George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

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  • George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

    "... I don't see any real progress, do you? I mean, I don't know, it seems to have been reduced to its worst common denominator, or something. I don't get this torture porn stuff. I just don't get it. I don't see it - I think there's kind of a soul missing, and there has been from the soul has been missing from the genre. Not only this genre, but everything. I mean, I went to see Atonement, you know, and I brought along tissues, expecting to come out with a tear in my eye. Not. And the same week,Turner Classic Movies ran Brief Encounter and it's one of those films, you can laugh at it - you laugh at the style and somewhere in your mind saying, "God, this is so corny and old." Yet at the end of 90 minutes of doing that, there is a tear in your eye. Something works! And I think that kind of soul is just missing from films today.


    ... I think you fall back on the old. I mean, I don't know. I think you fall back on the old values, which are, again, have been thrown out with the bath water. I just think that people aren't relying on the old tricks that - that still do work. I mean, that - things that go bump in the night. When all of a sudden you get a film like Signs, you know, and people are terrified by it or a film like The Others. You get - you know, films that sort of have those old sort of gothic values in them seem to work. I mean, my own kids say to me, "Oh, man, Signs, that was the scariest thing I ever saw." I said to my daughter, "Did you notice the resemblance between that and Night of the Living Dead, maybe?" Couple of people stuck in a farmhouse? I mean, I don't know. It's the old values that still work, and I think people spend too much time denying it, and missing the mark."



    --- George A. Romero

    Do you agree with his above statements? I overall do on the horror side of things but I don't on the cinema angle in general.

  • #2
    Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

    Considering he's someone who basically invented the zombie genre, I'd say he's right about the current state of horror films.

    Cinema in general. Well, it's subjective, although I know a lot, if not, the majority of films I see these days usually suck, or are average at best. There's only less then a handful each year that I genuinely enjoy.

    Horror wise - I get more excited about what the French and Koreans are doing nowadays as opposed to the US remakes they churn out each year. Never the less I still watch them, as it's the market I write for.
    @TerranceMulloy

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    • #3
      Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

      I mostly agree, but Romero's opinion is just that: one man's opinion.

      It won't change anything. It's up to the Indie filmmakers to make the change in the genre.

      By the way, you guys need to go see The Signal. It's some pretty good sh*t. Three Directors making three individual parts to the main story. The end isn't nearly as rewarding as the beginning and middle, but overall...it's modern day Cult Classic. Pretty damn crazy.

      It sort of ties in with what Romero's talking about here.
      sigpic

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      • #4
        Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

        It's unfortunate that a film like The Signal is a rare example of a decent American horror film. After Saw and Hostel, it's kind of been a little barren as far as any ground being broken.

        I guess The Signal solidifies the fact that the majority of good horror films nowadays are coming out of the indie scene.
        @TerranceMulloy

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        • #5
          Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

          What really sucks about The Signal is that it isn't really getting a push. Where I live, all that opened at the only remaining multiplex were Vantage Point, Charlie Barrett and the new Larry the Cable Guy movie.

          They blew off Diary of the Dead a couple of weeks ago, and the new Michal Gondry flick and The Signal this week... just seems like they have no interest in doing anything other than trying to kill off the sole remaining theater alternative in town (a struggling art house) by playing dog in a manger with Juno and Atonement.

          But they're still pimping Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins and The Eye. And this is a college town.
          "Forget it, Jake. It's Hollywood."

          My YouTube channel.

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          • #6
            Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

            Originally posted by Signal30 View Post
            And this is a college town.
            I just Google Earthed Chico - boy, sure is a lot of football ovals. Looks like a nice town though.

            Most indie films like these don't get a run here either. While there's no shortage of mega multiplexes, all of them only play the major releases. And the indie arthouse cinemas that we've got are usually not interested in horror.

            Looks like I'll be waiting for a DVD release on Amazon or my ex-hippie uncle who sends me bootlegs from Malaysia.
            @TerranceMulloy

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            • #7
              Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

              More from George here.

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              • #8
                Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                boski > money has no relevance here.

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                • #9
                  Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                  Originally posted by boski
                  I mean all the guy's ever done is zombie movies. That's it.
                  I take it you've never seen MARTIN.
                  "Tone is now engaged in a furious Google search for Leighton Meester's keester." -- A friend of mine

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                  • #10
                    Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                    Originally posted by boski
                    I mean all the guy's ever done is zombie movies. That's it. He's been beating the same cinematic drum since 1968. Beating an undead dead horse for thirty years.
                    Yeah, Martin was a great vampire flick. The Crazies predates 28 Days Later by 30 years. He also did The Dark Half, Monkey Shines, Creepshow, Knightriders and, more recently, Bruiser.

                    In other words, he's done more than zombie films. And a few of his non-zombie flicks were darn good.

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                    • #11
                      Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                      After NotLD, Romero tried to do some more non-horror films, but he was already niched. So he went on to The Crazies, Martin and so on.

                      In a way, he's The Ramones of horror... never making any money off of it, but influential as hell.
                      "Forget it, Jake. It's Hollywood."

                      My YouTube channel.

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                      • #12
                        Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                        Originally posted by Ralphy W View Post
                        I take it you've never seen MARTIN.
                        Good one.

                        The Crazies & The Dark Half
                        are non-zombie flicks as well.
                        sigpic

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                        • #13
                          Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                          I'm surprised no one has tried to remake "Martin" yet... of course, now that I've said it expect an announcement from Lionsgate or Rogue Pictures in the near future.

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                          • #14
                            Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                            I don't think that a vampire flick where the vampire doesn't have fangs or his face doesn't transform into a stew of latex would fly with the multiplex crowd. Gotta abide by genre expectations when it comes to the teenyboppers.
                            "Forget it, Jake. It's Hollywood."

                            My YouTube channel.

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                            • #15
                              Re: George A. Romero on the State of the Horror Genre (and Film Itself)

                              Originally posted by Signal30 View Post
                              I don't think that a vampire flick where the vampire doesn't have fangs or his face doesn't transform into a stew of latex would fly with the multiplex crowd.

                              We'll see about that.

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