NationStates Jolt Archive

So, yesterday was the premiere of "Land of the Dead" in my country and as it is becoming to a zombies movie´s afficionado, i was there. I pretty much enjoyed it, but as i see it, Mr. Romero continues to be a politically-minded filmmaker. No surprise there too, i guess, since the first three films of the saga were already (according to some critics, anyway) not so sutle ideological manifestos. Does anyone agree with this view? Is it fair to say that George Romero has always been adept of instiling a political subtext in his movies? If so, do you think that people recognize Mr. Romero much more as an auteur rather than just a director in the traditional American sense? What, in your opinion, have been the upmost philosophical and political guidelines playing a crucial part in Mr.Romero´s movies? (feel free to analyze any of his films).
In a nutshell, is Mr. Romero just a soissante-huitard with a craving for flesh eating?

So, yesterday was the premiere of "Land of the Dead" in my country and as it is becoming to a zombies movie´s afficionado, i was there. I pretty much enjoyed it, but as i see it, Mr. Romero continues to be a politically-minded filmmaker. No surprise there too, i guess, since the first three films of the saga were already (according to some critics, anyway) not so sutle ideological manifestos. Does anyone agree with this view? Is it fair to say that George Romero has always been adept of instiling a political subtext in his movies? If so, do you think that people recognize Mr. Romero much more as an auteur rather than just a director in the traditional American sense? What, in your opinion, have been the upmost philosophical and political guidelines playing a crucial part in Mr.Romero´s movies? (feel free to analyze any of his films).
In a nutshell, is Mr. Romero just a soissante-huitard with a craving for flesh eating? Night of the Living Dead was not intentionally political but due to it's having a black lead it inadvertadly became a powerful comment on the state of Race Relations in the U.S.

As Romero got more money, he began to explore more philosophical and political ground (let's not discount other excellent movies by GR, such as "The Crazies" and especially "Martin"), this climaxed in his next "Dead" films, one dealing with consumer-culture and the other assessing the provider-destroyer dynamic in all society.

I most definately consider George Romero an Autuer in terms of what the now obsolete theory defined. He intentionally wove social and political messages into almost all his films, and did it quite successfully I believe.

Romero has always had a suprisingly socialist bent to all his works, as well as a fascination with human psychology, but he has also embraced right-wing foreign policy and law enforcement concepts. I find his work challanging and highly enjoyable, one of the few who works within the horror genre who consistently works for greater meanings. (David Cronenberg being another good example).

BTW, I highly enjoyed Land of the Dead, I just wish it were longer dammit! I need more gut-ripping fun!

Night of the Living Dead was not intentionally political but due to it's having a black lead it inadvertadly became a powerful comment on the state of Race Relations in the U.S.

I hear this bullshit all the time.

It may be that in early stages Romero considered white actors for the role of Ben, but it is utterly unbelievable that the man did not immediately understand the political potential once he cast a black man. Just look at the race dynamics in the damn film... they practically tear the house apart before the zombies do! I mean, the film came out in 1968... It's not like Romero was "surprised" that a strong male lead would be significant.

Moreover, he has always described Night as depicting a world in which "one class/race/society rises up to overthrow the old world." (Paraphrase)

BTW, I highly enjoyed Land of the Dead, I just wish it were longer dammit! I need more gut-ripping fun!

Well, here at least we agree. ;)

Night of the Living Dead was not intentionally political but due to it's having a black lead it inadvertadly became a powerful comment on the state of Race Relations in the U.S.


snipped original post.

It wasn't intended as a commentary on race in the US, but it's scary how much social commentary one can find in that film. Not just about race, but also about the struggle for the future of America between the entrenched bourgeois conservatives (the older couple) and the younger generation (the young white couple) more willing to take chances and follow new leaders (the black guy). Also the older woman's own daughter kills her. This could be seen as a symbol of the comming generation raised to be mindless consumers (zombies) killing the morality that guided their parents.

I was actually thinking about this stuff before I went to bed last night. Weird coincidence that someone would have posted about it today.

It wasn't intended as a commentary on race in the US, but it's scary how much social commentary one can find in that film. Not just about race, but also about the struggle for the future of America between the entrenched bourgeois conservatives (the older couple) and the younger generation (the young white couple) more willing to take chances and follow new leaders (the black guy). Also the older woman's own daughter kills her. This could be seen as a symbol of the comming generation raised to be mindless consumers (zombies) killing the morality that guided their parents. Oh I certainly agree, I think Romero tapped into something really potent with that film, he seems to have a knack for highlighting social problems with laser-like focus, even if Race Relations wasn't his original intent, the manner in which he constructed the story allows for a myriad of interpretations.

Oh I certainly agree, I think Romero tapped into something really potent with that film, he seems to have a knack for highlighting social problems with laser-like focus, even if Race Relations wasn't his original intent, the manner in which he constructed the story allows for a myriad of interpretations.
Or maybe they're just zombie movies. I like to think that there's something more to it though.

Or maybe they're just zombie movies. I like to think that there's something more to it though. Even if there isn't, who cares? Zombies are fun enough on their own anyway.

would someone mid explaining this to someone who's never seen a george romero film....

So, yesterday was the premiere of "Land of the Dead" in my country and as it is becoming to a zombies movie´s afficionado, i was there. I pretty much enjoyed it, but as i see it, Mr. Romero continues to be a politically-minded filmmaker. No surprise there too, i guess, since the first three films of the saga were already (according to some critics, anyway) not so sutle ideological manifestos. Does anyone agree with this view? Is it fair to say that George Romero has always been adept of instiling a political subtext in his movies? If so, do you think that people recognize Mr. Romero much more as an auteur rather than just a director in the traditional American sense? What, in your opinion, have been the upmost philosophical and political guidelines playing a crucial part in Mr.Romero´s movies? (feel free to analyze any of his films).
In a nutshell, is Mr. Romero just a soissante-huitard with a craving for flesh eating?
The answer to your questions is yes. (And I watched yesterday's German premier). Now I need more - guess my craving hasn't been fully satisfied :D
Groan :eek: Brains!

would someone mid explaining this to someone who's never seen a george romero film....
Romero's made mostly zombie movies in his career, although he's made a few non-zombie films. Most of his fans agree that the characters, the settings, and the zombies themselves represent social trends and groups of people in society. For example, in Dawn of the Dead, the zombies besieging the mall may be seen as the mindless conformist, consumerist masses that populate our modern society.

In Land of the dead, one almost fels that the zombie population, in the beggining of the film were generally content to just walk around mimiquing their activities and rotines while they were alive...it takes that one of the zombies feels itself subject to one indignity too many for the zombie element to rise up againt the human half...its almost like the leader zombie is a hero of the working class and leads the proletariat to a bloody revolution...even the fact that at the beginning of the movie the zombies are enthraled into a mindless stupor by the fireworks seems a analogy to the power of religion, (and nowadays many neo-marxists would add alienating tv and such) as a drug that lays the working class oblivious to the plight and exploitation that the upper classes visit upon the former...

In a nutshell, is Mr. Romero just a soissante-huitard with a craving for flesh eating?
I don't know who this George Romero is, but if you ask me, your line there makes him sound more like Salvadore Dali than the modern day John Steinbeck you try to make him out to be. Not that Dali was bad, of course.

I don't know who this George Romero is, but if you ask me, your line there makes him sound more like Salvadore Dali than the modern day John Steinbeck you try to make him out to be. Not that Dali was bad, of course.
First of all, of course, you´re a phillistine unworthy of contact with polite society for not being aware who George Romero is. :p
Secondly, why do you take it he is more like Salvador Dali?

First of all, of course, you´re a phillistine unworthy of contact with polite society for not being aware who George Romero is. :p
Secondly, why do you take it he is more like Salvador Dali?
The flesh eating fetish just made me think.

The flesh eating fetish just made me think.
i believe Dali never had that kind of deviant behaviour...although there´s a funny story about him. His father abandoned him in his childood...many years later, they met and Dali offered his father a small cup filled with sperm, sayng "Here, this is what i owed you"