Film: Land of the Dead

[Tech Kinetics]

^^^
Great News! I've always loved the special effects of the Return of the Living Dead series. I wonder if it will actually be released in the theater, knowing that part 3 went straight to video.

 

[axl blaze]

Land of the Dead

it appears the old thread is gone.

George A. Romero's Land of the Dead is the acclaimed director's long-awaited return to the genre he created, beginning with the seminal Night of the Living Dead and continued with Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead.

In Romero's harrowing newest version, the world (as humankind knows it) is merely a memory. In its place is the never-ending nightmare exsistence of us - the living - versus them - the "dead walkers." What's left of mankind is cordoned off behind the walls of a fortified city while the walking dead roam the vast wasteland beyond. The few wealthy and the powerful try to maintain an illusion of life as it was, dwelling high above the city in the streets below, however, the remaining, less fortunate of the city's inhabitants eke out a hard-scrabble life, seeking what little solace they can in the vices availible - gambling, flesh trade, drugs - anything that offers even a fleeting respite from the hell their lives have become.

Both the lofty heights of Fiddler's Green and the demoralizing lows of the city below are lorded over by a handful of ruthless opportunists, led by Kaufman (Dennis Hopper), who keeps his hands in everything, from real estate to less above-board pursuits. To bring food and other essential supplies to the occupants of the city and to allow the Green's well-to-do acquire the scarce luxury items to which they were once accustomed, a hardened group of mercenaries - headed by Riley (Simon Baker) and his second-in-command, Cholo (John Leguizamo) - run retrieval missions outside the city, protected by their massive armed vehicle, Dead Reckoning. Riley and Cholo, like Kaufman, are in it for the money, which they hope to use for their own escapes -Riley to the North, which promises a "world without fences" and freedom, and Cholo to the luxury of Fiddler's Green, far away from the violent life of which he has known.

While Kaufman and his employees concern themselves with commerce, life is changing both within and beyond the walls of the city. Unrest and anarchy are on the rise among the city's disenfranchised and outside, the army of the dead is changing, evolving, learning to organize and communicate.

When Cholo commandeers Dead Reckoning, intent on extorting millions out of Kaufman and his cronies, Riley and his ragtag group - including Slack (Asia Argento) and Charlie (Robert Joy) - are called into action to stop Cholo and, in the process, protect the city from the city from the growing number of evolving zombies outside the weakening perimeter.


looks great! I have been a hard-core zombie fan for as long as I can remember. they are coming to get you, Bluelight!

 

[PinholeStar]

Uncut Land Of The Dead trailer (Warning : contains gore.....funnily enough!)

It's good to see George A. Romero back doing what he does better than any other.

I'm really looking forward to this, but I just hope that there haven't been too many studio pressures to make concessions for the modern action movie market & diminish the level of social satire & commentary that the previous Dead films pulled off so well. The trailer's obviously been cut to appeal to fans of last years remake, but hopefully the final product will have a bit more substance to it than it suggests.

 

[axl blaze]

^I was reading something on a zombie message board (allthingszombie.com) about another poster not unlike yourself who was also worried about modern commercialism tainting Romero's new movie. the apt response, which I believe, was: "Romero would not go elsewhere if he believed that his baby was going to be tainted by Hollywood."

Romero CREATED this genre. personally I think it's impossible for him to fuck it up.

 

[i_amnotted]

All I have to add is that Im really looking forward to this

 

[axl blaze]

"zombie's man... they freak me out." - Dennis Hopper

 

[wanderlust]

Re: Land of the Dead

it appears the old thread is gone.

still here, so i merged

 

[axl blaze]

5 more days!!

 

[goatofthenever]

Only 5 more days? That's kind of surprising, I haven't seen any previews for it yet.

Good news though, it sounds like it will be plenty gory.
"Head shots, decapitations, zombie biting people with the typical fleshy ripping...intestines...the works. I was SHOCKED at the amount of gore they managed to get into the film."

Even if you don't like the idea of any kind of smart zombie it seems like the gore will be true to Romero's previous movies.

 

[wanderlust]

land of the dead

five more days, well then... here is the poll

 

[cydonorb]

First Print Review (& IT'S POSITIVE!)

Film review: Land of the Dead
By Michael Rechtshaffen (Reuters/Hollywood Reporter)
Mon Jun 20, 8:46 AM ET


After having to sit back and watch others remake his zombie classics -- without any of the trademark sociopolitical subtext -- George A. Romero has returned to the land of the dead for the first time in two decades, and it's quite evident the godfather of the modern horror film still has much on his mind.

"Land of the Dead" is the fourth movie in what was originally a trilogy, beginning with 1968's seminal "Night of the Living Dead," the movie that has inspired a couple of generations of filmmakers.

The latest installment could well be Romero's masterpiece. Taking full advantage of state-of-the-art makeup and visual effects, he has a more vivid canvas at his disposal, not to mention two decades worth of pent-up observations about American society.

Even those walking dead have learned a thing or two in the interim.

Romero's legion of fans as well as those who like an allegory with the emphasis on the gory will likely show their appreciation by stalking the theaters in droves, giving Universal a very lively opening weekend, while enthusiastic word-of-mouth could give those zombies some legs.

Having staggered their way through "Dawn of the Dead" and "Day of the Dead," it's apparent those ever-growing masses of "walkers" have started to develop an appetite for more than just fresh flesh.

Following the grunting lead of Big Daddy (Eugene Clark), an imposing gas station attendant, the living dead have begun to sort of re-enact their once-normal lives prior to their affliction.

Meanwhile, the remaining affluent and powerful among the living have fortified themselves in an ivory tower -- a luxury complex called Fiddler's Green, which effectively looks down upon the less fortunate of the city's inhabitants who struggle to survive in the dangerous streets.

It's all the domain of the powerful Kaufman (Dennis Hopper), a slick CEO who keeps himself sequestered in the Green while hiring a group of mercenaries, led by Riley (Simon Baker) and his second-in-command, Cholo (John Leguizamo), to run retrieval missions beyond the electrified fences for luxury items.

But even as they plow their way through the armies of "stenches" in a massive armored vehicle called Dead Reckoning, there's an unstoppable unrest brewing among the dead and the living alike that's about to reach a boiling point.

Although Romero ventured outside his native Pittsburgh to shoot this one in Toronto, it's very clear, from the flag-waving vigilantes to the anti-terrorist rhetoric spewed by Hopper's big-money operator, that most criticisms are being leveled due south of the border.

But those familiar with Romero's work know that doesn't mean they're in for a Michael Moore diatribe. The horror show is still the main attraction, and "Land of the Dead" delivers the goods in harrowing, visceral heaps.

Bolstered by a talented cast that also includes Asia Argento as a tough cookie ex-hooker who joins Baker's entourage, the film never skimps on atmosphere, which at times verges on the horrifically poetic.

Adding to the uncompromising effect is Miroslaw Baszak's night-drenched cinematography, Michael Doherty's tight edit and a pulse-pounding score by Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek.

Universal Pictures and Atmosphere Entertainment MM present a Mark Canton-Bernie Goldmann and Romero-Grunwald production in association with Wild Bunch.

Cast: Riley: Simon Baker; Cholo: John Leguizamo; Kaufman: Dennis Hopper; Slack: Asia Argento; Charlie: Robert Joy; Big Daddy: Eugene Clark; Pretty Boy: Joanne Boland; Foxy: Tony Nappo; Number 9: Jennifer Baxter; Butcher: Boyd Banks.

Director-screenwriter: George A. Romero; Producers: Mark Canton, Bernie Goldmann, Peter Grunwald; Executive producers: Steve Barnett, Dennis E. Jones, Ryan Kavanaugh, Lynwood Spinks; Director of photography: Miroslaw Baszak; Production designer: Arv Greywal; Editor: Michael Doherty; Costume designer: Alex Kavanagh; Special makeup effects: Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger; Music: Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter



Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.


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[axl blaze]

Re: First Print Review (& IT'S POSITIVE!)

Following the grunting lead of Big Daddy (Eugene Clark), an imposing gas station attendant, the living dead have begun to sort of re-enact their once-normal lives prior to their affliction.

this will be interesting to see how it is played out.

 

[tribal EffEct]

heheh...gonna be sooooooooooooooooo bitchen.

Driving up to LA and goin with a bunch of zombie fans. The more and more new previews I see make it look sweet. You guys see Bub in the preview...it looks exactly like him, at least. Any of you guys catch Romero on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments? Most recent interviews I've seen of him, and he seems exactly the same as when he started. This movie will not be tainted, but if it is I don't care. Romero has given me so many wonderful moments I will gladly blindly donate my money to his movie cause.

And it has been stated, by him, the movie big wigs are gonna watch the grosses of this movie. If big enough, he gets $$$ for yet another. If Dawn of the Dead '04 can make ~54mil without his name, I know this one will do better. Doesn't matter what it opens against, as the people who see this movie are gonna see it regardless of what else is playin.

It's late and I'm rambling, but have I ever mentioned I love zombies :D

 

[smotpoker]

This movie is gonna be so fucking sweet! I've been waiting ever since I was 10 and learned who George Romero was for him to come out with another zombie film. This one has gotten rave reviews from the critcs(which is a rarity in today's horror movies) and the storyline sounds very intense; and probably pretty close to what would really happen in this situation.

 

[axl blaze]

I'm about to see it woo hoo.

 

[Perpetual Indulgence]

We are going this week. Review to follow. I have had it written on our "things to do" kitchen whiteboard for months.

 

[vibr8tor]

I'm looking forward to Land of the Dead, but I have a feeling that I'll be disappointed. I didn't really care for the others that much.

Wow! I sure know myself! Just got back from it, and although it was better than I thought it would be, I didn't think much of it in general. Just about every character in it annoyed me in some way or another, and I can't stand watching movies where I don't like any of the characters.

 

[BA]

I wasn't that impressed with this one. I liked dawn of the dead, but this one actually had a zombie "leader" (8)) which I thought was silly. One thing I noticed, when the zombies were crossing the river there were thousands of them. When they finally got blown up with the rockets inside the fenced in area there were less than a hundred. Where the hell did they all go?

If you're into gore and gruesome stuff, this is right up your alley.

 

[smotpoker]

I wasn't to happy with this one either, which sucks because I was so looking forward to this too. The gore was right on, but the characters sucked. Leguizamo I feel wasn't a very good choice for the "tough guy" role. Hopper was pretty good, but what annoyed me the most was the leader zombie. I said from the beginning that this was a stupid idea, and I was right. Zombie's are dead, and to make them actually learn as well as this one did was just retarded. I mean he actually knew how to use a gun, and taught another one also.
I still enjoyed it, but I honestly thing that Romero was overwhelmed with the big budget he got, he didn't know what to do with it. Sadly, I think I liked the Dawn of the Dead remake better.

 

[tribal EffEct]

I liked it...different premise, differeent zombies, different feel. It is nowhere near his Dead trilogy, but those thiings are like Star Wars of the horror genre. I think he did a good job on the inteligent zombies, and it follows the path previously laid by other films. I just wish he went into more of the politics of the city, but he probably felt like he did that with Day of the Dead and concentrated more on the zombies this time.

As a horror movie I enjoyed it, more gruesome then I thought it would be. I've been waiting for this movie for over a year, so I really didn't expect it to live up to the expectations I had, but Romero is still a great horror movie director IMO. I think he needs to film off to a different branch of zombies, though, as then it won't be compared to his classic works of art (which will never be topped).