There’s no question that George Romero’s looks at the zombie apocalypse influenced a high number of filmmakers. There is also no question that these filmmakers did what they did in what they felt were nicely done homages. How Tom Savini, Zack Snyder, and Steve Miner did with the foundation Romero laid out is what is discussed in this podcast.
I’m not going to lie. As dire as the last podcast in this series was, there has probably been no movie as bad as one that is discussed here. After talking about all three of these movies, my co-host Mik Duffy and I talk about just how high Romero’s reach was, how his vision of zombies is still in use today, and what to expect in future Aftertastes. One of which involves Duffy coming back.
This has been a good series to revisit. I have had a blast dissecting these movies, and want to take this time to thank that annoying Bruce Springsteen fan Jack Falvey, who provided a lot of behind the scenes aspects of making this series of podcasts possible.
Listen to our concluding Romero Aftertaste, and stay tuned for the Indiana Jones Retrospective with Jim Law and Nate Peterson, starting next week!
Very rarely does a filmmaker go out on top. So rare, in fact, that I cannot think of any instances off the top of my head. But one thing gets established from the very outset of this podcast, the third of a four part series looking at the Living Dead series. George A Romero cannot count himself amongst that core group.
Today, me and my esteemed colleague Mik Duffy look at solid proof of that last paragraph in the forms of two films, 2007’s Diary of the Dead and 2010’s Survival of the Dead. With these two films, Romero made a duo of films obviously done to capitalize on his status as the innovator of the current zombie craze.
After the financial success of 2005’s Land of the Dead, Romero felt he needed a stripped down approach to bring his zombies back to life. The reasons why are explored by both Duffy and I, as for the life of us, we cannot explain what he was thinking.
And don’t even get us started on Survival. But we do it, for the pure entertainment of you people.
This was the most painful part of the retrospective for us, as we are seeing a filmmaker plummet to depths only a buried living deadsman could fathom. So join us, as we explore why it happened, how it happened, and give far too many M Night Shyamalan references.
The Binge Movie Aftertaste continues its foray into the realm of George Romero’s film versions of the zombie apocalypse. Once again joined by the great Mik Duffy, we take a look at two of Romero’s lesser liked efforts, 1985’s Day of the Dead and 2005’s Land of the Dead.
Day of the Dead is renowned for its almost lovable zombie named Bub, and not much else. But I believe it is safe to say Mik and I both see many more things worthwhile in the film. What exactly? Listen to find out.
It then took Romero twenty whole years to return to what he knows best with Land of the Dead. This time armed with a much grander budget and actors who can act -sort of- we delve into Romero’s much more massive vision, and find out if giving him money means we get a film as big on quality as it is on budget.
We then drink to the end of the world. So join us. If you dare.
Note; My dog decided to be extra yappy periodically while I was recording this. So please try to ignore his occasional outburst. Or, just drink and tune him out. Your choice.
The first Binge Movie Aftertaste of 2017 is finally upon us. And boy did I make a dandy as a kickoff to the new year. After toying around with schedules of people that just weren’t coming together, I decided that I was tired of waiting around. Almost out of desperation, I spoke to many good film friends of mine, seeing if something sticks and if I could cobble together something of substance to record. What I ended up with could only be described as a perfect melding of circumstances.
Mik Duffy is a friend of mine whom I have been talking film with for over a year now. When George Romero’s Living Dead series came up as something he would like to do with me, my ears immediately perked up. We begin the podcast with a kind of getting to know you segment with Mik, as he divulges he himself made a film based on his love of this very series. What did that film consist of? You’ll have to listen to find out.
We then get into the first two films of George Romero’s Zombie Apocolypse series. We get into each nook and crannie of both films, and Mik surprises me more than once with some pretty amazing knowledge of the films. Including a tie in with Romero friend Stephen King that will no less than blow your mind.
This is the first of three podcasts examining this series, as well as their remakes. So strap in, grab some fire torches, and get ready for some zombie knowledge. I would also be remised if I didn’t thank the amazingly annoying Jack Valley for helping with a lot of behind the scenes aspects of putting these podcasts together. Also, I guess a congratulations is in order. To…the TEAM HE ROOTS FOR. NOT THEIR FANS. Umm, congratulations to the New England Patriots.
Ok, with that out of the way, please enjoy listening to films about flesh eating creatures.
Given that there was not an Aftertaste last week due to some crazy scheduling issues (sorry about that), I thought I would do a Grumblings column about a subject which has been on my mind for quite awhile. Hollywood is a crazy machine. One that is in constant need of repair, as every once in awhile, an ingredient gets in the machine and it has no idea of how to fix itself. Despite the consistent onslaught of fads which are easy to grasp onto (comic book movies, space movies, teen comedies), Hollywood has always had a ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’ mentality. By the way, that is not a criticism. It is just a statement on where their state of affairs really lie, as all their resources are used to outline when things like the next ten movies hit, and hit like buzzsaws, all but forcing those making the big decisions to take notice.
A year that revolves around one film, with an unexpected one coming up from behind and sweeping the masses off their feet, is always a beautiful thing. Stars are made, new directors have guaranteed careers, and there are films for the general public to chew on that they generally wouldn’t taste to begin with.
10) The Witch (2016)
Budget: $3.7 million
Box Office Gross (so far): $25.2 million
I’ll start with the most recent example first. The Witch had gathered some steam during a roll out on the festival circuit, receiving one good review after the other in the process. Also, much like he jump started the career of Clive Barker three decades ago, novelist Stephen King gave the movie cred to people who don’t normally read reviews. Daily, almost hourly, a sponsored ad from The Witch would show up on my Facebook feed with a quote from King saying it ‘scared the hell out of’ him. This endorsement was enough to make audiences cough up, at the time this article is written, a shade over $25 million at the box office. The word of mouth behind The Witch was outstanding, eventually leading it to become perhaps the surprise hit of the year. Of course, with outstanding word of mouth comes outstanding expectations, and some people felt let down by the subtle film which unfolded in front of them. Truth be told, if you go into The Witch with the only expectation of being entranced by a dark story with ever so slyly inserted supernatural elements, The Witch will keep you up at night. As for those who want ‘jolt scares,’ I point you James Wan’s way.
9) Juno (2007)
Budget: $7.5 million
Box Office: $231 million
Just what WERE the expectations of a film written by an ex-stripper whose random blog post became the basis for what was originally supposed to be a published memoir and nothing else? Well, Jason Reitman (son of Ivan) certainly saw potential in her subsequent script, as he took Diablo Cody’s words and turned them into the teen pregnancy film of the decade. Not that there was much of a competition for that title. Armed with parents played by masters at their craft Allison Janney and JK Simmons, Reitman just pointed the camera at his young star Ellen Page and let her go off. With dialogue which would make members of a Gilmore Girls writing session blush, Juno had just the right mixture of sentimentality and outright comedy to make it work. After grossing $231 million and garnering four Academy Award nominations (only winning for Cody’s Best Original Screenplay), Juno won many hearts and made Ellen Page a star, while establishing Reiman as a director to watch. Word is Reitman, Cody, and Charlize Theron (Young Adult) are reteaming for another project, already making it one of my most anticipated films.
8) Open Water (2003)
Budget: $500,000
Box Office: $52 million
Based on the true story of two stranded divers left behind by their tour boat, Open Water had the benefit of a kick ass trailer that some would argue built better suspense than its subsequent film did. Still, the impact the film had in its initial release is one that all independent filmmakers strive for. While I haven’t seen it for quite a clip, I remember really being into Open Water for its brutality on the characters’ senses. Once they were left behind, I imagined myself being out there amongst all the predators under my feet of the grand ocean below, and felt a sense of dread for them. Especially of note is how this was almost a stepping stone for Lionsgate, as the year after they would have a certified hit with a little film called Saw. And the rest, is history.
7) Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Budget: $125,000
Box Office: $42 million
In some ways, Night of the Living Dead is a misunderstood film. People seem to think that it was the first zombie film, which in essence is not true. There were plenty of zombie films out in the era, like The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake and Doctor Blood’s Coffin. However, these were almost takes on Frankenstein, as corpses were being brought back to life through someone else’s volition. There had yet to be a movie about an unknown phenomenon which made people into creatures thirsty for blood, and hungry for flesh. Enter George Romero’s classic dark tale, of which we are still feeling the after effect today. Before Night of the Living Dead, you would be hard pressed to find not only a little girl stabbing her own mother to death, but also a black protagonist. Earlier scenes of him slapping down Barbara notwithstanding, we as an audience are looking for a way, ANY way, for him to survive the attack. And the way the film ends, while not as shocking today, must have had audiences in 1968 running for the exits out of fear it was on their doorstep. Yet, over four decades later, they keep coming back for more.
6) Saw (2004)
Budget: $1.2 million
Box Office: $103 million
I mentioned this little ditty a few numbers back, so you knew it was eventually going to find its way here. Filmmakers dream of stories like this. Director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell wanted nothing more than make a student film about two people locked in a stinky bathroom. If you watch the condensed version of the final film, it has the aura of being made by someone who would eventually make quite an imprint on the industry. Since Saw‘s groundbreaking release, Wan has gone on to make The Conjuring and last year’s billion dollar grossing Furious 7. While ripe with flaws (as outlined in my revisit of it from last year), Saw still has the power to get under your skin, and Wan’s quick cutting sensibilities are certainly on display here. It is not hard to see how a little more than a decade later, he would fine tune his craft toward blockbuster success.
5) Halloween
Budget: $325,000
Box Office: $47 million
Now, the name Halloween is synonymous with horror behind a spray painted white William Shatner mask. But before October 25th 1978, it was just a day where kids dressed up and got candy. Quite frankly, I find it hard to believe that it took Hollywood this long to make a film out of the potentially terrifying holiday of Halloween. After Psycho and Night of the Living Dead, there was only one horror movie whose story revolved around a holiday, and that was Black Christmas. We’ve all heard the story of how Halloween happened. Producer Irwin Yablans had an idea about a serial killer stalking babysitters on Halloween, wanting to (horrifyingly) call it The Babysitter Murders. Carpenter brought in his main squeeze at the time Debra Hill to help spice up the script. And the rest, as they say, is history. Halloween held the record for the most dollar for dollar successful horror film until 1999, when our next entry told the hiking story heard around the world and quite literally stole its mantle.
4) The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Budget:$60,000
Box Office: $248 million
I still remember the experience of seeing this movie like it was yesterday. I had just gotten off a long shift at a Berkeley resort and was looking forward to this film I had heard so much about. However, the way I found out about it was rarely, if ever, done in the late 90s. It is very hard to launch a viral campaign that captures the public’s imagination because for the most part, everyone is on to them. A particular one, with a scavenger hunt put on by none other than Heath Ledger’s Joker for 2008’s The Dark Knight, immediately springs to mind. Yet, in 1999, this type of marketing was unheard of. Somehow, maybe it was via the many entertainment magazines I read back then -which should have been an immediate tip off- I had gotten word that the Blair Witch was indeed real, and my interest had been spiked. I logged on my at the time dial up connection and scoured the internet, looking at photos of Heather and Josh, complete with full in depth stories about what happened to them, and building an in universe sort of unsolved mystery. Was this witch the cause of it? That was what I went into the sticky soda floored theater to find out. The movie in front of me did very little to solve the mystery, but the ride it took me on is something I will not soon forget. The fact the mystery was not solved, in some way, enhanced the experience.
A few years ago, while interviewing co-director Eduardo Sanchez on the matter, he told me the viral campaign was indeed the idea of studio Artisan Entertainment. Of course, word of this ‘little horror film shot in the woods’ got out, and pretty soon the entire cast destroyed the mystery by appearing daily on the talk show circuit. Still, the impact of The Blair Witch Project, much like Night of the Living Dead, is still causing rippling waves to this day.
3) Friday The 13th (1980)
Budget: $500,000
Box Office: $59 million
Much like Halloween, Friday The 13th started as just a brim of an idea. After a series of kids movies he made flopped, director Sean S Cunningham was at a crossroads of what to do. His experience producing the grimy and disturbing Wes Craven directed horror film The Last House on the Left gave him a little notoriety, and he used this fact to his advantage by taking an ad out of magazines and newspapers promoting Friday The 13th as the scariest movie you will ever see. After the ads gained a little bit of steam, Cunningham set out to make his little camp counselor film, and the result was a shoe string budgeted film that comes off as a generally more violent version of John Carpenter’s Halloween. Who would have thought, over 35 years, countless sequels, video games, and franchise crossovers later, Friday The 13th would still be going strong.
2) Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Budget – $400,000
Box Office – $46 million
2004 was quite a unique year for indie filmmaking, as obscure hits were almost the norm. First there was Saw. But when you talk about obscure. you have to mention Napoleon Dynamite. The movie is undoubtedly one of the most unlikely hits to ever happen. Its cast is made up of mostly unknown actors. Yet before the world knew it, Napoleon Dynamite was a cultural phenomenon. T-shirts asking people to ‘Vote for Pedro,’ action figures of Napoleon with a tether ball, and bumper stickers with ‘Give me some of your tots’ printed on them were being sold everywhere. The film is an interesting watch, with no real narrative driving the story, instead using nonsensical situations involving Napoleon and his ‘friends’ to move the plot forward. As much as I like the film, I still wonder to this day how it caught on. There is no real likable character to speak of, and this includes the title character. Yet, from the moment he wins the talent show crowd over with his unusual dance, to him finally getting to play tether ball with what I concluded to be his future female companion, Napoleon Dynamite, for what it lacks in structure, makes up for it with a hell of a lot of heart.
1) Rocky
Budget – $995,000
Box Office – $225 million
Now, Luke Norris and I have spewed many, many words about this film, and entire franchise. So I am not going to talk TOO much about it here. But I would be remissed if I didn’t mention the sentimental piece of meat beating populace film known as Rocky. A grimy, down and dirty sports world fairy tale, Rocky‘s onscreen story is far from an unfamiliar one. But how writer/star Sylvestor Stallone was able to edge his way into the role, even as millions of dollars were being flashed in his face to turn it over to any one Hollywood star, is a model which needs to be commended. Rocky didn’t have to be as low budget as it was. But Stallone’s insistence on using his integrity instead of his money hungry hand added on to the film’s entire experience. Watching Stallone in Rocky is like watching Hugh Jackman in X-Men or Daisy Ridley in The Force Awakens. We are watching a star being born, and with it, a character that would continually remind us what successful independent filmmaking can accomplish when done right.
Starring: Rachel Nichols, Missi Pyle, Alfie Allen, and Mekhi Phifer.
As studios continue churning out more and more content, and films of both bombastic and toned down natures are getting released at rapid fire clips all 53 weeks of the year, it is getting harder and harder to stick out amongst the pack. If there is one thing I can give Pandemic credit for, it is in its effort to do so. Yes, it is a story we have seen played out a hundred times before. Yes, it is set in a dystopian environment we have seen maybe even more times before. But Pandemic strains to tell a story within its frames that aims to pull us in, making it even more of an experience than if it just concerned a released zombie epidemic. While there are portions of director John Suits’ (Extracted) film that work, the majority of it kind of feels like a run around the block you take at a house you have lived in since you were 2 years old. By the time you’re 12, it’s kind of hard to do so with the same amount of jump to your step you had previous.
Like I said at the beginning of this review, Pandemic‘s plot is wrought with a lack of original story ideas. A virus has taken over the planet, and we have reached the point where the infected have outnumbered the uninfected. Our only hope for survival involves finding a cure while keeping the infected at bay. Enter Lauren (Star Trek 2009‘s Rachel Nichols), a doctor from New York who arrives in Los Angeles in order to lead a team of mercenaries to find survivors and hunt the infected.
In a way, I feel bad for Suits and company because by nature, anything new in the zombie genre is not going to inspire anything we have not seen before. In decades past, you would have to go to the movies to see human on zombie, or vice versa, type gore. But now, any person with a TV sees it every Sunday night on AMC. There are in fact many impaled skulls, shotgunned ribs, and chewed skin in Pandemic. But all these scenes have a bit of a ‘been there, done that’ feel. Which is why it was important for Suits and screenwriter Douglas T Benson to pepper in a couple twists to keep you guessing, something that is indeed attempted, with unfortunately mixed results.
As an example of how Pandemic tries to stick out, the film is shot about 80% in first person view, justified story wise as cameras people wear while in the field. This form of narrative is developed in the film’s beginning scenes, and is a tough thing to get used to if you have never in your life played a Playstation game which uses the same device. Eventually, the style works at enhancing Suits’ scenes, and viewers are taken into characters’ shoes without feeling hunkered to the chaotic palpation people complain about with most found footage type films, and the sequential storytelling makes it a non factor. There are even instances in Pandemic that play out just like a beginning scene in any one of these games would. For example, if we see from a character’s point of view her being told that whatever she does, to NOT walk off the yellow line, what do you think she is going to do?
Pandemic tries hard to endear us to Lauren, showing us home videos of what we can only at this point assume is her former life in the film’s first few frames. She moves through the story, almost like that of a lost and hungry puppy, reinforcing her credentials and telling other characters -as well as us- that she is indeed suited to lead this operation. The film throws in a bit of a twist at around the 3/4 mark that is far from a make or break moment. But could indeed cause a bit of eye rolling if people aren’t looking for it.
While I cannot fully endorse Pandemic, it is far from a painful movie viewing experience. It does have a few nice sequences -one on a bus, in particular- and a very well timed jump scare involving night vision that I did not see coming, and it does indeed have some nice gory moments every fan of the zombie genre craves. But the unfortunate matter of Pandemic‘s existence is that we have indeed seen 99.9% of it before, and by the time the film is over, the only thing a zombie addict is likely to feel is yet another tendency to go through their The Walking Dead for the 10th time.
Batch and I have heard all the theories, watched the scene a hundred times, and gathered all the hints and clues. Now it’s time to figure out exactly what went down with Glenn in that pivotal scene in last week’s episode of The Walking Dead. We throw our opinions at each other over a couple beers and try to come to some sort of conclusion. Dead? Under the garbage bin? In the sewer? Jesus? Science? Come tackle any and all scenarios before they drag it out next week and we end up leaving even angrier than before.
In celebration of The Walking Dead‘s return to television, I decided to go ahead and read Life and Death, the newest volume from The Walking Dead comic series. Since the fifth season of the show, I’ve been a large advocate of the comic over the TV show. I’m not saying that show is awful, because it isn’t. When you hold the two next to each other though, it’s really hard to compare them on terms of identical traits. However, you take where each story has gone from essentially the same beginning. And of course, the book is a lot further along than the show, but I’m going to go ahead and assume that they will not end in the same places. The book can go to darker and grim places, where the show can’t necessarily touch. I have to say, that this volume ramped up the intensity yet again. We see Rick and the rest of our survivors still struggling in the aftermath of Negan’s rampage. However, Carl is now on the run searching for his new love. The girl he’s after, belongs to a cult of hunters who dress themselves as zombies to disguise themselves, and have questionable lifestyles. The culmination of the following events leaves the book in utter tragedy in its final pages. Not only is there one death, but there are multiple, and they are on display on the final few pages. The first two-page spread reels you back like Rick’s reaction in the book, and as you flip again you see more death and despair. Then, flip to your final page of the volume, and one of the major characters has met their untimely end. Much like the last few volumes, Life and Death drops a major hook at the end. It’s nearly impossible now for me to wait for more of this book. If only I felt the same way about the television show, though the premiere last weekend was pretty good. Walk on!
Also this week I checked out the first volume of Arkham Manor. I hadn’t heard of this book until a friend gave it to me to read. I gave it a shot of course because it’s Batman. It was a pretty decent book. Basically, Bats has taken it upon himself to bring the criminal element of Gotham into his home for shelter. The villains will no longer be able to escape nor will they be lost track of. Bruce Wayne has found a way to bring them into the house, but is this possible a dangerous situation that he is putting himself into. As the villains begin to run rampant, Batman finds new challenges in cornering the bad guys as its in his own home. He tries to keep his worlds separate, which this move in Arkham Manor symbolizes considerably, but it doesn’t go perfectly as usual. I at one point during this book thought that the story was going to go the way of Shutter Island, and I suppose it’s not too late. I liked the eerie backdrop of this book, as it gives it a little personality to differentiate it from the other Batman titles on the shelve. Overall it’s worth checking out, especially if you’re a fan of Batman villains. Also, Gerry Duggan who most recently wrote some Deadpool, takes a crack at it here.
Let me start by saying that my interest in the television adaptation of The Walking Dead has slowly disappeared. What the show used to have, I no longer believe it has. The comic book however, is an entirely different story as it continues to find new ways to reinvent itself. Negan has been the villain that has totally rejuvenated the book into what it’s become post-television show. At this point it seems to be known by Robert Kirkman that the show has gone far enough off, and also adapted and changed enough that he doesn’t have to worry about writing for the show. This has led us to one of the most foul-mouthed characters I have ever read on page, this being Negan. Also, this book reaches a conclusion that I did not expect and has opened up the doors to a whole new possible world. Rick and others find themselves in a more peaceful environment, knowing they have to pick up the pieces from the battles in All Out War. Negan is locked up, but he’s still being paid visits by his number one fan, who is beginning to look awfully shady. Carl could possibly become an even larger character, and maybe even an issue, if he continues on his path of interests. Then, at the end of this book, a talking zombie shows up and my brain exploded. The last 4 page turns are out of this world, and I’m so ready for some more The Walking Dead now. Just when I start to wonder how they can keep the series going after dealing with the best villain in Negan, Kirkman and crew blow the hinges off the doors and open up a whole new can of worms for our survivors. The Walking Dead is still brilliant and what an ending, which was not spoiled above I promise. Holy hell, the ending…
I have not gotten the chance to read anything by Joe Hill yet, but from what I’ve heard he’s definitely an author I would enjoy. I own several of his books, but the one that most recently came out was NOS4A2. I think that The Wraith probably had a heavy influence from this story, but I wanted to read it anyways because it’s a graphic novel. I found the graphic novel to be pretty entertaining, but I do think there was a lot that I missed out on not having read NOS4A2 before. The art was definitely dark and bloody, and the writing ranged from extensive to minimal so it never really became overwhelming. It presented the story of Christmasland, which is a strange land ruled by a strange leader. It definitely is a Christmasland, but it’s dark and the streets are not what they seem. I would like to give this book another go once I read NOS4A2 and more familiarize myself with Christmasland. This book is accessible for new readers, but I think there’s a lot to be missed out on. Pick it up if you’re a fan of horror and darker illustrations, as it was good read for that in itself, but definitely if you’re a Joe Hill reader. I am very interested find out more about Christmasland very soon, but for now I give this a passive thumbs up.