LAND OF THE DEAD

US, 2005, 103 minutes, Colour.
Simon Baker, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Asia Argento, Robert Joy, Eugene Clark.
Directed by George Romero.

George Romero can’t leave the dead alone! He re-created the zombie movie in the late 1960s with his small-budget, black and white horror film, The Night of the Living Dead. He made two sequels in the 1980s, Day of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead and so staked his claim to be the master of the living dead genre (and there have been several sequels and re-makes from other directors, including a recent Dawn of the Dead).

The Living Dead films have served as allegories of American society of the time. This is the case here, especially as it had release in some countries around the world just as New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The images of a desolated Washington with the poor struggling to survive and a rich coterie exploiting the situation and menaced by the living dead are a reminder of human vulnerability and that disaster can strike suddenly and the consequences devastating.

A group of mercenaries, led by Simon Baker, have a mission to destroy the zombies, especially as they menace the survivors. However, the dead are starting to react to stimuli, almost to think for themselves. Their leader moves them across the river towards the city. The mission is double-edged as a rogue mercenary (John Leguizamo) is trying to rob from the callous businessman who is profiteering from the situation (Dennis Hopper), so fighting the enemy and fighting within the ranks.

Romero uses a lot of the conventions of the genre with some people being made zombies, with attacks that are frighteningly ugly – and some touches of cannibalism – but this is not as ‘in your face’ as many recent horror films. In fact, some diehards might be disappointed that it has the lighter and less grizzly touch. But, as always, the appeal is to the horror fans.

1.The genre of the Land of the Dead, the Living Dead, Zombies? The popularity? The appeal of this kind of horror: imagination, fear, human destiny, identification? What if…?

2.The films of George Romero, his creation of the new phase of Living Dead films, his continuing contributions over the decades? The early films and shock, ugliness? The social allegories? His imitators?

3.The futuristic setting, Washington, DC? The affluent building and its lights, interiors, luxury, the people, their clothes, behaviour, eating and drinking, drugs? The outskirts and the hovels of the living? The outskirts and the living dead? The visual impact of these worlds? Musical score?

4.The title, its relationship to the other stories in the trilogy? Its particular focus on the living dead?

5.The future, the consequences of the disaster, the destruction by the living dead, the remnant of humans, the Land of the Dead? The rich, their exploiting, the people who were exploited? The living dead, the transition, the possible evolution into intelligence, the move towards revenge?

6.The experience of the living dead, the dread of dying, of being made a zombie? The physical experience and repercussions, the decay, the visual imagery of the decay? The loss of mental powers? Automaton behaviour? The looking in the air to the fireworks?

7.Riley, the hero, character, a mercenary, his work? His friendship with Charlie and using him? The Dead Reckoning tank? His tactics, the night raids, coordinating the raids, his responsibility, the dangers? Cholo and his antagonism, Cholo and his associates? The encounter with Slack, her past life, prostitution, tough, joining the team? Their working together, their motivation? Cholo and his betrayal? Riley working for Kaufmann, to bringing the goods, save the food? Cholo and his getting the alcohol and selling it? The attacks, the defence in the tank, their success? The beginning of the confrontation with Cholo, the truck, the truck’s team?

8.Charlie, genial, slow, his friendship with Riley, loyalty, involvement in the attacks?

9.Slack, her age, experience, being abused? Tough, her joining the mercenaries, involvement in the attacks?

10.Cholo, as a character, his associates? His greed, the black market with the alcohol, in the supermarket, the attack of the living dead? His work, motivation, fears? Wanting money, the confrontations with Kaufmann, the deals? Betraying Riley, his tricks? His being transformed – and his sardonic remarks about learning how the other half lived?

11.Fiddlers’ Green, the parody of wealth? Kaufmann as a dealer, rich? Having the mercenaries? Bringing in the food and alcohol from the shops? His interactions with Cholo, despising him? Riley and giving him jobs? The invasion of Fiddlers’ Green, his attempts at escape, the money, his henchmen, running away? In the car, trapped? The money destroyed? The confrontation with Cholo and their both being burnt?

12.The leader of the living dead, Big Daddy? His awakening, his alertness, walk, manner, drawing the crowds, distracted by the fireworks, their not looking at them, moving as a group, crossing the river, wading through? Fighting the living on the boundaries? Big Daddy and his moving to Fiddlers’ Green, the confrontation with Kaufmann? Riley – and letting him go back to the Land of the Dead? His future, the evolution of intelligence?

13.The pool on the outskirts, their leaders, daring? Fighting, the teams? The squalid way of life, prostitution, the gambling on the fights between the living dead? Their being able to go to some king of land of hope? Riley and his taking the truck with Slack to the north?

14.The living dead, the horror, their appearance, make-up, slow walk, the deaths, the cannibal behaviour? The overall impact of this kind of horror?