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Who Will End Up Zombie Food?
Who Will End Up Zombie Food?

Diary of the Dead

Romero Returns Again to The Genre That Made Him Infamous

Brandon - Friday, February 15, 2008

Released: 2008
Director: George A. Romero
Starring: Michelle Morgan, Joshua Close, Shawn Roberts, Amy Ciupak Lalonde, Joe Dinicol, Scott Wentworth, Philip Riccio
Website: Diary of the Dead MySpace Page
Buy this movie at Find & Buy Tickets to a Theater Near You

There are few directors within the horror genre that garner the respect that George A. Romero receives and even fewer that do that actually deserve said respect. I for one remember specifically the details of viewing each and everyone of his zombie epics.I Can Smell Your.... Ankle From watching the original Night of the Living Dead, scared shitless, at my uncles house in 2nd grade to braving some micro bursts AZ weather to catch the midnight opening of Land of the Dead with fellow site cohorts Danny & Stone (Well before the site was even a forethought) and all the “Deads” and such in between. So to say the least, the rising of yet another chronicling of the undead by the modern zombie master is something that I don’t take lightly. This brings us to the day early Valentines day screening of Diary of the Dead that my lovely wife was so kind to agree to attend with me on this most romantic of holidays.

Before I get dive too deep into this review and loose your attention all together (if I haven’t already lost it) I want to take one of the liberties that we here at the site take a few times a year, that would be that of a Call to Arms. Being a horror fan (or even just of fan of cinema in general) this is a movie that really is a must see, particularly in a theater atmosphere surrounded by like minded zombie maniacs. I’m sure that I’m coming off overly preachy and/or annoying, but seriously go out and see this movie, shell out a few bucks, make a drive to that theater that may not be as close as your local mega-plex and skip watching the latest Hayden Christensen catastrophe and just see Diary of the Dead.

I Thinks Shes Gonna Be OK

Shoot Me While I'm Shooting YouSoooooo, now that that’s out of the way “Diary” takes the form of a documentary shot on the fly during the rise of the zombie horde complete with voiceovers, news footage, and hand held cameras that the general public has become so familiar with the likes of the Blair Witch Project and the recent Cloverfield. We follow the cast of characters from their hasty attempt at making a “B” Mummy movie, where they hear the initial reports of the dead failing to stay dead. Quickly the director turned videographer seizes the opportunity to film “how it went down” in a manner and logic that makes much more sense then in Cloverfield. The band of Pennsylvania college coeds, camera in hand, then begins to try and make their way to their respective family homes while civilization begins to crumble around them within the chaos of mass hysteria.

The Mummy Is Undead

Thats Not How You Insert an IV Sir!“Diary” is a fantastic film that truly shows its independent flair but it’s not perfect. The acting is a little rough around the edges (as typical in most modern zombie films) and the actions of our protagonists are at time questionable at best (The dead are rising and eating people, lets get to a hospital and wonder around, and split up...sounds great). Despite these minor set backs “Diary” is a gore filled, arrow through the head, entrails spilling good time that is fully entertaining even if you don’t eat, breathe and sleep horror flicks.

Go out and see the zombie master at work. Be sure to catch Romero’s snub to fast zombies (on multiple occasions) and enjoy what may be Romero’s most memorable film in nearly two decades (sorry Monkey Shines). Oh yah, and the kills fucking rule!

That's A Hell of A Cold Sore Lady

Look for Danny's exit video interviews with the crowd from the Valentines Day screening hitting the site in the next few days!

 

 

A Dead On Zombie Flick
A Dead On Zombie Flick

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