So, I got a bug up my rear yesterday at about 2 in the morning and decided to watch "Land of the Dead," a birthday present I hadn't had a chance to pop into the DVD player yet.
I loved it!
Which isn't surprising, because, you know, Romero is brilliant.
As with all of his movies, he has made a movie with a moral...told with zombies. What is more wonderful than that?
The ever-present theme of "Who's really the monster here? The living or the dead?" was all over the place, but there was also some nice statements about classist attitudes and the corruption of power and money as well as a distinct lesson about those living in glass houses. (Doesn't Fiddler's Green remind anyone else of a really tall gated community?) There's also an interesting question about whether zombies would really remain as dumb as they seem. They are humans after all, and though not all the pistons are firing, surely some of the wheels are still turning up there. There's that whole idea that in the interest of evolution, zombies are people gone back to the ape days, but it could be possible they would start climbing the ladder again. They could start learning. Making connections. Understanding. It's a nice twist on his own mindless, flesh-eating zombie monster. But, it also seems to be used to drive home the "who are the monsters here?" theme. When a zombie shows mercy by putting one of its own out of its misery while a living man in charge of a whole city is packing bags of money in preparation to dessert the city of people he claims to have kept safe all this time, you really start to wonder, because sadly enough, despite some serious cheese that is the mainstay of zombie movies, you would believe that it would happen. It has happened. Time and again. Those in power are pretty content to leave those they swear to work "for" to burn when it comes down to the wire. They are more important, after all; everyone else is expendable. Call it what you will, but he's got a point.
But, no matter what you believe, it all boils down to the very simple fact that...sniffle sniffle...zombies have feelings, too!
I love George Romero.
The boyfriend hasn't seen any Romero films. At all. Ever. I weep for his sheltered existence. Of course, we had to laugh not too long ago because it is becoming very apparent I have a thing for zombie movies. I didn't really know I did. I know that sounds strange, but one day I was in Best Buy buying movies. I wanted something to watch. Something fun and cool, and considering it was a bad week, preferably gorey. I walked around grabbing this movie and that for about an hour. When I looked down, I realized that every one of the films I had were zombie movies. It was kind of an interesting revelation, though not very shocking considering my tastes. I am lacking in the zombie movie department, though. I have both versions of "Dawn of the Dead" which I love each for their own merits. I have "Land of the Dead." I have "Resident Evil" which I like for its mindlessness even though I feel like I should be holding a game controller when I watch it. Todd brought with him "Shaun of the Dead" which brings tears to my eyes with its genius. And, that's pretty much it. I will need to acquire both "Night of the Living Dead" movies, the sixties and eighties versions. I need "Day of the Dead". "28 Days Later" is a type of zombie movie, and it scares the hell out of me and I must have it. There are a few others I can't think of off-hand. Either way, my collection must grow, and Todd must be educated. No one should go through life without seeing George Romero films.
Besides, anyone who wanders through the house moaning "mini-eeeeeeeeggs" much like a zombie moaning "braaaaaaaaaaains" whenever Easter rolls around and he can feed his Cadbury mini-egg addiction really, really needs to watch more zombie movies.
I don't know why. It just seems right somehow.
So, anyway, screw the critics. "Land of the Dead" was awesome. George Romero is a god. I will never be able to look at Dennis Hopper again without thinking of King Koopa. (That was about all I saw of that and that's all I ever care to see.)
By the way, if you get a chance to see "Land of the Dead" or have seen it, look for the "Shaun of the Dead" creators in a cameo. Beautiful, man, beautiful.
