Beginning with his 1968 creation of Night of the Living Dead, George Romero is renowned as the creator of the modern zombie. Romero is responsible for introducing the idea of zombies as stumbling, flesh-eating undead who seek to eat and destroy the living. Before this, zombies existed within the context of voodoo but not in mass media. His works created many spin-offs and sequels, with Romero’s zombie films inspiring and influencing countless others in the zombie and horror genre. However, Romero officially created six films, with a seventh, Twilight of the Living Dead, being an upcoming posthumous production.
Within these six films, the timeline has jumped around, with some of the sequels taking place shortly after the original but set in a different time period. The movies were created over a 41-year time frame, with 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 their differences in production quality into account, as well as the themes and relevancy, 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 2017 Death
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George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead RHorrorDramaThriller
George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead is a horror film directed by George A. Romero. It follows a group of soldiers who seek refuge on an island only to find themselves entangled in a conflict between the island’s inhabitants, who have contradictory approaches to dealing with the zombie plague. The film explores themes of survival, loyalty, and the moral dilemmas posed by the undead apocalypse.
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*Availability in US Director George A. Romero Release Date May 6, 2010 Runtime 90 Minutes Studio(s) Blank of the Dead Productions , Devonshire Productions , New Romero , Sudden Storm Productions , Voltage Pictures Writers George A. Romero Cast Alan Van Sprang , Kenneth Welsh , Kathleen Munroe , Devon Bostick , Athena Karkanis Main Genre Horror Expand
The last of Romero’s films, Survival of the Dead, follows a group of National Guards who flee to an island with more conflict and turmoil. The film struggles to balance horror and humor, leading to an uneven tone. This inconsistency detracts from the tension and emotional impact expected, especially that of Romero’s films. It was inspired by a famous Western film, The Big Country, through which Romero wanted to explore the idea of an everlasting war. While this provided a twist on the genre with a lot of gore, many found it to be one of Romero’s less inspired works.
It is the only of the films to prominently include characters from a previous installment.
It is the only film of the series to prominently include characters from a previous installment, as the guardsmen appeared in Diary of the Dead two years earlier. The events of the movie are set shortly after Night of the Living Dead, with some overlap with Diary of the Dead. As the last of the series, it is not exactly groundbreaking, and 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
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Diary of the Dead Horror
Directed by George A. Romero, Diary of the Dead follows a group of film students who capture the chaos of a zombie outbreak through their camera lenses. As they document their harrowing journey, the line between observer and participant blurs. This 2008 film explores themes of media consumption and ethical responsibility within the horror genre.
Director George A. Romero Release Date February 15, 2008 Runtime 95 Minutes Cast Michelle Morgan , Joshua Close , Shawn Roberts
Land of the Dead, the franchise’s fifth installment, uses the found footage trope to follow yet another group of people at the start of the zombie invasion. Romero used the film to focus on emerging media and themes of media, technology, and reality in the digital age. This was executed mainly through the found footage of a group of students enduring the apocalypse, using the internet and blogs as their sources of information. The film also made use of extensive CGI, making it wildly different from the homemade feel and practical effects of the original.
The news track from 1968’s
Night of the Living Dead
is used in a scene.
Land of the Dead references the other movies in the series, but ultimately takes place on a different timeline than the originals. Like Night of the Living Dead, it shows the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. However, it is a more modern retelling, now following a group of film students with cameras. The movie also features the voice cameos of media legends Stephen King, Quentin Tarantino, Wes Craven, Guillermo del Toro, and Simon Pegg. While the film tries to engage with contemporary issues, it falls short 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
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Land of the Dead RHorror Sci-FiThriller
Land of the Dead is a 2005 film directed by George A. Romero. Set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, the story centers on human survivors who have isolated themselves in a fortified city. Tensions rise as they face threats from increasingly intelligent zombies seeking entry.
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*Availability in US Director George A. Romero Release Date June 24, 2005 Runtime 93 minutes Writers George A. Romero Cast Dennis Hopper , Simon Baker , Eugene Clark , Asia Argento , John Leguizamo
Land of the Dead, Romero’s fourth zombie film, was made during a resurgence of zombie films in the early 2000s, including Shaun of the Dead and 28 Days Later. Though 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 centered around the city of Pittsburgh, which has found a way to use geographical resources and military under a feudal-like government to protect itself from the zombies.
Tom Savini, Simon Pegg, and Edgar Wright all appear in zombie roles, a fantastic cameo for those who know where to look.
Romero created Land of the Dead with the most significant budget he had to date, resulting in a critical and commercial success, grossing $46 million on a $15 million budget. Though Romero wanted to cast some lesser-known actors, keeping with the series’ humble roots, 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 Green, was released later the same year.
3 Day Of The Dead (1985)
Soldiers And Scientists Are At Odds
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Day of the Dead Not RatedHorrorThriller
Day of the Dead is a horror film directed by George A. Romero, set during a post-apocalyptic world where a small group of military officers and scientists reside in an underground bunker, struggling to survive and understand the zombie epidemic that has ravaged the planet.
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*Availability in US Director George A. Romero Release Date July 3, 1985 Runtime 101 Minutes Writers George A. Romero Cast Lori Cardille , Terry Alexander , Joseph Pilato , Jarlath Conroy , Anthony Dileo Jr. , Richard Liberty , Sherman Howard , Gary Klar , Ralph Marrero , John Amplas , Phillip G. Kellams , Taso N. Stavrakis , Greg Nicotero , Don Brockett Main Genre Horror Expand
Day of the Dead is the third film in the series and explores the zombie apocalypse from yet another setting and viewpoint. 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. It mainly raises questions about ethics and morality in desperate situations, as the scientists and soldiers begin to distrust each other within the bunker.
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The film was released unrated, as Romero insisted on steering away from larger production companies that would make him lessen the gore and violence to achieve an R-rating. This means that fans of Romero’s shocking bloodshed and carnage will be sated by the film, perhaps even more so than with some of the other films. Day of the Dead features Bub the Zombie, who ends up displaying some resemblance to his previous human self. The 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
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6.3/10 Night of the Living Dead xHorror
George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead did more than just invent the modern zombie, it revolutionized the horror genre. Following a small group of humans who hide in a secluded farmhouse when the dead begin to rise and crave human flesh, Night of the Living Dead examines the relationship between humanity and paranoia in times of crisis.
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*Availability in US Director George A. Romero Release Date October 4, 1968 Runtime 96 minutes Distributor(s) Walter Reade Writers George A. Romero , John A. Russo Cast Judith O’Dea , Kyra Schon , Duane Jones , Marilyn Eastman , Karl Hardman Expand
The first of the series, Night of the Living Dead, is often considered the first zombie movie. Though there were other smaller zombie films before it, Night of the Living Dead popularized the modern zombie as it is known today: mindless and gore-seeking. 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
was produced on a meager $114,000 budget.
Night of the Living Dead also takes an essential step toward addressing social issues, especially race issues, which were particularly relevant 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 was color-blind, there is no denying the impact of having a person of color as the hero. This also made the ending of the film more haunting and relevant, forecasting the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., though that wouldn’t occur until later the same year.
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The first zombie movie not only introduced audiences to the concept of the living dead, but it also made the undead creatures highly political.
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 proved memorable almost 60 years later. His use of camera work and angles propel the story and create lasting and haunting imagery. The stark black-and-white cinematography adds to the film’s hopeless atmosphere. The zombies, many of which were played by locals, put on a genre-defining performance. Night of the Living Dead laid the groundwork for the modern zombie genre, influencing 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
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7/10 Dawn of the Dead RHorrorAction
George A. Romero’s horror classic Dawn of the Dead follows on from Night of the Living Dead. Expanding upon Romero’s zombies, Dawn of the Dead redefined the horror genre for a generation. It follows a group of survivors as they make camp in a shopping mall, clearing the zombies in order to scavenge supplies and fortify their position in an increasingly hostile world.
Release Date March 19, 2004 Runtime 101 Minutes Writers George Romero Main Genre Horror Director George Romero
Released 10 years later, the first sequel to Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, takes 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 has been removed from the rural farm house. It is now set in a shopping mall and taking a jab at 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 franchise, at least up to date with its 70s setting. Dawn of the Dead works to further explore the larger-scale effects of a zombie apocalypse on society. Whereas the first film was an exploration of viewpoints on an unknown event, the second film already lives in the world of the zombies. In the film, the characters have already had time to discover and adapt to the new normal. Now, they are forced to survive in a mall amid mass hysteria.
Dawn of the Dead
was remade by Zack Snyder in 2004.
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 feel. The film blends horror with dark humor and character development, allowing audiences to connect with the protagonists. Though most of Romero’s films explore human relationships and survival under extreme circumstances, Dawn of the Dead arguably does it best and with the most style, now giving color and spirit to the creatures. Night of the Living Dead‘s impact is undeniable, with its very first sequel being a testament to the enduring quality of Romero’s works.