Access Atlanta > Movies > Blog > Archives > 2008 > July > 11 > Entry
Many swear by George Romero’s foot-draggers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Smithee,
My 14-year-old son and I watch a lot of movies together. This was great when we were watching all of the James Bond movies, all of the Arnold Schwarzenegger movies and all of the “Matrix” movies. However, he’s now into zombie movies.
I am not much into gratuitous blood and gore.
Can you suggest any zombie movies that have some artistic merit that would justify spending the time watching them?
PAUL FLEITZ, Dayton, Ohio
Dear Old Dad,
What red-blooded American son, especially at the pivotal age of 14, isn’t into zombie movies?
And can a film legally be a zombie movie if it lacks gratuitous blood and gore? I have my doubts.
Zombies come in all shapes, sizes and foot speeds.
The purist swears allegiance only to George Romero, who surmised that zombies, since they were crawling out of graves, would be motor-challenged and move no faster than Boris Karloff’s ancient Egyptian mummy Prince Im-Ho-Tep.
The best Romero movies are the original black-and-white “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) and, especially, the full-color, full-camp “Dawn of the Dead” (1978), with the living taking refuge in a shopping mall that eventually is invaded. Both are steeped in social commentary that can generate artful, post-screening discussion.
My once-wee sons, D.W. and Cecil B., are gigantic fans of the 1980s “Evil Dead” movies, which drip with sarcasm. I, for one, am less amused.
A subset of the zombie film genre involves diseases that turn victims into raging killers. They are also fleet of foot.
I am a big fan of “28 Days Later” (2002) and “28 Weeks Later” (2007), involving a rapidly infectious virus of sorts in England. Both are very bloody and I highly recommend them.
You might try stomaching “Dead Alive” (1992) just because it’s one of director Peter Jackson’s earliest efforts.
After seeing a few regular zombie movies, I’d suggest the two of you take a gander at the brilliantly funny “Shaun of the Dead” (2004).
And if you decide to be super-serious, watch the very indie “The Signal” (2008), which, while not exactly a zombie movie, is about people affected by some strange otherworldly electronic disturbance.
Coming this fall is “Dance of the Dead,” filmed in Rome by frequent Georgia filmmaker Gregg Bishop.
The film that I would recommend that also probably has the least amount of gore is the British sci-fi “Lifeforce” (1985). It’s considered more of a vampire movie, but it involves zombies and has a talented cast that includes Steve Railsback, Peter Firth and Patrick Stewart.
Oh, and do yourself a favor and convince your 14-year-old to watch “Bubba Ho-Tep” (2002). It may be a mummy movie but it is very funny and stars Bruce Campbell (of “Evil Dead” fame) and the late Ossie Davis as nursing home residents who think they are Elvis and John F. Kennedy respectively, and who battle the walking dead.
ALAN
P.S. You get an “I Heart the Dead” button commemorating the unworthy “Diary of the Dead” and a traveling kit from “The Ruins.”
Dear Mr. Smithee,
Usually I would not dare to bother you with my banal movie questions, so instead I turn to the Internet Movie Database for answers. However, I’ve realized that I have no idea who I’m getting my information from. The site says IMDB.com was founded by hard-core movie fans from across the globe, but who are these people?
Am I just using the Wikipedia of movies?
LAUREN BERG, Smyrna
Dear Reality Check,
Who is anyone on the Internet? Who am I?
Who are you? Are you really Lauren Berg?
The answer to your question is as follows: sorta.
There are at least 20 individuals charged with monitoring received data.
Historic information is generally perceived to be accurate. With the fluid nature of Hollywood projects, some listings involving future productions for talent needs to be mentally absorbed with a grain of salt.
ALAN
P.S. You get caps from “Baby Mama” and “Leatherheads.”
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