Diary of the Dead(2007).While filming a horror movie of mummy in a forest, the students and their professor of the University of Pittsburgh hear on the TV the news that the dead are awaking and walking. Ridley and Francine decide to leave the group, while Jason heads to the dormitory of his girlfriend Debra Monahan. She does not succeed in contacting her family and they travel in Mary's van to the house of Debra's parents in Scranton, Pennsylvania. While driving her van, Mary sees a car accident and runs over a highway patrolman and three other zombies trying to escape from them. Later the religious Mary is depressed, questioning whether the victims where really dead, and tries to commit suicide, shooting herself with a pistol. Her friends take her to a hospital where they realize that the dead are indeed awaking and walking and they need to fight to survive while traveling to Debra's parents house. Written byClaudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil... Synopsis Diary of the Dead(2007)
Movie Title: Diary of the Dead(2007)
Run Time: 95 min
Rating: 5.8 / 10
Genres: Horror
Release Date: 7 March 2008 (Ireland)
Director: George A. Romero
Writer: George A. Romero... and other credits
Actor: Michelle Morgan,Joshua Close,Shawn Roberts
I have always admired the films of Romero and there can be no doubt that he is the godfather of zombie films. Alas, i think he should have finished his zombie career with day of the dead. Land of the dead certainly wasn't a bad film and this is far from the worst i've ever seen but the step down is none the less noticeable. The modern cinematic world owes a lot to Romero but it's clear that the modern cinematic world has moved on from him.
Lets start with the main problems(and ignore the million little ones):-
1. An idiot who keeps filming even when he or his friends are in danger (at no point does the brilliant idea of putting the camera down occur to him)
2. A narrator that appears to have edited the film so that it looks polished and yet who chooses to leave in the moments when the camera goes off or turns black
3. A narrator (and editor) who thinks incidental music should be added for tension (imagine those who filmed 9/11 doing the same and you will arrive at the same tasteless nature of this)
4. A narrator (and editor) who wishes for us to witness her rotting corpse family attack her (journalists may pretend to put journalistic integrity before emotional involvement but this is perverse)
5. An allegory for the war in Iraq (we aren't being given the full information etc) that needs to be endlessly repeated.
6. The notion that they needed to film everything to show the world the truth (like walking zombies wouldn't do it for most people)
7. Romero getting the opportunity to remind everyone that he thinks zombies should be slow (and reminding us again and again)
This isn't an absolutely awful film by any stretch but in relation to the history and reputation of Romero, it is alas.....somewhat of an embarrassment
