Screening Log

This new site feature is a collective effort to summarize our viewing habits. Occasionally, you will find titles here that are coming to a theater near you, in addition to films viewed on television, and even films viewed in piecemeal. The screening log is archived each month; to view past entries select a month in the menu below.

September 2006 activity

Total Log Entries: 51

Total Comments: 37

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Land Of The Dead / USA / 2005

George Romero’s all- purpose satirical juggernaut rolls on with this belated and rather disappointing fourth chapter. The problem is simple- each of the first three films felt ahead of it’s time, taking horror into a new and uncertain place. Land Of The Dead feels like a throwback to the 70’s and ‘80’s, with Romero not only trying to recall his own Dawn Of The Dead but channelling John Carpenter- this feels a lot like Escape From New York, with it’s burly bikers and neon strip joints, and wildly unsubtle social commentary (not to mention characters with names like ‘Motown’ and ‘Pilsbury’). With the exception of a few rather crude potshots at Dubya, all of the subtext here was explored more eloquently in Dawn: commercialism, privilege, the enslavement of the masses. It’s still relevant, of course, but feels a little tired.

That said, there’s an enormous amount of enjoyment to be had from the tight plotting and breathless action, and a few gorily inventive deaths go a long way. And the final million- zombie march is suitably bleak and witty- Romero’s point being that it’s better to be a flesh eating zombie than live in the modern world.

by Tom Huddleston | Source: DVD
19 Sep 2006 4:10 AM | Submit Comment

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