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Is Romero Washed Up??????

Ok I know this had to get some of the peoples attention as I had this discuson with a few people the other day and want to hear your opinions.

I personally have not been as impressed with his latest films but am not sure I can call him washed up but he certainly isn't at the top of his game (Dawn of the Dead) IMO. Maybe it is that I have come to expect to much out of his films and all and nothing will ever compare to Dawn for me. Night kicked serious @ss as did Day but Dawn just holds that top spot.

great subject

i think he is washed up and ill even go one further

he is a one trick pony

if its not zombies his movies suck

seriouslyever try to t and watch bruiser?

barf

what were the best parts of creepshow? the zombie parts need i say more?

I think I have to agree with you johnny.

I think that is part of my reason is I keep holding out for something good from him as I hate to think of him as washed up but like Bisco said if it isn't zombies he stinks and even them are getting bad.

Well, what's up with all these bad low budget zombie films like Diary of the Dead and his other lacking sequels. If he wants to keep doing the same thing over and over and over at least write a really cool story and make it a big deal instead of every few years pump out another crappy copy of old work. Get great actors(not stars or useless unknowns) and a story that means something. You would think with how little thought he puts into these that he would able to come out with a few more at least.

Hold your zombie horses guys! We're talking about one of THE godfathers of gore and horror here! While I'd LOVE...LOVE to see another Romero gem? he's got all time clasc level already regardless of the last few clunkers. Also, its very unfair to just credit him for zombie flicks.....MARTIN is a masterpiece, THE CRAZIES is another great film! His resume is huge. All the greats have shit films.....Carpenter! Argento! Craven! Fulci!

Anyway, I had the honor to speak with the maestro a few times....I got the sense of a few things. First off the budgets aren't there for him. We've all talked and debated this to the core....hollywood wants $$$. If shit films make money? thats fine with them. We'll keep having bad remakes and SAW films before we see funds going towards a Romero opus. The current trend of horror films has dilluoned Romero I believe. He is clearly trying to keep up with the Jones....look at the hand held crap.

Romero IS dated and while it works against him, he needs to use the same thing as a strength. Romero comes from a time in film, especially horror, where things were more thought out. Hes a product of the counter culture revolution and his great films reflect the angst and pason of the 60's, 70's and 80's. Just think of the directors and films that were a product of those days. So is Romero shot? I think he's stuck. With the right nudge, we could have one last DEAD film worth making a fuss over.

Romero washed up? I don't think so. Not the king of the Zombies. GR is a horror icon, and there will never be another director quite like him. Washed up? Not a chance.

Evan good point on the crazies, that was a great movie

also anyone else here seen his season of the witch? it was decent

yes he does get tied up as far as money, correct me if im wrong but didnt he get the money to do land of the dead because he sold the rights off to dawn of the dead so they could make the remake?

ah this is turning into a great debate i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep it going guys!

he is still kickin? LOL

I've got to agree with ny ghoul here. Hasn't he achieved a status that kind of makes him untouchable? Agreed, I'm not a fan of the latter zombie flicks, but when you're only given "Sy Fy Original" kind of money, you're just not going to be able to deliver. Even with weak scripts, if he could get a group of decent actors and a solid effects team, I bet we'd all have a different story.

Back to the "status" thing, I haven't heard anyone asking if John Carpenter is washed up! I'm going to get yelled at here, but "cough cough" the 90's for him were a little.......And let's not forget Ghosts of Mars! Hey, I watch Escape From LA every time it's on too but you have to admit that it's a little, umm......you know, retarded and goofy.

And now back to Romero.

I don't think he's washed up. I think he might just be a bit lazy. Let me explain! He's a legend and he knows it. I think (and I could be totally wrong here) that he might just be putting stuff out because he feels that his reputation will carry it. We all watched them right? We all jumped on them like a Horrorbid.com contest! Why try hard when everything you release still jumps to the top of the rental charts?

I bet that he has at LEAST one more stroke of genius in that blood soaked pen of his. Maybe we should pool our resources and get some real players involved. For all we know he might be cutting the scripts down because he knows that they're just not financially feable. If we could somehow get (and this phycally hurts to say) Michael Bay (ouch) to back him instead of constantly serving up reheated turdburgers, I guarantee that the ole Grandfather of Zombie would lash out a film so utterly brain melting that The Walking Dead will seem like an episode of Alf.....starring the ster!

Wait. What are we talking about?

These are all great points guys.

I guess all directors have their good & bad films.

Is he washed up? I can't realy say. But every time a new Romero zombie flick comes out I watch it with a smile.

I'll start out by saying that I'm a diehard Romero fan.

I don't think he's washed up, but he's definitely lacking that spark that he used to have.

His last three 'Dead' films have been disappointing, but I still couldn't wait to watch them, and also buy them.

I have to own 'em all.

That's what diehard Romero fans do.Let's make a comparison here.

Think of any UFC legend.

At one point in their career, they were on top of their game and unstoppable.

Eventually these fighters get older, and the younger guys start mopping the floor with them.

That fighter is still a living legend because of what he accomplished in his past, but how many ass kickings can he take before it starts to put at least a little bit of a damper on that history?

But you know what?

Sometimes the old guys can surprise you.

Sometimes they can get out there and show that they've still got it.

I genuinely hope Romero comes back out before his career is over and wins the belt again.

Addendum:

If Romero isn't able to create another zombie masterpiece before his death, his films will not be appreciated again to the extent they should be until he passes away.

That's just how it is.Let's use another example- Michael Jackson.

It's amazing how quickly people forgot the negatives (i.e. being a complete weirdo and a pedophile) and focused again on what an impact he had on muc and dance immediately after his death.

His accomplishments were appreciated again, but for the last decade (or two) of his life, people just fed off the constant accusations and just the oddball behavior that was caught on camera.

Death can be the greatest career move.

I just love the fact there has been good points on both des. I still have a few people who have been discusng this with me and it is great to see the different views on it.

as a unapologetic Romero fanboy, I have to jump in.

First off, Romero got me into horror, nuff said. When I think of horror movies and horror directors, theres only a few that stick in my mind. Romero, Argento, Carpenter, Craven. They all have their high points ( Dawn, Suspiria, Halloween, Nightmare ) and low points ( Diary, Sleepless, Ghosts of Mars, Scream ). I think our tendency, albeit unconcious is to judge the body of work based on that one moment that blows our minds.

Lets take Romero nce he's the main focus here. Dawn was amazing, in my humble opinon THE best horror movie Ive ever seen. Day was great. Land, not so much. Diary, not so much. But why ? To me, its all because nothing has touched or come close to making me feel like Dawn did.

Taken on their own, Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead are very good films, they just fail to live up to the hype I have attached to Romero because I personally felt Dawn was such a masterwork.

Is Romero infallable ? No, of course not.

But are we thinking of him as washed up because he is, in fact long his touch, or is it because he hasnt lived up to the hype and stature that we the fans have expected him to ? Remember, when you start building a pedestal under something, eventually it will become to high to reach.

Very well said brother. as a unapologetic Romero fanboy, I have to jump in.

First off, Romero got me into horror, nuff said. When I think of horror movies and horror directors, theres only a few that stick in my mind. Romero, Argento, Carpenter, Craven. They all have their high points ( Dawn, Suspiria, Halloween, Nightmare ) and low points ( Diary, Sleepless, Ghosts of Mars, Scream ). I think our tendency, albeit unconcious is to judge the body of work based on that one moment that blows our minds.

Lets take Romero nce he's the main focus here. Dawn was amazing, in my humble opinon THE best horror movie Ive ever seen. Day was great. Land, not so much. Diary, not so much. But why ? To me, its all because nothing has touched or come close to making me feel like Dawn did.

Taken on their own, Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead are very good films, they just fail to live up to the hype I have attached to Romero because I personally felt Dawn was such a masterwork.

Is Romero infallable ? No, of course not.

But are we thinking of him as washed up because he is, in fact long his touch, or is it because he hasnt lived up to the hype and stature that we the fans have expected him to ? Remember, when you start building a pedestal under something, eventually it will become to high to reach.