie movie tropes and rules that are still recognized and utilized. The film is essential in the franchise as it depicts the initial outbreak of the franchise’s central zombie plague.

Night of the Living Dead Also takes an important step to deal with social issues, especially racial issues, which were particularly hot at the time. The casting of Duane Jones, an African-American actor, in the lead role was particularly significant in the context of the Civil Rights movement. While Romero has claimed the casting is color-blind, there is no denying it The impact of a person of color as the hero. It also made the end of the film more haunting and significant, foreshadowing the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., even though it wouldn’t happen until later that same year.

Shot on a low budget by the recent film school graduate, Romero’s resourcefulness led to creative storytelling techniques and effective use of practical effects that have proven memorable almost 60 years later. His use of camera work and angles drive the story and create lasting and haunting images. The strong black-and-white cinematography adds to the hopeful atmosphere of the film. The zombies, many of whom are played by locals, have a genre-defining performance. Night of the Living Dead laid the groundwork for the modern zombie genreInfluencing films, television, video games and literature. The movie’s impact on pop culture remains profound.

1

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Romero’s shopping mall sequel

Released 10 years later, the first sequel to Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the DeadTakes place a few weeks after the initial film. However, it takes everything great about the original and makes them better. The film is not in color and was taken from the rural farmhouse. It is now Put yourself in a shopping mall and take a plunge into consumerism. The mall setting serves as a reflection of society, highlighting how people can become trapped in their own routines and need to buy. It takes much more of an attempt at social commentary than the first film.

It still has Romero’s classic feel while also modernizing the franchiseAt least up to date with its 70s setting. Dawn of the Dead Work to further explore the larger effects of a zombie apocalypse on society. Whereas the first film was an investigation of viewpoints on an unknown event, the second film already lives in the world of the zombies. In this film, the characters have already had time to discover and adapt to the new standard. Now, they are forced to survive in a mall amid mass hysteria.

The movie is also able to have A little more fun with the wild concept of zombies. The excellent gore, zombie kills and action sequences give Dawn of the Dead An apocalyptic feeling. The film blends horror with dark humor and character development, allowing audiences to connect with the protagonists. Although most of Romero’s films explore human relationships and survival under extreme circumstances, Dawn of the Dead Arguably it does best and with the most style, now give color and spirit to the creatures. Night of the Living DeadIts impact is undeniable, with its very first sequel a testament to the enduring quality of Romero’s work.