HorrorSpeak---Terror Awaits You in Every Forum!!!!: Strictly Splatter's Front Page Reviews #5 (spoilers)

Well, Romero touches on ideas of society and politics in a lot of ways. The most simplistic break down or example of that would be the dead series. Of the dead movies, Dawn represents the strongest statement by Romero IMO. A lot of people could argue that Night Of The Living Dead, with it's undertones that touch on the Vietnam War would be the more obvious choice, but I always think of Dawn when someone asks this question.

The entire scenario of Dawn Of The Dead (holding up in a shopping mall) is meant to reflect the consumerism in our society. The group of characters in the film felt safe in that mall because they were surrounded by so many "nice" things they could use. Also, the zombies from the film kept filing into the mall even though they had no apparent reason to be there. Even the zombies were "attracted" to the mall and what it represents.

Night Of The Living Dead takes an underlying stab at the Vietnam War and the politics of the time, but I'm too young to understand a lot of those things. I simply wasn't around to see what Romero was taking a stab at.

Most recently Romero used this in Diary Of The Dead, and the tactic was WAY more out in the open this time around. Diary was taking a stab at our oversaturated society and the fact that NOTHING is really news anymore. Everything is so easily accessible that we've grown numb to the horrors of the world in a lot of ways.

When you ask these types of questions to several people at once you'll more than likely get conflicting opinions from most of the people involved. EdgarAllen, MojoNexus, The Creture, Knifey, Misfit or anyone else here at horrorspeak will agree with some of the things I've said to state my case, but they may totally disagree with certain aspects I've attempted to use. However, that doesn't necessarily make me wrong. People take different meanings from the art they intake. What may be beatiful and intellegent to me could possibly be a waste of space to you. In fact I really like this question, and I've put forth a serious amount of effort to explain myself. I'd love to see this thread get some attention after this to be quite honest with you.

Anyway, back to the point of Dawn Of The Dead and it's stabs at consumerism. IMO this is the point Romero was trying to get at: "As long as we can supply ourselves with an enormous amount of products that we don't actually need, we feel safe. No matter how bad the surrounding world and it's problems may be."

People are basically selfish by nature too, and Romero seems to touch upon this in pretty much every Dead movie. Once again, I'll use Dawn as my example. The group of bikers coming in to destroy the mall and take what they could get represents the selfishness of people to the letter. The bikers knew that people were holed up in that mall, but they didn't care. They were only looking out for their best interests, and by that I mean they wanted everything they could get their hands on. Not to say the people inside weren't doing the same thing. That aspect is double edged, and both sides are guilty.

I hope the things I've said help to clarify your question, and I could give other examples of my thoughts, but I'll leave that to you. The next time you watch Dawn Of The Dead keep the things I've said in mind. You may feel exactly the same about the underlying topics, but there's a good chance you'll think I'm way off target.

Who knows???

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We won't crawl on our knees for you...