Worst2First: My Top Ten George A. Romero Films

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten George A. Romero Films

There are very few filmmakers out there who not only add to a subgenre, but create one all his own.  George A. Romero did just that with his low budget film "Night of the Living Dead."  Before Romero, zombies were hardly frightening and subject of some incredibly cheesy films (such as "Plan 9 From Outer Space"), with the first notable zombie film being "White Zombie" back in 1932.  However, most people won't even know zombies before George A. Romero, because he re-identified them as undead creatures who crave human flesh, can only be killed by having their brain destroyed, and seem unstoppable en masse.   Without Romero, we'd have no "The Walking Dead."  Without Romero, we'd have no zombies in "Call of Duty."  Without Romero, the horror genre would be severely lacking one of its most endearing and famed subgenres.

With his recent passing after a brief battle with lung cancer, I decided to honor the acclaimed, iconic, visionary, once-in-a-lifetime director with my personal top ten George A. Romero films.

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

Bruiser

While the mask itself (although reminiscent of Michael Myers) is scary enough, the film about a down-on-his-luck man getting revenge on everyone who's ever wronged him is as timid as they come, and as predictable as can be.  Much like the plain white mask, there's not a whole lot to remember about this Romero outing.

#9

Survival of the Dead

A mixture of zombies and the Hatfields vs. the McCoys, "Survival of the Dead" unfortunately focuses more on the family drama than actual zombie action, which no one really cared about.  This new addition to the "Dead" family was as good as Lucas's "Star Wars Episodes I-III," but I will give credit to Romero for focusing on a film set on an island, seeing how a land mass totally separated from the mainland deals with the undead.

#8

 Diary of the Dead

Romero takes on the found footage genre with "Diary of the Dead," following a group of filmmakers who want to make their own horror movie in a world gone mad.  Pretty much the same results as "Survival," being a new chapter in a story that didn't need to be written, and lacking the true soul and depth of Romeo's other classic works.

#7

Monkey Shines

Romero's first major studio production didn't focus on zombies, but rather a monkey named Ella, trained to assist a quadriplegic man.  The two form a deep, psychological bond, and soon the monkey begins attacking those close to the man, as he harbors vengeful thoughts against them.  It's incredibly difficult to direct a movie with a real animal, and Romero delivers a shocking, frightening venture with "Monkey Shines," which also stars Stanley Tucci, Janine Turner and Stephen Root.

#6

Land of the Dead

After the success of Zack Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead" remake, Romero upped the ante with his own creation with "Land of the Dead," where he explored the idea that zombies aren't just mindless flesh hungry masses, but creatures who could learn, adapt, and fight back.  It's an exciting addition to the franchise and features standout performances by John Leguizamo, Simon Baker, Asia Argento (daughter of "Suspiria" director Dario Argento), and the late, great Dennis Hopper.  It also featured "Shaun of the Dead" stars Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright as zombies.

#5

Creepshow

Three of horror's biggest titans join forces to create a unique horror anthology movie akin to classics such as "House of Mystery," "Tales From The Crypt," and "The Vault of Horror."  Written by Stephen King, featuring make-up effects by Tom Savini, and directed by Romero himself, "Creepshow" tells five terrifying tales of terror featuring some of the most talented actors in the business, including Leslie Nielsen, Hal Holbrook, Ted Danson and Adrienne Barbeau.

#4

The Crazies

When a small Pennsylvania town is the subject of an accidental government bioweapon release, the townspeople begin going mad and killing one another.  The military - in hopes of erasing their mistake - is sent to the town to eliminate the problem.  It's an action-packed thrill ride directed by Romero that looks at the darker aspects of human society.

#3

Day of the Dead

The third of Romero's iconic "Dead" trilogy, "Day of the Dead" takes place long after the world has been overrun by zombies, and the government tries to intervene.  The film is best known for Bub - one of the most well-known zombies in cinematic history - and the madness of Colonel Henry Rhodes, played brilliantly by Joseph Pilato.  Romero himself described the film as a tragedy about how a lack of human communication causes chaos and collapse even in this small little pie slice of society.

#2

Dawn of the Dead

Romero's second film in his "Dead" trilogy is iconic in its location as well as its story.  Taking place in a shopping mall, a small group of survivors band together to survive the undead knocking at the doors.  The film offers a satirical look at consumerism, and also tells a frightening story of the zombie apocalypse only Romero could deliver.

#1

Night of the Living Dead

The original film that started it all, the film that gave birth to the modern zombie, the film that rises among all the rest.  The epitome of a small budget, the film was shot by Romero and a group of his friends in a small town outside Pittsburgh, and the legacy it spawned continues to this day.  Not only was it revolutionary for its time due to the subject matter, but it was also one of the first films in history to feature an African American man (Duane Jones - whose namesake was given honor by Robert Kirkman in "The Walking Dead" as the name of Morgan's son) as a leading role, in particular the hero of the story (Romero said in interviews he never considered the actor's skin color a factor, he just liked the actor).  Iconic, revolutionary, timeless, unparalleled.  That's "Night of the Living Dead," and that's the legacy of the great George A. Romero.