Day of the dead will always be the ultimate Romero film. Not only is it a great horror movie it's a great movie acting special effects and George's direction were all on point. George was at the peak of his powers here. The Florida scenes and Miguel sacrificing himself were totally inspired. Miss you George you were part of my childhood and you will never be forgotten.♥️
@@drgangrene day leaves land of the dead behind in every aspect of film making. According to christine Forrest George was in very poor health when he made land she was surprised he pulled it off. I think poor health and George's lay off from film making in his later years was why his movies had lost there bite (no pun intended) another interesting fact George pitched an idea for a TV show about a group of survivors in a camper van fighting zombies but he couldn't get any interest from studios then later the walking dead happens George was extremely bitter about it so basically his idea was stolen apparently.
Dawn is probably my favorite. Everything blends perfectly. I've been going through more of his filmography recently. Love his brain, love the way he thinks.
Ah, good times, Doc. Really nice to see Land get some love. I've always liked that one. Saw it at the theater while on vacation down in Panama City Beach. And then Martin, that's been on my "Needs to get a nice release" wishlist for years and years. Probably my third favorite Romero film.
Thanks man! Can't fault you there, it's a great one. Creepshow is probably my actual favorite when it gets right down to it but the impact of Night is undeniable.
Been seeing this sentiment lately. I haven’t seen it since it came out and then one time soon thereafter. It never really made a huge impression, but maybe I should give it another go.
@@Devilsblood Walking Dead pretty much ruined zombies forever for me. I never could get into that show no matter how many times I tried. Just way too much filler and bad storytelling.
Being an 80's kid i was into all things Horror back then, especially movies, it was after all the hayday of the Slasher Genre. Dawn of the Dead and Creepshow were my introduction to George Romero movies when i was a kid, then followed closely by Day of the Dead upon it's release. I was a big fan of Zombie movies, and George's were the gold standard in the Genre and gave me plenty of nightmares as a kid...cheers. I really enjoyed George Romero's movies, and after a bit of digging i discovered gems like Night of the Living Dead and The Crazies during my teens. Nice video, fine list order too. Cheers.
Great video, Doc! While I'm not a huge fan of the zombie genre, it's clear that Romero is one of it's trailblazers. Oddly enough, the movie that caught my attention the most was "Bruiser". Love the countdowns and reviews, so keep them coming!
Definitely agree that the top 5 are pretty interchangeable depending on the day. Never seen Martin, so that will be next on my list! Thanks for the video, Doc.
Hey Kanao Kanegon - I accidentally deleted your comment. So sorry my friend! I had a spammer leave a comment and I tried to delete it on my phone, and it deleted both it and your comment. But thanks for the comment. I totally agree about Martin - GREAT movie!
I love how you’re a keeper of the flame with setting records straight in regards to false info, Doc. Tough to disagree with this list. Great breakdown. Here’s hoping for that region 1 Martin Blu-ray!
Martin, I believe, got a 4K release from British label Second Sight. 4K doesn't have region restrictions. I got an Italian import of Dawn Of The Dead that had the European version in 4K and the other cuts on region B Blu Ray. The 4K transfer was supervised by Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. I don't know why they didn't have Argento supervising the transfer.
I bought the Blu-ray of it but it won't play on my all region player. Wish I'd have gotten the 4k for that very reason. Of course then I'd have to get a 4k player...
I met George a while back, and I told him Day was my favorite of his. He said it was his favorite, too. Now I know there's a good chance he was lying to me. If he wasn't, then it's cool that we shared that in common. If he was, then he was only doing so because he knew it would make me feel good. Either way, he was a good person who made horrible (in a good way) movies.
Creepshow is when Romero really let savani and his team take the reins in 1982. The make up effects were right on par with the thing movie effects. It was the build up to day of the dead make up effects. Wonderful progression imo. I gotta watch creepshow 2 and check any comparisons.
I agree, the makeup and effects are amazing in Creepshow. What really sells it for me is the stories and the comic book transitions and stylization. It is just a perfect EC comic brought to life, and does what the TV series doesn't really "get", that moral comeuppance to the wrongdoers at the end of the stories (except the Jordie Verral one, but it's the outlier). That dark sense of humor is perfect. Romero/King working together was perfection.
Thank You for the reviews Dr Gangrene! Curiosity got the best of me and I ordered a copy of “Martin”. Not Blu-Ray lol. Definitely makes you wonder and I wasn’t expecting that ending 😳. I’m amazed at all that’s out there that I never knew of! Thanks again!
Given the love for Dawn, its brave of you to put Night above it. Any ranking of the films is of course, subjective but I can't fault you putting Night at number, based on your reasoning.
Night of the living dead, dawn of the dead ,diary of the dead ,survival of the dead,day of the dead and land of the dead are all connected in the same universe confirmed by the god father of the zombies himself rip George Romero I love you !!!!
it's somewhat hard to believe that he chose a black actor to play the lead simply because he was the best actor, and they didn't change anything (the ending) after that fact, considering the obvious implications and commentary of the ending. he is a great actor, and definitely played the part excellently. the movie still would've been a masterpiece of ground breaking indie horror if the lead were a white man, but it would have been a completely different movie, not on the same culturally important level.
I don't find it hard to believe - Romero said the same thing in every interview. I believe him and take his word for it. They would have certainly been aware that casting him could have some implications, for sure, but the dialogue doesn't mention race one time. I believe they used the original script as-is and that he was always going to die in the end. Why would Romero lie about that? Not hard to believe he cast the best actor available as the lead role in his movie.
@@drgangrene well, i might not go so far as say he lied about it (why would he...other than the fact that directors often don't reveal everything about their films.) all i meant, was that i found it hard to believe, because the racial implications are so obvious (it's not necessary to have it mentioned in dialogue, some things are obvious visually.) and i can see how the original script may not have had any racial implications, but maybe when the decided to go with a black lead, they modified some things. OR, maybe it was all just kismet & it just happened to come together that way (either way, of course he would cast the best actor available.) from a Vox article about the subject: "Jones, who played Ben, is an African-American man, and though Romero always said he hadn’t intended to make the film about race - insisting that Jones simply gave the best audition - it’s impossible to escape that this is a film about a black man trapped in a house with white people who can’t seem to fend off the danger themselves. But after managing to survive the zombies, Ben is shot by a white sheriff."
Anyone else think land of the dead is the hell that elliot west is dragged to in amityville 3? Same face burn, same actor, all he knows is he was pulled from a big fire by riley.
Your top 5 Romero list matches mine 👍🏻. The only thing I’d change would be #16 & #17. I’d rather watch Survival Of The Dead than Bruiser. My short list of favorite directors is John Carpenter & George Romero.
@@drgangreneI just rewatched It and I agree 💯. The pacing was a miss. Perhaps the writing and editing is the cause? 🤔 Btw I understand this reply is 3 months late but I thought of your response after watching the film again for the first time in about 8 years. Cheers! 🤘🏻
I didn't realize that Survival of the Dead was a Romero film until now, I'm pretty sure I saw it on the Syfy channel so I assumed it was one of their originals lmao
No way is Night of The Living Dead better than the near perfect Dawn of the Dead, sure it’s influential but as a watch, it’s slow and not much happening. I was obsessed with Creepshow when I first saw it in the 80s and being a comics fan
Hey man, I love them both, so it's a matter of choice. I weigh the ground breaking original a tad higher but don't fault anyone who prefers Dawn. I totally get it - they both rock!
@@drgangrene although I don’t care for Night at all, i totally respect your opinion and apart from this one point, I very much agreed with you about the rest. Keep up the good work
I just watched Martin ... and I'm surprised you (and the man himself?! George A! Really?!) like the downtrodden, modern day (1970's) Vampire in Pittsburgh tale so much. I heard there was a 2 and 1/2 hour version, too! Maybe I need to watch Martin again, but it won't be anytime soon. The ending (and the dialogue with the radio show host) was good enough, but it was almost a slog dealing with the 90 minute version of Martin --- is he or is he not: A Vampire. Talking/Writing rather uncomplimentary of Martin reminded me of Knightriders which I vividly remember watching on HBO when I was a 9th or 10th grader and thinking 'What the hell is this? This isn't George Romero! Where's the horror!? The Horror!" I embellish a bit . But, I kept watching. I immediately became a fan of Ed Harris, while developing an appreciation for a good story revolving around 'Knights of the Round Table", and who would be king (as it were). Plus, the realization the modern day bikers lifestyle is a character study that dips a toe in the pool 'lake' (Lady 😋) of the Taxi Driver. To this day I have a DVD of Knightriders -- all 145 minutes of it -- which I am watching again because of your informative video. I had never heard of There's Always Vanilla or The Amusement Park. I need to watch Monkey Shines, again, too. That was a movie I was disappointed when I first saw ... then watched again while in my early 20's and kind of liked it. It is different and tense (from what I recall). I haven't seen it in decades. Thanx for The Crazies reminder. Saw the remake, too. It is not as good as the Dawn of the Dead (Zach Snyder) remake (I think you'd agree). Great having the 'safe haven' be the mall which slams the satire on commercial and consumerism right in our oh so bloody faces. I have not watched Romero's The Crazies in 40 yrs. Yikes! How did that happen ? Why I don't Have a copy of Creepshow I can't explain. But, "I can hold my breath a lonnng time!" Oh! Ed Harris is in the one "Where's My Cake?! I want My Cake!" LOL Too Fun! I thought the 2nd Creepshow was good enough too with Romero writing but not directing. "Thanks for the ride lady!" Just thought it worth a mention. Dr Gangrene ... good video sir.
Thank you for watching! Let's see... Martin. I adore this one. The bleak outlook, unorthodox music, and ambiguous origin of Martin make for a truly unique film. Nightriders is great because of the same reason, it's unlike anything else. Ed Harris gets his moment to shine in it. I prefer The Crazies remake to the Dawn one. Not a fan of the running zombies in it. The first 15 minutes or so are terrific though. I thought The Crazies remake was solid all the way through. Still prefer the original though. And yes, you absolutely need to own a copy of Creepshow! A masterpiece!
@@drgangrene In hindsight I think I became one of those people that got tired of Romero making zombie movies (no doubt, also, because I liked Knightriders so much ) and by the time Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead (2007, cant believe it was that long ago) I was in denial of a good original movie made (Hammer productions suffered the same too many horror productions with no budget improvements), but I still haven't seen Diary of the Dead (Diary not on your list, I see...). Land of the Dead and Two Evil Eyes I have to see again, too. I think I had some preconceived notions of Barbeau in Two Evil Eyes because Adrienne had already been cast as the bitch wife in Creepshow with Hal Holbrook. Anyways ... I now have The Crazies and Dawn Of the Dead and their sequels to watch again as well as the aforementioned, not as popular (it seems) Romero flicks. Again, Thanx for your time and appreciation for all things horror! Romero lives with us in zombie satire, Pitt Americana ... and more.
Day of the Dead is his best 'Dead' movie .... Dawn is completely overrated .. I've never understood the fanaticism about that one. The Goblin score is the best thing about it. ... Kind of reminds me of the hype for the first Halloween movie ... great score, but a snooze fest with a huge cult following. .... I thought Halloween 3, season of the witch as weird and campy as it was , was still way more interesting than those boring 'heavy breather in a mask' movies. Night of the Living Dead is also a much better movie than Dawn, .. and Creep Show is an absolute classic.
Agreed. I saw "Dawn" on VHS back in the early 80's followed by "Day", when it was released in 85. IMO "Day" was always the superior movie and not primarily because of the fantastic physical effects. The characters are more varied and interesting, and although the performances are decent in "Dawn", I think they're better in "Day". Often critizised as over the top, however, this is humanity's last wimper, and I think most survivors would be right on the edge of sanity. I like "Dawn", it just doesn't hold up anywhere near as well as "Day". The blue zombies do not help. Romero stated that "Day" , often seen as the runt of the original trilogy, was his favourite of the three.
@@kennethmckinley8414 He was right ... even the creator knew it was his best zombie flick. I can't stand the way the zombies looked in Dawn, the orange paint blood, the painfully slow pacing. It's worth a watch for sure, but it's just weird to me how fans of these movies are so in love with that one. For me it was never even close to being as good as Day ... sure, the effects were just mind blowing, the claustrophobic flavor of the underground bunker, the characters were more over the top but also so animated and fun to watch, the way factions of survivors wanted different solutions to their predicament making them just as dangerous as the zombies encroaching. The pacing was also much better ... the score was OK, didn't compare to the Goblin score of Dawn, but that's probably the only thing I could say was done better with that movie. I also felt the satire in Dawn was a bit obvious and made the movie less disturbing .. Like a joke. I didn't like that stuff ... the motorcycle gang throwing pies in the faces of those boring looking zombies. That movie just does nothing for me. I don't get it.
I think all 3 of Romero's original zombie series are brilliant, and love them each for different reasons. I don't dislike any of them at all, and picking a favorite for me often comes down to my mood that day.
@@drgangrene I understand that people really enjoy Dawn , I just don't understand why it seems to be unanimously loved by horror fans and if you criticize it, they all seem to go crazy. Halloween is also one of those movies they'll call you dumb if you don't like it. Even as a kid I wasn't all that effected by Dawn and forgot about it really quickly ... Day of the Dead though .. man that movie stuck with me, and I look at it as the quintessential zombie flick. Nothing else I've ever seen in that genre ever had that sort of impact. I always think about Rhodes being ripped apart while he watches the zombies engulf him and pull out his intestines... The effects and the visuals in that movie just did it for me and still does. Or that guy screaming while his throat is being pulled out and it it goes from a normal pitch to a nightmarish squeal as his larynx is stretched. ... The zombies all felt much more threatening in that one too. I don't know ... I just don't get why Dawn is looked at as so great. I liked Night of the Living Dead better as well. ... Hell, Return of the Living Dead is more of a classic for me than Day .. and it's a spoof. Savini's remake of Night was better than Dawn .. I sort of love that movie.
My favorite Romero film has also been Dawn of the Dead, considering it less claustrophobic that its predecessor. Never liked Creepshow though. My favorite anthology movies have always been House That Dripped Blood and Tales from the Crypt.
I LOVE the Amicus anthologies, so I get that. But to me Creepshow is a perfect film. It's a love letter to EC comics and a perfect partnership between Romero and King, a comic book come to life.
He was co director and sevigny was top director. It’s a Romero flick that’s way more refined and gory. I could talk circles around you about zombie flicks.@@drgangrene
I honestly feel Romero has 5 masterpieces. Night, Dawn, Day, Martin and Creepshow, and they're interchangeable. It's a personal preference as to which speaks to you the most, but they're all brilliant in different ways.
Dawn of the Dead is a great movie but the zombies look like crap. The effects are so much better in the third movie. Dawn suffers doubly by comparison with the excellent Tom Savini remake of the original.
I think Dawn is a masterpiece. I get what you're saying about the zombie makeup but it was an aesthetic George was going for that has its own unique look. I disagree about the Savini remake. I appreciate it but think the original is better in every aspect. Especially as there's nothing to compare it to at that time, The Last Man on Earth being the closest influence. The original Night was groundbreaking and one of the most influential films in horror history. Can't overestimate its impact.
@@drgangrene I get that and wouldn't want to take anything away from these movies or their place in history. I still love them. When revisiting, I definitely choose the Savini version though. (It also helps that I have a lingering crush on Patricia Tallman from when I first saw her in Knightriders.)
The list is good.. wrong.. but good.. Night , Dawn and Day will always be in spots 1-3 in that order. Martin tho? Really? In 4? I saw it once.. and was not really impressed with it.
That's the great thing about lists like this, they encourage discussion, and there's really no wrong answer. That original trilogy is amazing, but I do truly love Martin and it's Indy vibe. It's an underrated masterpiece, and I'd encourage you to give it another try. It's pure Romero.
Thanks! I certainly understand anyone going with Dawn #1… I factored in cultural impact and the fact Night started an entire genre of horror films. Hard to top that. And it's one I revisit often. But so is Dawn. They're both amazing films.
Day of the dead 1985 is top of the trilogy. Hands down with a second doubt. Grease paint zombies in 1978 were frowned upon by savani. Dawn could have been much better zombie wise but oh well, nothing is perfect.. except maybe milla jovovich.
Dawn being at #3 and below Creepshow and Night Of The Living Dead couldn’t be so different to mine. At #3 Day Of The Dead #2 The Crazies and at #1.. Dawn Of The Dead, the greatest movie George ever made as well as it being the greatest Zombie movie of all time no matter which version you choose to watch
When it comes to George’s Zombie Movies I’d put Diary last followed by Land, Survival, Night, Day and finally Dawn Of The Dead at #1. Is others movies have one that stands above all others and that is The Crazies. Speaking of The Crazies why do a hell of a lot of fans think Lynn Lowry is the sexiest woman but no one mentions or shows any love for Lane Carroll who in my opinion is absolutely stunningly beautiful
I can have an alright time with Diary of the Dead because I felt Romero was trying with it but it felt like a backward step to me because it was pretty much a redo of Night but done in the modern day. Bruiser, I actually didn't mind either because for me it was just a typical revenge movie with a supernatural twist of the guy losing his identity. I really enjoy Night Dawn Day and even Land I didn't like Survival much at all felt like Romero wanted to do a western but was forced to make it a zombie film and now they're making a sequel to Night of the Living Dead with Romero family which is concerning to me.
i thought diary of the dead was pretty good remember being sick of reality pov movies at the time and thought id dislike it from the get go. still like it now does it right imo
![George A. Romero's Resident Evil [Complete] - Unmade Masterpieces](/img/n.gif)
Dawn isn't just my favorite Romero movie -- it's my favorite movie, period!
It's great! I saw it in 3d in the theater last year as well as at a drive-in in a double feature with Night. Great flick!
@@drgangrene sadly, I didn't know was a thing until a week after.
Dawn of the Dead will forever be my favorite Romero film. It's top tier
It is indeed! Excellent choice!
Best horror film of all time!
Day of the dead will always be the ultimate Romero film. Not only is it a great horror movie it's a great movie acting special effects and George's direction were all on point. George was at the peak of his powers here. The Florida scenes and Miguel sacrificing himself were totally inspired. Miss you George you were part of my childhood and you will never be forgotten.♥️
I honestly can't fault anyone picking any of the first three films as his best. They're all excellent... I love Day, just rewatched it again recently.
@@drgangrene day leaves land of the dead behind in every aspect of film making. According to christine Forrest George was in very poor health when he made land she was surprised he pulled it off. I think poor health and George's lay off from film making in his later years was why his movies had lost there bite (no pun intended) another interesting fact George pitched an idea for a TV show about a group of survivors in a camper van fighting zombies but he couldn't get any interest from studios then later the walking dead happens George was extremely bitter about it so basically his idea was stolen apparently.
Oh yeah, I love the Dead series! My personal favorite is Dawn, but they're all iconic! 👍
Totally understandable, Dawn is a lot of folks' favorite!
Some I knew, some I'd forgotten, some I didn't know at all! Thank your Dr Gangrene, very interesting and informative.
Dawn is probably my favorite. Everything blends perfectly. I've been going through more of his filmography recently. Love his brain, love the way he thinks.
It's so good! Glad to finally see it in theaters last year.
Ah, good times, Doc. Really nice to see Land get some love. I've always liked that one. Saw it at the theater while on vacation down in Panama City Beach. And then Martin, that's been on my "Needs to get a nice release" wishlist for years and years. Probably my third favorite Romero film.
Ah yes, Land is a good one! Fits right in with those original trilogy of films in my opinion. REALLY looking forward to that Martin Blu-ray!
love Knightriders... i gotta say, this is the film that brought Ed Harris to my attention as well as Savani. great film.
This is an excellent countdown/review of films. Can't wait to see more of these.
I always enjoy watching Dr.Gangrene
I'm a huge a huge Romero fan and I think this list is spot on and well observed. Thank you, good Doctor.
Thanks so much. I appreciate that!
How do you not have more subscribers?!? This is fucking GREAT!! I love when the algorithm drops an unknown smaller channel like this in my feed!!
Thank you so much! I truly appreciate that!
loved the countdown, doc! appreciate you said the top ones were fluid, I would have to put dawn at the top.
Thanks man! Can't fault you there, it's a great one. Creepshow is probably my actual favorite when it gets right down to it but the impact of Night is undeniable.
Day of the dead is my favorite. Great video Doc
Great movie!
Loved this compilation countdown. Maybe you could do one on Argento films in the future.
I’m so happy to have found this channel. Great content and real love on Romero’s work!
Thanks Raphael! Oh yeah, nothing but respect for George here!
Land of the dead deserves more love
It's pretty good, just not as good as the first 3.
Been seeing this sentiment lately. I haven’t seen it since it came out and then one time soon thereafter. It never really made a huge impression, but maybe I should give it another go.
@@opaljk4835 here's the thing. After Land, George's career kinda went downhill after that. He couldn't make any new material, thanks to Walking Dead.
@@Devilsblood Walking Dead pretty much ruined zombies forever for me. I never could get into that show no matter how many times I tried. Just way too much filler and bad storytelling.
Diary Of the Dead is indeed ahead of its time. I think it's underrated.
Cool video. Nice production. Sad that yt does not show it to more people.
I appreciate that!
Being an 80's kid i was into all things Horror back then, especially movies, it was after all the hayday of the Slasher Genre.
Dawn of the Dead and Creepshow were my introduction to George Romero movies when i was a kid, then followed closely by Day of the Dead upon it's release.
I was a big fan of Zombie movies, and George's were the gold standard in the Genre and gave me plenty of nightmares as a kid...cheers.
I really enjoyed George Romero's movies, and after a bit of digging i discovered gems like Night of the Living Dead and The Crazies during my teens.
Nice video, fine list order too.
Cheers.
Thanks so much and thanks for watching. All hail Romero!
@@drgangrene
You're welcome.
Man this was fantastic, Doc! Always love all of your added info. Stay Mad!
Thanks bud!
Great video, Doc! While I'm not a huge fan of the zombie genre, it's clear that Romero is one of it's trailblazers. Oddly enough, the movie that caught my attention the most was "Bruiser". Love the countdowns and reviews, so keep them coming!
Definitely agree that the top 5 are pretty interchangeable depending on the day. Never seen Martin, so that will be next on my list! Thanks for the video, Doc.
Martin is on UA-cam
Hey Kanao Kanegon - I accidentally deleted your comment. So sorry my friend! I had a spammer leave a comment and I tried to delete it on my phone, and it deleted both it and your comment. But thanks for the comment. I totally agree about Martin - GREAT movie!
I've always been most fond of Day Of The Dead myself but love them all to some degree. Night is a true classic as well as Creepshow.
I love how you’re a keeper of the flame with setting records straight in regards to false info, Doc.
Tough to disagree with this list. Great breakdown. Here’s hoping for that region 1 Martin Blu-ray!
I certainly try! Agreed on that Martin blu! Would be awesome to own a pristine copy, the VHS is all I have currently.
The ending of NOTLD still hits hard. It’s still especially relevant today which is even more horrifying
Agreed.
You did the right thing with the top five. Without your disclaimer you'd end being roasted in the comments! Great video. Thanks.
Thanks! There's really no right or wrong choices, so many great films it becomes a matter of personal choice.
Martin, I believe, got a 4K release from British label Second Sight. 4K doesn't have region restrictions. I got an Italian import of Dawn Of The Dead that had the European version in 4K and the other cuts on region B Blu Ray. The 4K transfer was supervised by Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. I don't know why they didn't have Argento supervising the transfer.
I bought the Blu-ray of it but it won't play on my all region player. Wish I'd have gotten the 4k for that very reason. Of course then I'd have to get a 4k player...
Im from Pennsylvania so all the dead movies felt so close to home
I bet. And probably The Craziest too.
Very good channel .
🎥🎞️🎬✌️😎🚀🚀🥁🥁
Day is my fav. Night second place. My favorite zombie flick of all time is the 90 remake.
Day of the Dead rocks!
I met George a while back, and I told him Day was my favorite of his. He said it was his favorite, too. Now I know there's a good chance he was lying to me. If he wasn't, then it's cool that we shared that in common. If he was, then he was only doing so because he knew it would make me feel good. Either way, he was a good person who made horrible (in a good way) movies.
I'm sure his favorite depended on his mood. I'm sure he was fond of all of them in different ways. Day is an amazing film.
Creepshow is when Romero really let savani and his team take the reins in 1982. The make up effects were right on par with the thing movie effects. It was the build up to day of the dead make up effects. Wonderful progression imo. I gotta watch creepshow 2 and check any comparisons.
I agree, the makeup and effects are amazing in Creepshow. What really sells it for me is the stories and the comic book transitions and stylization. It is just a perfect EC comic brought to life, and does what the TV series doesn't really "get", that moral comeuppance to the wrongdoers at the end of the stories (except the Jordie Verral one, but it's the outlier). That dark sense of humor is perfect. Romero/King working together was perfection.
Thank You for the reviews Dr Gangrene! Curiosity got the best of me and I ordered a copy of “Martin”. Not Blu-Ray lol.
Definitely makes you wonder and I wasn’t expecting that ending 😳.
I’m amazed at all that’s out there that I never knew of! Thanks again!
You're welcome. Martin is a sleeper pick for sure. So moody. It's a good one!
Loved seeing Knighriders getting respect. It's not talking about enough these days at all.
It's so fun!
@@drgangrene Absolutely! And feels sort of like his most personal movie - like his opinion on filmmaking is buried in there
Given the love for Dawn, its brave of you to put Night above it. Any ranking of the films is of course, subjective but I can't fault you putting Night at number, based on your reasoning.
Night of the living dead, dawn of the dead ,diary of the dead ,survival of the dead,day of the dead and land of the dead are all connected in the same universe confirmed by the god father of the zombies himself rip George Romero I love you !!!!
it's somewhat hard to believe that he chose a black actor to play the lead simply because he was the best actor, and they didn't change anything (the ending) after that fact, considering the obvious implications and commentary of the ending. he is a great actor, and definitely played the part excellently. the movie still would've been a masterpiece of ground breaking indie horror if the lead were a white man, but it would have been a completely different movie, not on the same culturally important level.
I don't find it hard to believe - Romero said the same thing in every interview. I believe him and take his word for it. They would have certainly been aware that casting him could have some implications, for sure, but the dialogue doesn't mention race one time. I believe they used the original script as-is and that he was always going to die in the end. Why would Romero lie about that? Not hard to believe he cast the best actor available as the lead role in his movie.
@@drgangrene well, i might not go so far as say he lied about it (why would he...other than the fact that directors often don't reveal everything about their films.) all i meant, was that i found it hard to believe, because the racial implications are so obvious (it's not necessary to have it mentioned in dialogue, some things are obvious visually.) and i can see how the original script may not have had any racial implications, but maybe when the decided to go with a black lead, they modified some things. OR, maybe it was all just kismet & it just happened to come together that way (either way, of course he would cast the best actor available.) from a Vox article about the subject: "Jones, who played Ben, is an African-American man, and though Romero always said he hadn’t intended to make the film about race - insisting that Jones simply gave the best audition - it’s impossible to escape that this is a film about a black man trapped in a house with white people who can’t seem to fend off the danger themselves. But after managing to survive the zombies, Ben is shot by a white sheriff."
Anyone else think land of the dead is the hell that elliot west is dragged to in amityville 3? Same face burn, same actor, all he knows is he was pulled from a big fire by riley.
That's interesting. I'm not sure I've seen Amityville 3 but that's an interesting hypothesis.
@@drgangrene worth checking out, wasnt a bad amityville film at all, but the idea has always stuck with me they are linked
Your top 5 Romero list matches mine 👍🏻.
The only thing I’d change would be #16 & #17. I’d rather watch Survival Of The Dead than Bruiser. My short list of favorite directors is John Carpenter & George Romero.
Right on. I just rewatched Bruiser last weekend. It's okay, but something was definitely off with the tone and story structure.
@@drgangreneI just rewatched It and I agree 💯. The pacing was a miss. Perhaps the writing and editing is the cause? 🤔
Btw I understand this reply is 3 months late but I thought of your response after watching the film again for the first time in about 8 years. Cheers! 🤘🏻
I didn't realize that Survival of the Dead was a Romero film until now, I'm pretty sure I saw it on the Syfy channel so I assumed it was one of their originals lmao
It has that same vibe for sure.
No way is Night of The Living Dead better than the near perfect Dawn of the Dead, sure it’s influential but as a watch, it’s slow and not much happening. I was obsessed with Creepshow when I first saw it in the 80s and being a comics fan
Hey man, I love them both, so it's a matter of choice. I weigh the ground breaking original a tad higher but don't fault anyone who prefers Dawn. I totally get it - they both rock!
@@drgangrene although I don’t care for Night at all, i totally respect your opinion and apart from this one point, I very much agreed with you about the rest. Keep up the good work
My favorite is Knight Riders!
Good choice!
Are you related to Professor Gangrene? Inventor of F.T., Fuzzy Tomato, from Return of the Killer Tomatoes. Good video and good list.
I was unaware of him when I started my show, but am a big John Austin fan. Thanks for watching!
Day is 1 or 2 for sure 😮
I would have put Knightriders higher. But great list!
Thanks! Knightriders is a lot of fun!
Very well done!
Thanks Mark!
Knightriders is underrated, in my opinion. Maybe it is select taste, but it really captures human greed and ideology
"There's always Vanilla" and "Season of the Witch" were both Romero's next film after Night?
Yep. Little side detour thematically before returning to horror with The Crazies. Although Season of the Witch has a little supernatural overtones.
I just watched Martin ... and I'm surprised you (and the man himself?! George A! Really?!) like the downtrodden, modern day (1970's) Vampire in Pittsburgh tale so much. I heard there was a 2 and 1/2 hour version, too! Maybe I need to watch Martin again, but it won't be anytime soon. The ending (and the dialogue with the radio show host) was good enough, but it was almost a slog dealing with the 90 minute version of Martin --- is he or is he not: A Vampire.
Talking/Writing rather uncomplimentary of Martin reminded me of Knightriders which I vividly remember watching on HBO when I was a 9th or 10th grader and thinking 'What the hell is this? This isn't George Romero! Where's the horror!? The Horror!" I embellish a bit .
But, I kept watching.
I immediately became a fan of Ed Harris, while developing an appreciation for a good story revolving around 'Knights of the Round Table", and who would be king (as it were). Plus, the realization the modern day bikers lifestyle is a character study that dips a toe in the pool 'lake' (Lady 😋) of the Taxi Driver. To this day I have a DVD of Knightriders -- all 145 minutes of it -- which I am watching again because of your informative video. I had never heard of There's Always Vanilla or The Amusement Park.
I need to watch Monkey Shines, again, too. That was a movie I was disappointed when I first saw ... then watched again while in my early 20's and kind of liked it. It is different and tense (from what I recall). I haven't seen it in decades.
Thanx for The Crazies reminder. Saw the remake, too. It is not as good as the Dawn of the Dead (Zach Snyder) remake (I think you'd agree). Great having the 'safe haven' be the mall which slams the satire on commercial and consumerism right in our oh so bloody faces. I have not watched Romero's The Crazies in 40 yrs. Yikes! How did that happen ?
Why I don't Have a copy of Creepshow I can't explain. But, "I can hold my breath a lonnng time!" Oh! Ed Harris is in the one "Where's My Cake?! I want My Cake!" LOL Too Fun! I thought the 2nd Creepshow was good enough too with Romero writing but not directing. "Thanks for the ride lady!" Just thought it worth a mention.
Dr Gangrene ... good video sir.
Thank you for watching! Let's see... Martin. I adore this one. The bleak outlook, unorthodox music, and ambiguous origin of Martin make for a truly unique film.
Nightriders is great because of the same reason, it's unlike anything else. Ed Harris gets his moment to shine in it.
I prefer The Crazies remake to the Dawn one. Not a fan of the running zombies in it. The first 15 minutes or so are terrific though. I thought The Crazies remake was solid all the way through. Still prefer the original though.
And yes, you absolutely need to own a copy of Creepshow! A masterpiece!
@@drgangrene In hindsight I think I became one of those people that got tired of Romero making zombie movies (no doubt, also, because I liked Knightriders so much ) and by the time Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead (2007, cant believe it was that long ago) I was in denial of a good original movie made (Hammer productions suffered the same too many horror productions with no budget improvements), but I still haven't seen Diary of the Dead (Diary not on your list, I see...). Land of the Dead and Two Evil Eyes I have to see again, too. I think I had some preconceived notions of Barbeau in Two Evil Eyes because Adrienne had already been cast as the bitch wife in Creepshow with Hal Holbrook. Anyways ... I now have The Crazies and Dawn Of the Dead and their sequels to watch again as well as the aforementioned, not as popular (it seems) Romero flicks.
Again, Thanx for your time and appreciation for all things horror! Romero lives with us in zombie satire, Pitt Americana ... and more.
In my opinion Dawn is his greatest movie but, like you said, any one of those top ones could be it
For sure. Love Dawn! I finally got to see it in both a drive-in and a regular theater.
Nashville! Me too buddy!
Cool. Nashville rocks
@@drgangrene it sure does.
The dark half to me actually was a great movie
It's a good one
Why would two feuding Irish families move to the same island? North America is freaking huge.
Good question
My man George A Romero!absolutely love this legend of Pittsburgh!rip
I agree!
Never seen The Dark Half but it sounds like Malignant took more than a couple cues from that film
Not sure, can't recall if I've seen Malignant.
Are u the brother of the frost cutlery guy? He’s kiiiiing..
I have no idea who that is.
Everyone who lives in Tennessee knows about that guy. The knife guy.@@drgangrene
Do you go to Belcourt ever?
Definitely! I'm a member and go as often as possible.
Day of the Dead is his best 'Dead' movie .... Dawn is completely overrated .. I've never understood the fanaticism about that one. The Goblin score is the best thing about it. ... Kind of reminds me of the hype for the first Halloween movie ... great score, but a snooze fest with a huge cult following. .... I thought Halloween 3, season of the witch as weird and campy as it was , was still way more interesting than those boring 'heavy breather in a mask' movies. Night of the Living Dead is also a much better movie than Dawn, .. and Creep Show is an absolute classic.
Agreed. I saw "Dawn" on VHS back in the early 80's followed by "Day", when it was released in 85. IMO "Day" was always the superior movie and not primarily because of the fantastic physical effects. The characters are more varied and interesting, and although the performances are decent in "Dawn", I think they're better in "Day". Often critizised as over the top, however, this is humanity's last wimper, and I think most survivors would be right on the edge of sanity. I like "Dawn", it just doesn't hold up anywhere near as well as "Day". The blue zombies do not help. Romero stated that "Day" , often seen as the runt of the original trilogy, was his favourite of the three.
@@kennethmckinley8414 He was right ... even the creator knew it was his best zombie flick. I can't stand the way the zombies looked in Dawn, the orange paint blood, the painfully slow pacing. It's worth a watch for sure, but it's just weird to me how fans of these movies are so in love with that one. For me it was never even close to being as good as Day ... sure, the effects were just mind blowing, the claustrophobic flavor of the underground bunker, the characters were more over the top but also so animated and fun to watch, the way factions of survivors wanted different solutions to their predicament making them just as dangerous as the zombies encroaching. The pacing was also much better ... the score was OK, didn't compare to the Goblin score of Dawn, but that's probably the only thing I could say was done better with that movie. I also felt the satire in Dawn was a bit obvious and made the movie less disturbing .. Like a joke. I didn't like that stuff ... the motorcycle gang throwing pies in the faces of those boring looking zombies. That movie just does nothing for me. I don't get it.
I think all 3 of Romero's original zombie series are brilliant, and love them each for different reasons. I don't dislike any of them at all, and picking a favorite for me often comes down to my mood that day.
@@drgangrene I understand that people really enjoy Dawn , I just don't understand why it seems to be unanimously loved by horror fans and if you criticize it, they all seem to go crazy. Halloween is also one of those movies they'll call you dumb if you don't like it. Even as a kid I wasn't all that effected by Dawn and forgot about it really quickly ... Day of the Dead though .. man that movie stuck with me, and I look at it as the quintessential zombie flick. Nothing else I've ever seen in that genre ever had that sort of impact. I always think about Rhodes being ripped apart while he watches the zombies engulf him and pull out his intestines... The effects and the visuals in that movie just did it for me and still does. Or that guy screaming while his throat is being pulled out and it it goes from a normal pitch to a nightmarish squeal as his larynx is stretched. ... The zombies all felt much more threatening in that one too. I don't know ... I just don't get why Dawn is looked at as so great. I liked Night of the Living Dead better as well. ... Hell, Return of the Living Dead is more of a classic for me than Day .. and it's a spoof. Savini's remake of Night was better than Dawn .. I sort of love that movie.
I do not fully agree with the order of the Top 10
That's cool, and is the great thing about lists like this - everyone has their favorites.
I liked season of the witch I remember it
Didn't mind diary of the dead👍🏻
It's not terrible, just not one of my favorites.
My favorite Romero film has also been Dawn of the Dead, considering it less claustrophobic that its predecessor. Never liked Creepshow though. My favorite anthology movies have always been House That Dripped Blood and Tales from the Crypt.
I LOVE the Amicus anthologies, so I get that. But to me Creepshow is a perfect film. It's a love letter to EC comics and a perfect partnership between Romero and King, a comic book come to life.
💕 IT!!!
best Romero flick is noltd remake.
I wouldn't exactly call that a Romero flick, he didn't direct it. And I much prefer the original but to each their own.
He was co director and sevigny was top director. It’s a Romero flick that’s way more refined and gory. I could talk circles around you about zombie flicks.@@drgangrene
This guy calls noltd 1990 not a Romero flick? Lol enough said, I have your number now. @@drgangrene
@19:25 "Romero's future wife at the time" huh?!?!?
Probably not phrased right but they would be married after this.
You forgot dead time stories.😅
He didn't direct that one, just has his name attached.
Holy cheap shit.🎉
No way dawn is 3.. no way
I honestly feel Romero has 5 masterpieces. Night, Dawn, Day, Martin and Creepshow, and they're interchangeable. It's a personal preference as to which speaks to you the most, but they're all brilliant in different ways.
Dawn of the dead number 1
Dayof the dead 2
Land of the dead 3
Very cool, many folks like Dawn best.
Just watch the crazies.... it could be the start of dawn of the dead
There are some similarities there for sure!
Dawn of the Dead is a great movie but the zombies look like crap. The effects are so much better in the third movie. Dawn suffers doubly by comparison with the excellent Tom Savini remake of the original.
I think Dawn is a masterpiece. I get what you're saying about the zombie makeup but it was an aesthetic George was going for that has its own unique look.
I disagree about the Savini remake. I appreciate it but think the original is better in every aspect. Especially as there's nothing to compare it to at that time, The Last Man on Earth being the closest influence. The original Night was groundbreaking and one of the most influential films in horror history. Can't overestimate its impact.
@@drgangrene I get that and wouldn't want to take anything away from these movies or their place in history. I still love them. When revisiting, I definitely choose the Savini version though. (It also helps that I have a lingering crush on Patricia Tallman from when I first saw her in Knightriders.)
The list is good.. wrong.. but good.. Night , Dawn and Day will always be in spots 1-3 in that order. Martin tho? Really? In 4? I saw it once.. and was not really impressed with it.
That's the great thing about lists like this, they encourage discussion, and there's really no wrong answer. That original trilogy is amazing, but I do truly love Martin and it's Indy vibe. It's an underrated masterpiece, and I'd encourage you to give it another try. It's pure Romero.
Martin is not top 5!!!!!
#1 Night of the living dead. #2 Dawn of the dead. #3 The Crazies.
I can't argue with anyone's personal Romero top list... Any Romero is good in my book!
Those drag queens in Season of the Witch?
Season of the Witch is underrated.
Dawn of the Dead is #1, come on
great job on this though to be clear
Thanks! I certainly understand anyone going with Dawn #1… I factored in cultural impact and the fact Night started an entire genre of horror films. Hard to top that. And it's one I revisit often. But so is Dawn. They're both amazing films.
Day of the dead 1985 is top of the trilogy. Hands down with a second doubt. Grease paint zombies in 1978 were frowned upon by savani. Dawn could have been much better zombie wise but oh well, nothing is perfect.. except maybe milla jovovich.
It is truly a fantastic movie. I love bub, the music in it, character dynamics... Just a terrific film.
I could type normally on my android tab. iPhone tablets are bhtt! They purposefully jack up your typing. Oh well, nothing is perfect.
The phony Irish accents and ham fisted bad acting ruined Survival of the dead for me
Pretty cliche cookie cutter list bro.
Boring
To each his own, bro.
Idc I like Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead they are different
Doctor Gangrena ?
Hoy se llaman doctor ĞŘÆFƏŇØ !
😷👨⚕️💉💰💭✈️☢️☣️📡📶💥🔗⚰️👁️🐍🤫😹😹😹
Carpenter and Romero both got shit on by Hollywood very sad because they are both masters
Dawn of the Dead is my top Romero film, then Night, Martin, Knightriders, The Crazies and Bruiser.
A mention of Crazies and Bruiser! Nice. You don't hear folks talk about those much. Crazies in particular is very underrated.
Rest in peace, George
Seconded!
Oh, I love the Diary of the Dead! Dawn of the Dead should be #1.
I can get onboard a list with Dawn at 1. Great movie.
Interesting rankings Doc.
Wish I could meet you at a con sometime.
Thanks. You never know, could happen!
This channel is the best channel ever
Thank you so much!!
Great ranking, however Dawn is my favorite
I agree with your top 5 100% with each interchangeable depending on my mood as well
Hah, I never even heard that Bruiser is a Romero movie. Only that it is a little original and a lot of crap.
Legendary Movies From The Legend George A Romero. 👍👌👊✊😊🍁🎃🍁 RIP George A Romero 😔
Dawn being at #3 and below Creepshow and Night Of The Living Dead couldn’t be so different to mine.
At #3 Day Of The Dead
#2 The Crazies
and at #1..
Dawn Of The Dead, the greatest movie George ever made as well as it being the greatest Zombie movie of all time no matter which version you choose to watch
They're all 3 great films. Dawn is infinitely rewatchable.
When it comes to George’s Zombie Movies I’d put Diary last followed by Land, Survival, Night, Day and finally Dawn Of The Dead at #1. Is others movies have one that stands above all others and that is The Crazies.
Speaking of The Crazies why do a hell of a lot of fans think Lynn Lowry is the sexiest woman but no one mentions or shows any love for Lane Carroll who in my opinion is absolutely stunningly beautiful
Nice to see so much love for The Crazies in the comments!
Dawn of the Dead 78' rulez forever 💯👀🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨 Greetings from Hamburg Germany 🤘👍
Germany! Fantastic! Greetings to you too and thanks for watching
I thought Diary was entertaining.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) #1
Yes indeed, I concur.
I have tried to get through Survival three times or so. Maybe this will help me finish it.
Worth watching just because it's a Romero flick.
I just bought Land of the Dead again because of this
Excellent! Always worth a rewatch.
@@drgangrene I had a hard copy, on HD-DVD! But one of my ex’s stole it 😒
I can have an alright time with Diary of the Dead because I felt Romero was trying with it but it felt like a backward step to me because it was pretty much a redo of Night but done in the modern day. Bruiser, I actually didn't mind either because for me it was just a typical revenge movie with a supernatural twist of the guy losing his identity. I really enjoy Night Dawn Day and even Land I didn't like Survival much at all felt like Romero wanted to do a western but was forced to make it a zombie film and now they're making a sequel to Night of the Living Dead with Romero family which is concerning to me.
i thought diary of the dead was pretty good remember being sick of reality pov movies at the time and thought id dislike it from the get go. still like it now does it right imo
It's not bad at all. The reality piv shaky cam films were a thing back then but Romero's was handled well.