So here's what I'll say about Diary of the Dead, and in fact the whole Dead series...For something like four decades George Romero has written and directed movies that examined the dominant social issue of the day... in the genre of (of all things)... zombie movies!!!!Seriously...
1968 - Night of Living Dead - Race issues
1978 - Dawn of the Dead - Consumerism
1985 - Day of the Dead - military build-up
2005 - Land of The Dead - Class war, growing gap between rich and poor
2008 - Diary of the Dead - the blogoshpere, obsession with capturing/reporting vs. experiencing
That's really what each of these movies are about at the center, although of course they're each really zombie films. I gotta say, I was kind of iffy on Land of the Dead as well, and even to some extent on Diary, but I was overwhelmed at how this 70 year old underground horror film maker consistently has his finger on the pulse of American culture and manages to get it on film in gross out gore fests. Maybe you guys think I'm nuts, but many a great artist has gotten commentary to our culture through disrespected mediums... like rock and roll, or hip hop, or comedy, or of course,... comic books.
-ML
2008 - Diary of the Dead - the blogoshpere, obsession with capturing/reporting vs. experiencing
That's really what each of these movies are about at the center, although of course they're each really zombie films. I gotta say, I was kind of iffy on Land of the Dead as well, and even to some extent on Diary, but I was overwhelmed at how this 70 year old underground horror film maker consistently has his finger on the pulse of American culture and manages to get it on film in gross out gore fests. Maybe you guys think I'm nuts, but many a great artist has gotten commentary to our culture through disrespected mediums... like rock and roll, or hip hop, or comedy, or of course,... comic books.-ML
great commentary, mike...
ReplyDeletean artist's most important ability is not his ability to create, it's his ability to see... to perceive the world and question it. artists who cannot do it can only copy.
i think it's as important to remain mentally inquisitive as it is to stay on top of your craft.
it gives you the power (and the motivation) to speak to the public on multiple levels...