The 'Trilogy of the Dead' George A Romero

Jack Sheehan

I just got the trilogy of the dead box set (Night of the Living Dead 1968, Dawn of the Dead 1978 and Day of the Dead 1985) for Christmas and I've watched Night and Dawn so far. It's made me remember how much I loved these movies.

I'm aware that it's really a 'quadrilogy' with Land of the Dead but in my opinion these three are the real Trilogy.

Are these among anyone else's favorite films? I can't get over how well the effects look even after 30 years.

Karl Hungus

I love them. Really liked Land of the Dead as well, even though a lot of people disliked it.

Had Dawn and Day on VHS back in the day, and really wore them out. Probably not quite as worn out as my Evil Dead 2 tape, mind you.

Jack Sheehan

O don't get me wrong I liked land as well, not least because it had some actors weve heard of for a change...

unreggd

I love original movies, but if the remake is done good, i tend to like it slightly better

I prefer the remake of Night OTLD, and thought the Dawn remake was class

Same atmosphere, yet the fact that the zombies could run upped the pacing loads


Wasnt mad about Land

The whole concept of smart zombies was kinda stupid

I know they need to go somewhere new, but sometimes the risks dont pay off

Still, its a growing genre [zombie/virus] and the latest seem to be really good, bar the rediculous Resi films [all of which i have on DVD ]

Otis Driftwood

The original 3 are 3 of the greatest horror movies ever committed to celluloid.

Land of the Dead really pissed me off.

The remake of Dawn was an MTV inspired piece of crap IMO.

The best releases Ive seen are the Dawn ultimate edition

http://www.cdwow.ie/detail_results_2.php?product_code=12403

And the Day of the Dead Divimax Edition

http://www.cdwow.ie/detail_results_14.php?product_code=1116626


I have both and they have bucketloads of cool extras.
For my money the extended cut is the best version.
Theres a nice few extra gutmunching and gore scenes in it.

Tusky

nedtheshed wrote: »

The remake of Dawn was an MTV inspired piece of crap IMO.

I'm a massive Romero fan but loved the dawn remake, so much so, that its one my favorite zombie movies. Why do you say it was 'mtv' inspired ? Purely because Alex Zane was on screen as a zombie for half a second ?

I'm not alone either, the vast majority of horror and Romero fans loved it as well.

Karl Hungus

Frankly, I loved the Dawn of the Dead remake as well.

Zack Snyder crafted a very good film, and I can watch both the original and remake as completely seperate films. It's one of the few remakes that does it's own thing with the source material, such as Cronenberg's The Fly, or Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

mike65

The remake is on C4 tonight at 10.

Mike.

Jack Sheehan

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Frankly, I loved the Dawn of the Dead remake as well.

Zack Snyder crafted a very good film, and I can watch both the original and remake as completely seperate films. It's one of the few remakes that does it's own thing with the source material, such as Cronenberg's The Fly, or Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

You missed 'The Thing From Outer Space' which became 'The Thing', a movie we all know and love. Good list though it's an important point to take some remakes as separate films.

senordingdong

I love the originals. Day dragged alot but every time I've re-watched it, it seems to fit more and more into place with the other two.
I was very dissapointed with Land but am not beyond re-watching it to let it grow on me.

As for the remake.
Absolutly brilliant. Directors cut ofcourse.
It's a nice take on the story. Different enough to make it it's own.

Karl Hungus

Jack Sheehan wrote: »

You missed 'The Thing From Outer Space' which became 'The Thing', a movie we all know and love. Good list though it's an important point to take some remakes as separate films.

Well, both films are based on Who Goes There? It's like saying Coppola's Dracula is a remake of Browning's Dracula. Really depends on your definition of the term remake.

Jack Sheehan

True it is a bit like saying that I am legend is a remake of the Omega Man.

Karl Hungus

Then again, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers is based on a book, so is that a remake? Bugger it!

Jack Sheehan

Back on subject however, Romero states that his personal favourate is day, what is everyone elses? (dawn would be mine)

senordingdong

Dawn ofcourse.

I think Dawn would be my favourite of the four films, though I really must rewatch them in order soon.

Otis Driftwood

Tusky wrote: »

I'm a massive Romero fan but loved the dawn remake, so much so, that its one my favorite zombie movies. Why do you say it was 'mtv' inspired ? Purely because Alex Zane was on screen as a zombie for half a second ?

I'm not alone either, the vast majority of horror and Romero fans loved it as well.

Just googled Alex Zane-meh-had never heard of him and didnt know he was in it.
I just didnt like it at all,it just seemed far too flashy for my tastes ie like and MTV music video.
And I know Im repeating myself from other threads but the use of CGI and running Zombies just doesnt wash with me.
Read its on tonight.
I may give it another watch as I havnt seen it since it was in the cinema and come back with a revised opinion.

robby^5

nedtheshed wrote: »

I just didnt like it at all,it just seemed far too flashy for my tastes ie like and MTV music video.

Those kids and their "music television", back in my day we had vinyl and 8 track, and the only LCD's we had were illegal!

nedtheshed wrote: »

I just didnt like it at all,it just seemed far too And I know Im repeating myself from other threads but the use of CGI and running Zombies just doesnt wash with me.

Naah I think the whole running zombie thing brought new life into the genre, as with 28 days later.

And I don't see how the film is supposed to be flashy, it was fairly minimalistic in terms of cgi really, I cant really think of more than two or three scenes in which a zombie death is created with cgi. In fact the cgi was used really well to give us a real sense of scale by being able to populate the outside of the mall with thousands upon thousand of zombies.

Eirebear

I love the four Romero films, and when watched in order the "smart" zombies that people complain about in "Land" makes complete sense.
There is evidence of the zombies developing and becoming more "intelligent" from film to film.

Otis Driftwood

Watched the first hour of the Dawn remake last night and my original impression still stands-total pants.

IMHO.

Jack Sheehan

Best quote from any zombie movie?
Night of the living dead:
'Chief are they slow moving?'
'Well, they're dead, they're.....all messed up.'

senordingdong

robby^5 wrote: »

And I don't see how the film is supposed to be flashy, it was fairly minimalistic in terms of cgi really, I cant really think of more than two or three scenes in which a zombie death is created with cgi. In fact the cgi was used really well to give us a real sense of scale by being able to populate the outside of the mall with thousands upon thousand of zombies.

Was there cgi used for zombie deaths? I only noticed it for some fires and explosions.

johnny_ultimate

Always thought Night was the most influential, although I have yet to see Day. Really surprised me when I watched it as it is still pretty shocking and unexpected. One horror film which hasn't aged half as badly as it should have, and probably one of the finest examples of the genre (especially the final act).

Land was decent, although some of the insert shots of zombies learning to do this and that were hilariously overwrought, and not in a particularly good way.

Oh, and if anyone has yet to see Night, 'tis in the public domain due to shoddy copyrighting. Probably one of the few PD films (along with early Kurosawa) that is well worth looking for.

armour87

I bought Night of the Living Dead about a year ago simply because it mentioned it on the Resident Evil 4 wiki page, what a great movie... "Well I'm the boss up here!"

Should I go get the rest?

Tusky

nedtheshed wrote: »

Watched the first hour of the Dawn remake last night and my original impression still stands-total pants.

IMHO.

We're all entitled to our opinions! As someone else has said, the CGI is minimal and I would use it as a really good example of well used CGI in a horror film. I also think the film has one of the best openings I have seen in recent years.

Kess73

The remake of "Day Of The Dead" is due out this year, and Romero will be releasing "Diary Of The Dead" this year which already has been greenlit for a part two.

armour87

armour87 wrote: »

I bought Night of the Living Dead about a year ago simply because it mentioned it on the Resident Evil 4 wiki page, what a great movie... "Well I'm the boss up here!"

Should I go get the rest?

I highly recommend that you do. All three films stand on their own merits and each is an example of truely great horror cinema. You can pick the box set up dirt cheap these days.

Tusky wrote: »

We're all entitled to our opinions! As someone else has said, the CGI is minimal and I would use it as a really good example of well used CGI in a horror film. I also think the film has one of the best openings I have seen in recent years.

+1. The opening remains one of the finest opening scenes of the decade. I love how Snyder uses the camera during Sarah Polly's escape in the car. It gave proceedings a fresh feeling and upped the tension considerably.

Valmont

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Frankly, I loved the Dawn of the Dead remake as well.

Zack Snyder crafted a very good film, and I can watch both the original and remake as completely seperate films. It's one of the few remakes that does it's own thing with the source material, such as Cronenberg's The Fly, or Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

I completely agree. There was no way that they could have reproduced the satire and general atmosphere of the original so it was a good idea to go in a new direction, which I think was a cracking action movie.

I definitely did not like Land of the Dead - Zombies, as I understand the original definition, should not run (dawn is the exception), and definitely should not be clever.

The appeal for me is their slow, unrepenting onslaught which builds up great suspense. The fast paced action zombies don't have this although they can still be enjoyable.

Tusky

armour87 wrote: »

I bought Night of the Living Dead about a year ago simply because it mentioned it on the Resident Evil 4 wiki page, what a great movie... "Well I'm the boss up here!"

Should I go get the rest?

What a silly question, go get them now!

+1. The opening remains one of the finest opening scenes of the decade. I love how Snyder uses the camera during Sarah Polly's escape in the car. It gave proceedings a fresh feeling and upped the tension considerably.

Aye, it really felt like you were on the street with her and got across the 'chaos' really well. Great use of the Johnny Cash song for the credits as well.

koneko

I enjoyed the Dawn remake, but I don't consider it related to the original in any way, I think it's better to think of it that way, as a seperate actiony movie instead of a real zombie movie. Not a patch on the original

Watched Dawn again last night for the umpteeth time (my Blu-Ray arrived!).

senordingdong

Tusky wrote: »

We're all entitled to our opinions! As someone else has said, the CGI is minimal and I would use it as a really good example of well used CGI in a horror film. I also think the film has one of the best openings I have seen in recent years.

Hell yes + 1.
The unexpected horror and gore.
And then Johnny Cash singing over judgment day. I get goose bumps thinking about it.

armour87

Anxiously awating link for cheap box set...

Otis Driftwood

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trilogy-Of-The-Dead-DVD-2002_W0QQitemZ200189151926QQihZ010QQcategoryZ2288QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GEORGE-A-ROMERO-S-TRILOGY-OF-THE-DEAD-4-DISC-BOX-NM_W0QQitemZ350012811588QQihZ022QQcategoryZ2288QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

bombidol

The anchor bay box set is great.

Jack Sheehan

You can pick up all three in Tower on wicklow St. for about 20 quid, in the 'thrilogy of the dead' set.

ztoical

Jack Sheehan wrote: »

I just got the trilogy of the dead box set (Night of the Living Dead 1968, Dawn of the Dead 1978 and Day of the Dead 1985) for Christmas and I've watched Night and Dawn so far. It's made me remember how much I loved these movies.

I'm aware that it's really a 'quadrilogy' with Land of the Dead but in my opinion these three are the real Trilogy.

Are these among anyone else's favorite films? I can't get over how well the effects look even after 30 years.

Is it the box set with the documentary Document of the dead?

Jack Sheehan

Im almost sure it does have that yeah. I'll check in a bit.

ztoical

Jack Sheehan wrote: »

Im almost sure it does have that yeah. I'll check in a bit.

Def watch it if you have it, its agood campion to the movies - thou I'm biased cus Roy Frumkes, who made it, was my teacher and is a friend of mine. He got to play a zombie in Dawn of the dead [first one to get a pie in the face]

Theres an interview in it [haven't watched it a bit so not 100% when] between him and Romero. Their walking around the set talking about the movie and Romero had a huge snot on his nose that he was trying to wipe away but without making it really obvious on camera. When you know thats what he is trying to do the interview is really funny.