Day Of The Dead
A popular wasted ambition nowadays from many, many untalented wanna-be screenwriters when they try to write a horror movie is that they ALWAYS try to do a zombie movie, when the sad truth is that George A. Romero (and Dan O’Bannon) pretty much defined and perfected the genre with their work in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. This 1985 release from Romero, the third in his Immortal Original Trilogy, has some minor flaws, but benefits from arguably the best acting the trilogy had ever seen. It concerns a group of scientists and military operatives safely ensconced away in an underground bunker (as the zombie plague has swept the rest of the planet), trying to figure out a way to contain or control the living dead and, failing that, figuring out a way to escape to possibly a “better place” (like a deserted tropical island). Tensions arise as the scientists dishonestly report on their progress to the soldiers, who in turn want to stop risking their lives rounding up zombie specimens for their experiments. Romero’s ultimate message that when humans are pushed to a literally apocalyptic breaking point, that really they are no longer worthy of surviving as a species based on their actions we see here. Much of the film consists of the two factions continuously arguing (and threatening) each other, and at times one wonders when they will see the hardcore scares of the earlier films. No doubt though, that this is easily the bleakest and most downbeat of the series, despite a tacked on happy ending for three of the characters, and that nihilism certainly adds to the atmosphere of what it would be like to try maintain a hopeless, desperate situation. In the acting turns, Lori Cardille continues Romero’s tradition of casting beautiful, appealing lead actresses (who consequently never did anything of much value in their careers ever again) even as her character tries to straddle the line between the two factions with the futile stance that everyone must work together; Terry Alexander as the Jamaican helicopter pilot (a key point as he’s the only one who can fly them out of there) is a bit overbearing at times, but he’s definitely the most level-headed character even as his intentions towards the female lead are clearly not honorable; and Gary Klar as the loudmouthed, aggressive soldier was certainly an early inspiration for the Walter Sobchak character in The Big Lebowski. However, there are three performances that certainly stand out heads and shoulders above the rest in the film (and the trilogy): Joseph Pilato’s Captain Rhodes may seem at first glance to be quite the ruthless little tyrant, but a closer look reveals a man clearly snapping under incredible pressure, though it can be said that the actor plays a GREAT asshole; Richard Liberty as Dr. Logan (a.k.a. “Frankenstein”) is the head scientist at the facility, not to mention a man with absolutely zero ethical boundaries as he takes great delight in slicing up and experimenting on the zombies to try to figure out the root cause of their behavior, and is truly one of, if not the greatest, “Mad Scientist” in the history of cinema; and Howard Sherman as Logan’s star pupil, Bub, the “zombie with a soul”, does a fantastic job of showing his undead character’s humanity with little more than grunts and facial expressions. Of course, the intense gore that zombie movies are known for is there, maybe better than it’s ever been in the hands of the legendary Tom Savini, and overall the film serves as a fine and worthy conclusion to the trilogy. In the end, future screenwriters are encouraged to watch, enjoy, but do not try to copy…
9/10