As another cinema legend leaves us, we pay tribute to GEORGE A. ROMERO, the man who changed the face of zombie movies - and horror films - forever… True icons are a rare breed.
Icons of horror are an even scarcer species. Faces that are instantly recognisable and are automatically identifiable with their work. One such face belonged to George Andrew Romero, a lover of cigars, who sadly passed away on July 16th after a short battle against an aggressive form of lung cancer, as he listened to the score from The Quiet Man, one of his favourite films. George is survived by his second wife, Suzanne Desrocher Romero, and his children – a daughter and two sons.
His legacy is so engrained within the psyche of genre fans that he shall be forever known in death - as he was in life - as the ‘father of the zombie film’.
Born on February 4th, 1940 to a Cuban father and Lithuanian-American mother and raised in the Bronx, New York, George would ride the subway into Manhattan to rent film reels to view at his house; the seeds of a future career being nurtured early on.
On one trip to the cinema in the early ‘50s, a young and impressionable George wanted to go and see the latest Tarzan movie, but was overruled by his aunt and uncle who instead decided to go and see The Tales of Hoffman, by Michael Powell. George admitted that he was glad his choice was vetoed, stating, “I fell in love with it. It’s just beautiful. Completely captivating. It’s the movie that made me want to make movies.”
George will, of course, be remembered most fondly for his pioneering work within nay, creating - the zombie subgenre.
Released in 1968, Night of the Living Dead was the first film to utilise zombies not that the undead creatures on the screen were ever called that in the film - in the way that is so recognised today. Prior to the release, zombies were heavily connected to voodoo practices that originated in Haiti and were most popular in films like the Bela Lugosi-starring White Zombie.
Denne historien er fra September 2017-utgaven av Starburst Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 2017-utgaven av Starburst Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Memoirs Of The Dead
It’s over 40 years since George A. Romero’s seminal zombie sequel DAWN OF THE DEAD first terrorised the planet, forever changing our demeanour when visiting the local shopping mall. On the eve of its latest disinterment - this time in 4K - we spoke to two actors who lived to tell the tale…
STAND BY FOR SHADO
This autumn marks the 50th anniversary of Gerry Anderson’s evolution from producing Supermarionation to live-action TV shows with UFO. We take a fond look back on a complex, mature series that took Century 21 Productions to new creative heights…
SHORT AND TO THE POINT
Short films have become a popular staple of film festivals but SHORT SHARP SHOCKS, the 41st release from BFI Flipside, shows us that the format has been used for much more commercial means previously…
ROAD TO OTAKU
YOUR GATEWAY INTO THE WORLD OF ANIME......WITH YOUR NAVIGATOR, JAMES 'MAGIC PERKINS' PERKINS
INDEPENDENTS DAY - FC RABBATH
Born in Alexandra, Egypt in October 1986, director/writer FRED ‘FC’ RABBATH has been an inventor, author, comedian, journalist, and all around entrepreneur. He’s also hugely well-travelled thanks to his father’s work, which required Fred to live in several countries before he was even 16. Tirelessly prolific, he has written and directed a string of acclaimed short films and a number of features including Scarlet’s Witch (2014), The Hum (2015), The Movie Extra (2015), and especially A Brilliant Monster (2018), which we described as ‘quirky and highly watchable… a psychological horror/thriller that examines the nature of creativity and the obsessions which drive the creative mind’ He’s back later this year with THE WAITING, a highly unusual and unpredictable ghost story that turns slowly into an unusual romantic fable. We spoke to Fred about his background and his approach to his work in the independent movie sector.
HEART and SOUL
Known for re-shaping the landscape of movies as we know it (not just animated ones), Pixar has respectfully raised the bar with delightful, heartfelt aplomb. From the intense opening segment of Up where no matter how lacking in emotion you think you are, tears will still come running, to the joyous Randy Newman-scored Toy Story moments, to the roaring, superhero family dynamics in The Incredibles, there’s an endless array of remarkable Pixar memories. Even in just these highlighted animated spectacles alone, Pixar has imprinted many sequences into our brains that we will never, ever forget. Everyone has a favourite Pixar character, scene, quote, song, and catchphrase that still evokes something nostalgically magical in them. So, what’s yours?
TRUTH BE TOLD
Following on from our TRUTH SEEKERS set-visit last issue, we speak with the driving forces behind Prime Video’s excellent new supernatural comedy series, SIMON PEGG, NICK FROST, and SAMSON KAYO...
Telephemera
ALAN BOON DELVES INTO THE TELEVISION ARCHIVES TO UNEARTH ANOTHER LONG-FORGOTTEN CURIO...
AN EYE FOR AN EYE
The controversial 1978 film I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE has just been released as part of a 6-disc box set that includes the reboot trilogy, the UK debut of the direct sequel, DÉJÀ VU, and a feature-length documentary GROWING UP WITH I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. We managed to speak with actors CAMILLE KEATON and JAMIE BERNADETTE as well as the son of the original director, TERRY ZARCHI to find out more about the legendary revenge films…
telephemera
ALAN BOON DELVES INTO THE TELEVISION ARCHIVES TO UNEARTH ANOTHER LONG-FORGOTTEN CURIO...