The Crazies
by George A. Romero
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Harold Wayne Jones, Lane Carroll, Lloyd Hollar, Lynn Lowry, Will MacMillanDirector: George A. Romero
Cinematographer: S. William Hinzman
Editor: George A. Romero
Writer: George A. Romero
Producer: A.C. Croft
Producer: Margaret Walsh
Writer: Paul McCollough
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 103 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-04-29
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Blue Underground
Movie Reviews of The Crazies
Movie Review: I think Romero was the crazy one here...
Summary: 1 Stars
I have a terrific idea for a horrifying movie. Imagine: A movie comprised almost entirely of bland and tedious dialogue that gets so caught up in trying to convey a message that the actual content of the movie itself becomes a complete afterthought! Oh wait, I just watched that movie, it was called The Crazies. George A.Romero has created some excellent movies in his time. He has also created some very bad ones, and this is the category that The Crazies falls into.
The crash of a plane carrying a harmful biochemical toxin leaves a small rural town's water supply tainted with the virus. The prognosis for those infected suggests only two grim outcomes: Death, or irreversible insanity. The government sends in the army to quarantine the town which erupts into a full scale war between the soldiers and the residents who aren't willing to conform to the governements plans for them.
The Crazies is a very blunt commentary on not trusting your government and the power of the common man. That's all fine and good, but when it's diluted with so much needless and plodding dialogue, that message takes off like a lead balloon. This is about 100 minutes long, but if you trimmed all the fat from it, there would probably only be about a half and hour of actual story. But let's suppose that you're a fan of Romero's Living Dead series and simply want to check out The Crazies to see some good action and gore (And who would blame you?). Save for a handful of short shootout scenes between the soldiers and the civilians, you won't find much to write home about here.
Overall The Crazies was one of the dullest and ultimately pointless movies I've watched in quite a while. I urge you, do not let the Romero fanboys pull the wool over your eyes this time, even by B-movie standards this is pretty bad stuff. Pass on this one for sure.
Summary of The Crazies
Its code name is 'Trixie,' an experimental government germ weapon that leaves its victims either dead or irreversibly insane. When the virus is accidentally unleashed in Evans City, Pennsylvania, the small community becomes a war zone of panicked military, desperate scientists and gentle neighbors turned homicidal maniacs. Now a small group of citizens has fled to the town's outskirts where they must hide from trigger-happy soldiers while battling their own depraved urges. But even if they can escape the madness of this plague, can they survive the unstoppable violence of THE CRAZIES?During the 10 years between Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, director George Romero had a string of box-office flops--some of which were actually quite good. For example,there's The Crazies, in which a military plane carrying biological-warfare agents crashes near Evans City, Pennsylvania. The virus gets into the town's water supply and has two effects on the infected: death or irreversible insanity. The military moves in to contain the situation, but the local populace regards the army as a menacing force and things rapidly spin out of control. Soon the highly contagious virus infects the whole town and the soldiers as well, while a government scientist races to find an antidote. The Crazies features some great set pieces as the virus spreads: a little old lady smiles sweetly and stabs a soldier to death with a knitting needle; a young woman placidly sweeps with a broom while soldiers and locals have a bloody firefight around her; a soldier swings his rifle wildly at his comrades until they shoot him.
Made in the shadow of both Vietnam and Watergate, The Crazies contains plenty of allegory: an invasion by military force, government cover-up and duplicity, madness and eventually genocide (all set, of course, in Romero's beloved Pennsylvania). The President only appears on television, and then only the back of his head is shown as he speaks in detached, almost bored tones. Like Night of the Living Dead, this film offers no hope, no comfort, and sure as hell no happy ending. Keep an eye out for Romero in a somewhat gassy role as Evans City's mayor. --Jerry Renshaw
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