Diary of the Dead (George Romero, 2007)

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DrewReiber · #1 Post by **DrewReiber** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:44 pm

Romero's latest entry in the dead series, scaled waaaaaaay back down to something closer on the production level of the original Night of the Living Dead. He's also going back to the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, in terms of theme and story. I'm intrigued as hell...

Set Report

First Week Set Report (video)

Interview with Greg Nicotero about KNB's involvement

DrewReiber · #2 Post by **DrewReiber** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 4:08 pm

Empire reports that the film is scheduled for release in the UK sometime around September. I would assume that means the distributor is looking for a fall theatrical run in the U.S. as well.

Barmy · #3 Post by **Barmy** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:15 pm

Showing at the Toronto Film Fest.

Antoine Doinel · #4 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:16 pm

I hope this isn't the final movie poster.

patrick · #5 Post by **patrick** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:25 pm

That image has been around for a while as a teaser poster, I'm pretty sure it's as old as the project itself.

flyonthewall2983 · #6 Post by **flyonthewall2983** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 12:35 am

Zombies can write?

Antoine Doinel · #7 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:46 am

Here are some stills from the film.

DrewReiber · #8 Post by **DrewReiber** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:45 am

Reviews:

Twitchfilm

Ain't It Cool News

Sorry about the gross sources. I would have gladly included better sites/publishers if the reviews were available.

solaris72 · #9 Post by **solaris72** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:40 am

Moviemartyr

LeeB.Sims · #10 Post by **LeeB.Sims** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:35 pm

DrewReiber wrote:Twitchfilm

Ain't It Cool News

Sorry about the gross sources. I would have gladly included better sites/publishers if the reviews were available.

So I'm picking up that the general attitude around here toward Aint it Cool News is one of extreme disdain, is that correct? While I agree that AICN is not a good source for serious opinions on film as art, there is a certain kind of movie on which I trust their taste implicitly. When it comes to the pure, mind-numbing, popcorn flics that I watch for no reason other than to be dazzled and entertained, they seem to get it right for me most of the time. This movie would definitely fall into that categoryâ€¦

Barmy · #11 Post by **Barmy** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:25 pm

Umm, AICN loses credibility every time it says stuff like Hostel 2 is AWESOME!!!!

BTW, according to Harry, "Stardust" is "utter perfection".

Highway 61 · #12 Post by **Highway 61** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:01 pm

LeeB.Sims wrote:So I'm picking up that the general attitude around here toward Aint it Cool News is one of extreme disdain, is that correct?

The disdain--or at least my disdain--stems from AICN's blatant opportunism, e.g. the long list of studio-planted reviews and all the kickbacks Knowles gloats about. I also can't overlook the gross illiteracy of their writers and readers. For Hollywood movie news from a nerd's point of view, I think CHUD is your best bet.

DrewReiber · #13 Post by **DrewReiber** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:14 am

Weinstein Co. digs 'Diary of the Dead'

I am officially concerned.

zombeaner · #14 Post by **zombeaner** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:29 am

DrewReiber wrote:Twitchfilm

Ain't It Cool News

Sorry about the gross sources. I would have gladly included better sites/publishers if the reviews were available.

I really like and contribute to Twitch.

foggy eyes · #15 Post by **foggy eyes** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:03 pm

Variety wrote:Scaling back the broad sweep of previous horror opus "Land of the Dead" and largely jettisoning the increasingly comedic possibilities of the concept in favor of pointed, impassioned social criticism and close-in genre thrills, gore's godfather audaciously and successfully reboots his incalculably influential zombie franchise as a lean, mean teen-survival machine in "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead." Gripping, intimate genre triumph reps a not-insurmountable marketing challenge in the wake of "Land"'s larger canvas, with emphasis on college-age protags and their tech wizardry sure to inject the fan base with copious new blood.

Fifth franchise entry might best be viewed as a provocative inverse of "The Blair Witch Project," with which it shares a general p.o.v. structure and some themes. At its heart a stinging indictment of child-rearing practices that produced sullen offspring, incapable of thinking for themselves or working in groups during a crisis situation, "Witch" has given way, less than a decade later, to "Diary'"s bevy of confident, savvy coeds.

These go-getters are highly motivated for success via self-expression, and possess the vidcam and Internet tech chops to attract attention to themselves by getting their personal projects made and circulated. In short, they create content to validate their own existence.

Though set in the present day, "Diary" rewinds to the mysterious zombie outbreak that set the franchise in motion. Suspicious of lies being fed through the mainstream media as society disintegrates, a surviving member of a student film crew has assembled a docu, "The Death of Death," from the crew's own footage and Internet grabs, as testament to what really went down. (The survivor apologetically warns that some music cues and thrills have been added for entertainment value.)

"The Death of Death" begins as compulsive filmmaker Jason Creed (Josh Close) tries to finish a student mummy film in the Pennsylvania woods. Hearing of the zombie crisis on the radio, lead actor Ridley (Philip Riccio) takes off in his expensive sports car for the family compound across the state, leaving cast and crew to fend for themselves in a rickety RV.

In addition to Jason, behind the camera and thus seldom seen for much of the movie, the core group for the bulk of the action includes his disgruntled g.f. Debra (Michelle Morgan); disbelieving film school rival Tony (Shawn Roberts); mummy scream queen and real-life Texas firecracker Tracy (Amy Lalonde); tech dweeb Eliot (Joe Dinicol); and cynically alcoholic Brit prof Maxwell (Scott Wentworth).

During their mad dash to Debra's house in Scranton, they encounter a nearly deserted rural hospital, an Amish farmer whose deafness doesn't impede his resourcefulness, a gaggle of renegade National Guardsmen and, eventually, Ridley's deceptively fortress-like mansion.

If the actual body count is relatively low, Romero's inspiration level is sky-high; at 67, he's got his finger squarely on the pulse of the younger generation's facile relationship with media and technology. He's also brought his always healthy skepticism of broadcasting and government to the fore; it's giving nothing away to point to pic's sad, brutal coda as one of the most powerful antiwar statements since America invaded Iraq.

Pic also reps a watershed in Romero's direction of actors. As Debra, Morgan is easily the most swaggeringly self-confident heroine of any "Dead" adventure, while Lalonde does a terrific job balancing the humor inherent in her story arc with genuine fear.

Production values are precisely what they need to be. Other than some perfectly miked characters deep in the frame, illusion of pic being stitched together from vidcam footage, Internet video and surveillance cameras is entirely logical. Decision to massage good, old-fashioned latex with CGI splatter pays off in imaginative and startling gags, produced with Greg Nicotero, Gaslight Effects and Spin. Ontario locations stand in nicely once again for rural Pennsylvania.

How influential is Romero's work? Closing credit crawl gives special thanks to Romero pals, disciples and supporters Wes Craven, Guillermo del Toro, Simon Pegg, Stephen King, Quentin Tarantino and Tom Savini. They should be proud.

chaddoli · #16 Post by **chaddoli** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:12 pm

indieWIRE wrote:iW NEWS | Weinsteins Get "Dead"

The Weinstein Company has closed a deal for North American rights, including Mexico, to "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead." Cinetic Media brokered the deal, which closed tonight (Tuesday) at the Toronto International Film Festival. Described by the festival as "his first independently produced zombie film in over two decades," the movie was produced by Artfire Films and Romero-Grunwald Productions. [Eugene Hernandez]
[permalink] [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Cronenfly · #17 Post by **Cronenfly** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:38 pm

Didn't think I'd want to see another Romero Dead film after Land, but the Variety review alone has me sold on it. Bravo George! =D>

Just hope the Weinsteins don't mess up the release: I could see the film's somewhat experimental nature causing some marketing problems.

DrewReiber · #18 Post by **DrewReiber** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:08 am

Going to see this tomorrow night.

EDIT: It was disappointing.

Donald Brown · #19 Post by **Donald Brown** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 3:41 am

Doug Cummings has a nice review of the film on his site filmjourney.org.

terabin · #20 Post by **terabin** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 4:40 pm

Robin Wood's glowing review for the Jan/Feb issue of Film Comment.

Antoine Doinel · #21 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:09 pm

Trailer with an introduction by George Romero (who I think stole Martin Scorsese's glasses).

Dylan · #22 Post by **Dylan** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:56 am

Looks like it'll make a great double bill with Cloverfield.

Barmy · #23 Post by **Barmy** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:40 pm

or a triple bill with redacted

looks dreadful

diary films are so 20th century

make it stop

thanks in advance

colinr0380 · #24 Post by **colinr0380** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:43 pm

Barmy wrote:diary films are so 20th century

make it stop

thanks in advance

Hmmm...Bridget Jones's Diary, The Diary Of Anne Frank - I see what you mean!

Barmy · #25 Post by **Barmy** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:52 pm

or the best one of all: Diary of a Mad Housewife