Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, has picked up George A. Romero's SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD, the latest installment in his ongoing mythos of the undead. And it's going to play in theaters!
Plucking the briefly seen rogue military characters from DIARY OF THE DEAD, and depositing them on Plum Island, a scenic refuge from the plague of zombies sweeping the rest of the world, they wind up in the middle of a Hatfield and McCoys situation. On Plum Island there are a finite number of flesh eaters, easy enough to handle, yes. But in typical Romero fashion, the real tumult comes from human beings. This time it is two warring clans, the O'Flynns and the Muldoons. One faction wants the complete eradication of the shambling walkers, while the other holds that their once-breathing loved ones, though not living, be kept and cared for until a cure can be found. I think it's a safe bet to assume things don't go well on Plum Island and that an ensuing bloodbath is in the offing.
Release plans aren't firm yet, but Magnet will be debuting SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD a month prior to it's theatrical run via VOD nationwide.
While personally I had issues with both LAND OF THE DEAD, and DIARY OF THE DEAD, Romero's zombie universe remains my favorite horror franchise overall, and a new chapter is always welcome in my book. From early reports, I'vbe been told by trustworthy sources that this is the best entry since DAY OF THE DEAD, so that has me a bit excited. Here's hoping for a complete return to form for Mr. Romero, and one hell of a treat for us horror fans.
Release plans aren't firm yet, but Magnet will be debuting SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD a month prior to it's theatrical run via VOD nationwide.
While personally I had issues with both LAND OF THE DEAD, and DIARY OF THE DEAD, Romero's zombie universe remains my favorite horror franchise overall, and a new chapter is always welcome in my book. From early reports, I'vbe been told by trustworthy sources that this is the best entry since DAY OF THE DEAD, so that has me a bit excited. Here's hoping for a complete return to form for Mr. Romero, and one hell of a treat for us horror fans.
Video
SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD trailer -
Survival of the Dead Promo Trailer - Watch more Funny Videos 2 part "SARGE" clip from the official SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD myspace page -
Survival of the Dead: Sarge (Part 1 of 2)
George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead | MySpace Video
Survival of the Dead: Sarge (Part 2 of 2)
George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead | MySpace Video
Survival of the Dead Promo Trailer - Watch more Funny Videos 2 part "SARGE" clip from the official SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD myspace page -
Survival of the Dead: Sarge (Part 1 of 2)
George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead | MySpace Video
Survival of the Dead: Sarge (Part 2 of 2)
George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead | MySpace Video
I will admit I thought Land was not bad but a bit underwhelming and Diary started off good and then flatlined as it went on. I have heard mostly bad things about Survival but I really hope for the best. Maybe Romero needs to move on from the zombie genre, at least for a while.
Let's be honest about what the real villain is here and all this "return to form "He should quit business is really about" Audience expectations and the internet. It's funny when Romero's Dead Reckoning script for Land was floating around everyone was clamoring for it to be made. Then he makes it-It gets very favorable reviews from mainstream critics and personally I had a blast watching it. Above average actors. The best zombie gags I'd seen since the last Romero. A smart script.Good one liners and a perfect b-movie bad guy in Dennis Hopper. But as usual the internet creates it's on own reality,populated by personal expectations,a cut and paste mentality,and a virtual world where the most words typed becomes fact. Romero didn't fall from grace but like what happens with so many other films in the new amped up,"my personal wants and needs = the only right way" internet universe a bunch of fan boys back lash. All of Romero's Dead films shifted tone,look and differ from the last. As far as Diary I can't defend that one beyond saying it has some cool ideas. Looking forward to Survival
Zomboid79, to dismiss the misgivings those had over LAND due to them primarily being internet goons with a "cut and paste" mentallity is too easy.
L:AND was a mess that contradicted it's own mythology, and sank to being straight up schmaltzy with it's ham-fisted parables. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Romero's DEAD films, and it's the man's right to steer his creation in the directions he wants. But that doesn't change the fact that LAND had holes big enough to march an entire hoarde of undead through.
I watched this at Aitges cinema festival, and while I thought City was just okay, and Diary was not bad. Survival is one of the worst things I have seen, it was boo-ed all through the movie.
Survuval is Dallas with zombies in the background, not even dangerous, just annoying.
I think Romero needs to get back to the original idea.
Screwed up its own mythology...ok here we go...I'm going to keep this short though because I have spent too much time in the pass on it, hahaha...and it's an old subject for me.
First, yep Bub got smart. But he was trained. And in LAND, let's justtake Leguizamo's character. OK. He's shot. He comes back. And bang! right off the bat he's smart and talking? There's no "learning curve". And Big Daddy...why are his eyes yellow? He looks more like a Klingon than a zombie (I'll lay that at the feet of KNB though) And Big Daddy showing compassion? And crying to the heavens? Ugh. Please.
The "suddenly intelligent" zombie thing could have been explained through a teensy bit of exposition, like "The virus has changed." or something. Sorry, that was just lazy writing on Romero's part and a little too convenient.
That's just scratching the surface of an incredibly lackluster screenplay, whose pieces don't always match up right with the rules of the universe that were laid down in the first three films.
And don't even get me started on the all-too-obvious Bush/Republican administration "subtext". If that were any more obvious I would have tripped over it. My pal Josh said it well when he stated that "Romero started over-thinking the subtext thing after DAWN." yep. He's too aware of the fact that his films have been taken as social commentary, when at first it was not so much by design. Happy accidents turned into ham-fisted statements. Antiquaited is only the first word that pops into my mind about some of Mr. Romero's views. It's like an aging hippy who still thinks Abby Hoffman is relevant.
I'm really sorry to hear that SURVIVAL was booed too. Damn, I was hoping for something to cheer about.
Plain and simple: SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD is awful. It is really a bad bad bad imitation of a Romero film. I'm surprised it even got distribution, as this is Direct to Video stuff here. And I liked both Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead. Survival should simply perish. Ouch.