31 Screams in October, Vol. 2, #28: Creepshow (1982)

Director: George Romero

Starring: Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver, Leslie Nielsen, Carrie Nye, E.G. Marshall, Vivica Lindfors

When I said that “Cujo” should have been filmed as a short story, this is what I had in mind, that it should have been part of an anthology film like “Creepshow.” Telling five stories of revenge and just desserts, “Creepshow” plays upon basic human fears to give its outlandish stories a very real, blood-curdling sense of dread. Aside from the frame story which involves the boy (played by Stephen King’s son) who gets caught reading the horror comic by his father (Tom Atkins), “Creepshow” is divided into five chapters of Romero/King collaborative efforts, all done as a fitting tribute to the old EC horror comics.

The first tale is “Father’s Day,” starring Carrie Nye, Viveca Lindfors, and Ed Harris (in one of his earliest film roles). This is the story of the Grantham family, rich, spoiled, and just plain mean-spirited. Other than the fact that this is Father’s Day, today is special for the Granthams for a much more sinister reason. Seven years ago, the most inhuman monster among them (Nathan Grantham), was murdered by his daughter Bedelia (Viveca Lindfors) because she could no longer stand to look after this man who put her down and treated her like the help at every turn, and who almost certainly had killed his daughter’s lover to ensure that she would not leave his side. Unexpectedly, during Bedelia’s routine of meditating in front of her father’s grave, his reanimated corpse rises up to strangle her, and goes on to kill the rest of the family. He just wanted his Father’s Day cake! Although this segment is generally well-made, the fact that there are no characters to feel sympathy for (aside perhaps from Ed Harris’s ill-fated Hank) makes it difficult to work up any enthusiasm when the mayhem begins. Am I supposed to be glad that this monster of a man got his revenge? At least the soundtrack is good.

The second story is “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill,” starring the one and only Stephen King as the title character. One night, Jordy witnesses a meteor falling to Earth. Being the typical slack-jawed yokel, Jordy must investigate at once! First thing he does, sure enough, is touch the darn thing. Realizing it to be rather hot, he douses it with cold water. While he’s doing this, Jordy is already picturing in his mind a scenario which has him presenting the meteor to the local university for some quick cash. He’d do well to ask for more money than he’s pondering but, for an idiot, Jordy has quite an active imagination. However, to his dismay, pouring water on the meteor has split it into two pieces. Now you’ve gone and done it, Jordy! He picks up the two meteor halves, the second of which gets some of its blue slime on his hands. While watching some pro wrestling on the TV (and, yes, that is current WWE owner Vince McMahon’s voice as the announcer), Jordy notices what looks like plant life growing from his hand. Before long, it spreads all over his body, the house and the yard. Eventually, when the plant life has completely covered Jordy’s body and distorted his voice, he decides that he can’t go on anymore and takes his own life with a shotgun. Whether you like this chapter or not depends entirely on your opinion of Stephen King’s performance. You may find him far too over-the-top for your taste. I, on the other hand, love Jordy Verrill for the cartoon character George Romero intended him to be. Indeed, King apparently was playing the role seriously until Romero told him to play it as if he were portraying Wile E. Coyote.

The third story (and my personal favorite) is “Something to Tide You Over,” starring Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, and Gaylen Ross (who worked with Romero previously in 1978’s “Dawn of the Dead”). As Richard Vickers, Leslie Nielsen is deliciously evil. Richard is a wealthy son of a gun. He’s got a mansion overlooking the beach, and a security system that screams paranoia. Richard’s paranoia is topped only by his jealous rage when he learns of his wife Becky (Gaylen Ross)’s affair with Harry Wentworth (Ted Danson). Richard’s solution to the problem is as elaborate as it is insane: He decides to bury the lovers up to their necks in sand and allow them both to drown when the tide comes in… but not before leaving Harry with a TV and a VCR so that he can watch as Becky’s fate draws nearer. Richard returns later to retrieve the TV, and is a little shaken when Harry’s body cannot be found. Surely, the tide must’ve carried him off. Well, of course it didn’t, and don’t call him “Shirley.” In fact, Richard is soon confronted by the zombies of Becky and Harry, and he is soon buried up to his neck, his fate sealed, just as theirs were. For Nielsen’s turn as the villainous Richard alone I love, love, LOVE this portion of the movie.

Story #4 is “The Crate,” starring Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau. Holbrook plays Henry Northup, a very timid creature whose every waking moment is controlled by his nagging wife, Wilma. Adrienne Barbeau is really effective in portraying Wilma as an annoying wife and that party guest who just embarrasses the hell out of everyone, so much so that you wish you could kill her yourself. Henry imagines a few scenarios in which he indeed does just that, only to have her snap him out of his daydreaming spell. Henry’s pal Dexter (Fritz Weaver) gives him a real chance to be rid of this woman when Dexter and the janitor at the university discover an old wooden crate that’s been hidden away underneath the basement staircase since 1834. That, and the nails, chains and padlock don’t seem to indicate to anyone that whatever’s inside was probably meant to stay there. A monster pulls the janitor in and eats him, leaving the man’s blood all over the laboratory. The monster also eats a grad student before Dexter flees to seek Henry’s help. Seeing a golden opportunity, Henry drugs Dexter, calls Wilma over to the university, and feeds her to the monster before disposing of it and the box it came in. Unfortunately, as the closing seconds indicate, Henry’s job may not have been as thorough as he believed, as the monster (very much alive) breaks out of its box. A pretty decent effort, especially on the part of Hal Holbrook. “The Crate” is, however, nowhere near as much fun as the chapters before and after it.

The fifth and final segment presented for our amusement is “They’re Creeping Up On You!” This one stars E.G. Marshall as Upson Pratt, a ruthless business tycoon with an insect phobia. At first, he merely encounters one or two cockroaches, and disposes of them easily with bug spray, his shoe, or his garbage disposal. But, eventually, the roaches begin to invade in greater numbers, appearing in the lights in his ceiling, on the mattress of his bed, coming through the kitchen sink and, most disturbing of all, hiding in his bran flakes! He demands that White (David Early) come instantly to fix his bug problem, but eventually even that becomes impossible when the building suffers a blackout, White is stuck in an elevator, and Pratt is left to struggle with the multiplying number of cockroaches in his high-tech, colorless and (apparently not so) germ-free apartment. The segment concludes with a large group of cockroaches emerging from the dead body of Upson Pratt. Probably the only genuinely creepy segment of the movie, this one gets high marks from me for both that aspect and for E.G. Marshall’s performance.

“Creepshow” was released in theaters in the fall of 1982, when I would have been about seven months old. Being able to count the 2007 double-feature “Grindhouse” as one of my greatest theatrical experiences, and already being impressed by this movie on DVD, I can safely say that I would have enjoyed seeing “Creepshow” at the theater had I been of age. The acting is caricature-based, not character-based. These are not meant to resemble actual human beings, but comic book panels made flesh and blood. The morality tales they serve are the only thing that’s real, and that’s the way that “Creepshow” should be.

31 Screams in October, #13: Day of the Dead (1985)

Director: George A. Romero

Starring: Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joe Pilato, Richard Liberty

If consumerism was the topic for discussion raised by “Dawn of the Dead,” then the overall focus of 1985’s “Day of the Dead” must be communication. With the zombie infestation having spread to the point where humans are now being outnumbered somewhere in the vicinity of 400,000 to 1, gone is the urban environment of “Night of The Living Dead” and the more fun locale of the shopping mall in “Dawn of the Dead.” Instead, these are replaced by one of the only “safe” areas for humans to seek refuge: an underground military base in Fort Myers, Florida. In fact, aside from a couple of guys (named Billy and John) whose main job it is to fly a helicopter, the only civilians present at the base are a team of scientists, with the other dozen or so being military officers. The whole operation hinges on the ability of this handful of survivors displaying the ability to trust one another and maintain civil dialect… and if that were even a possibility, this wouldn’t be a very exciting movie, would it?

Communication has already been made a problem as it concerns the outside world. There is no indication that anyone outside of Fort Myers (including Washington, DC) is even alive, and any way of sending or receiving messages has long been lost to them. When the rescue team takes the helicopter to look for survivors, all that main character Sarah (Lori Cardille) and the others find are deserted towns overrun by zombies everywhere they go. Things aren’t any better back at the base. With commanding officer Major Cooper having died just prior to the film’s events, the scientists are left to deal with the dangerously unstable Captain Rhodes (Joe Pilato). Worse still, any chance the scientists might have of getting through to Rhodes is diminished by the bizzarely secretive experiments being run by Dr. Logan (Richard Liberty), nicknamed “Frankenstein” by the soldiers.

It is Logan’s belief that, although humans can no longer overtake the zombies with ammunition, there may still be a way to co-exist with them by domesticating the zombies. Reward, he says, is the key. He demonstrates this much with his star pupil of sorts, a zombie he has nicknamed “Bub” (Sherman Howard).  Dr. Logan has managed to condition Bub not to attack humans like other zombies do, instead teaching him to recognize objects like razors, toothbrushes and books. Bub also demonstrates the ability to use a gun (albeit an unloaded one), which angers Rhodes. Knowing that Rhodes would only react more ferociously, what Logan has kept to himself is where he has been acquiring the majority of his test subjects, as they are almost exclusively the re-animated corpses of dead soldiers. This includes the recently deceased Major Cooper.

Also failing to communicate is Private Miguel Salazar, who is involved in a relationship with Sarah. She knows there’s something wrong with him, but he’s not up to sharing with his fellow soldiers the fact that he’s moments away from cracking under pressure. Eventually, his mental instability leads to the death of two of Rhodes’ men. This mistake leads Rhodes to make the latest in a long line of rash decisions, effectively shutting down the scientific operation. If Rhodes had his way completely, Miguel, whose arm was bitten and subsequently amputated, would be shot on sight. Instead, he remains under the protection of Billy and John (Terry Alexander).

Sarah sees clearly that there is no dealing with Rhodes, and that Dr. Logan may be equally insane, and she, Billy and John all agree that the best thing they can do is fly the helicopter out of the base before someone else gets the same idea. With enemies closing in for the kill from all sides, you know it won’t be that simple.

As with “Dawn of the Dead,” this one also boasts make-up effects by Tom Savini. I’m of the opinion that you can really distinguish a Tom Savini horror film from all the rest. There’s just something delightfully grotesque about his work that makes it stand out. A young, long-haired assistant of Savini’s is also worthy of note, not for the fact that he also appears in the film as a soldier but because of what he’s accomplished since then. Learning from the makeup effects master has been beneficial for Greg Nicotero, who is now the lead special makeup effects artist, executive producer, and occasional director and actor for AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

I can’t imagine the pressure that George Romero must’ve been under to top his previous two zombie films. “Day of the Dead” was something of a box-office bomb in its day, and I understand that the original plans to make a more epic picture had to be scrapped when the budget for the film was reduced by about 50%. In all honesty, if you really have to compare this one with what came before, many would probably put “Day of the Dead” a distant third… although I’d personally rank it 2nd, slightly above “Night of the Living Dead.” However that comparison pans out, the movie is exceptional when judged on its own merits. What really cinches it for me are the improved makeup effects and a dazzlingly creepy performance from Joe Pilato. Captain Rhodes, every bit as unhinged a man as the Governor from “The Walking Dead,” is this trilogy’s greatest living character, and proves that, even in a post-apocalyptic world where the dead return to life to eat your flesh, man is still the thing you should fear the most.

31 Screams in October, #12: Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Director: George A. Romero

Starring: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, Gaylen Ross

From time to time, there comes a sequel that either equals or surpasses the original. It’s rare (except for in the science-fiction genre), but it does occur. Among horror films, it’s virtually impossible. In fact, the main thesis of “Scream 2” was that sequels are inferior by design. Too often, the emphasis is placed on “How do we top the last one?” in terms of gore and shock value, without managing to give the new film its own identity. 1978’s “Dawn of the Dead” is one such exception to the rule. In 1968, George Romero shocked audiences with his initial zombie outing, the classic black and white “Night of the Living Dead.” They hadn’t seen anything yet.

As the film begins, we see how the zombie epidemic from the previous film has spread (although no mention is ever made of the events of “Night of the Living Dead”): Survivors are told outright to no longer seek shelter in private homes (the primary setting of the previous film). At a Philadephia TV station, Francine (Gaylen Ross) voices her objection to the release of outdated information on safe zones to the public, whereas her co-workers seem more interested in ratings than in helping their fellow man to survive. Her boyfriend Stephen (David Emge), the traffic helicopter pilot, urges her to come with him to fly towards safety.

Elsewhere, a SWAT team is enforcing the martial law that is in effect upon an apartment building where the surviving residents are unwilling to release the bodies of their dead. The resulting firefight leaves several residents and SWAT team members killed, with a few zombies taking out a few others. SWAT team member Roger (Scott H. Reiniger) runs into Peter (Ken Foree), a member of another team. Together, they make the gruesome discovery of several reanimated corpses, and they take out most of them. Roger, who is in on Francine and Stephen’s escape plan, convinces Peter to come with him. They make a brief stop at a gas station where they encounter some trouble from the walking dead, including two zombified children and an adult zombie, the top of whose head gets too close to the helicopter’s propeller blades.

Ultimately, the four set down on the roof of a shopping mall, and take up residence there once they discover the place is well-stocked with food and even contains a gun store. It is never definitively established just how long the group stays at the mall, but it must have been a good long while based on how accustomed they get to their surroundings. New wrinkles to their situation are added fairly quickly. Early on, it is revealed that Francine is pregnant (which sort of begs the question as to why Stephen hasn’t been pressuring her to stop smoking). Later, in the process of using trucks to block the entrances from the outside zombie population, Roger is bitten more than once, which will ultimately lead to his demise. In the meantime, the four friends take time out to indulge their own selfish desires, never once thinking about what would happen if anyone found out what they were keeping to themselves, even as human society in the outside world continues to fall apart.

The ending of “Dawn of the Dead” is a bit more ambiguous than the nihilistic conclusion to “Night of the Living Dead.” It’s also a LOT more blood-soaked, owing to the talents of makeup effects maestro Tom Savini (who also has a role in the movie as one member of a gang of bikers which the four protagonists will have to fend off). People get torn apart in this movie. The laws of physics are always brought up by those who don’t believe it’s possible for the zombies to display the kind of strength they always seem to have. To that, I retaliate with the response that it’s a zombie movie, so the physics book might as well be chucked in the garbage.

In addition to the eye-popping violence, which outdoes anything seen in “Night of the Living Dead” by a wide margin, the soundtrack plays just as big a role in setting the mood. Romero’s friend, Italian horror director Dario Argento supplies the band Goblin (incorrectly billed as “The Goblins”), but some of the music is acquired elsewhere. For example, the film closes with Herbert Chappell’s “The Gonk,” more recently used for the closing credits of the stop-motion animated TV series, “Robot Chicken.” Several different versions of the film exist. In 2004, the Ultimate Edition DVD was released, a 4-disc collection containing three separate cuts of the film. I have only ever personally seen the 127-minute theatrical version.

35+ years since the film’s original release, “Dawn of the Dead” still holds up extraordinarily well. Granted, the bluish, mostly undamaged faces of the zombies look a little silly, but it gets the point across. The story itself is a lot of fun, owing to the mall setting, Romero’s consumerism themes, and also the way in which the zombies take turns as an ever-present threat and as the butt of jokes. They’re always there; might as well make fun of them once in a while. But, get the laughs in while you can, because when they come back, it’s always in greater numbers. “Dawn of the Dead” can and should always be counted among the greatest second chapters. It’s “The Godfather Part II” of zombie movies.

31 Screams in October, #11: Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Director: George A. Romero

Starring: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Marilyn Eastman, Karl Hardman, Judith Ridley, Keith Wayne

Zombies have never been more “in” than they are in 2014. They seem like they’ve always been around… and they very nearly have. The earliest “zombie” movie would probably have to be 1932’s “White Zombie” starring Bela Lugosi. However, when we hear the word “zombie,” what we associate with that word doesn’t come into play until 1968. George Romero’s concept of the flesh-eating undead struck such a chord that it has led to countless clones (as well as a few spoofs) in film, comic books, video games and television. With the Season 5 premiere of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” just hours away, it seemed prudent to take a look back at this landmark film.

Siblings Johnny and Barbara (Judith O’Dea) arrive at a cemetery in Pennsylvania to lay a wreath on their father’s grave, when a man appears and attacks and apparently kills Johnny. Barbara, out of fear and self-preservation, runs away and hides in the first house she can find. Already traumatized, her fragile mental state is weakened even further by the sight of a corpse with its face torn off, later presumed to be that of the lady of the household. Soon after, Ben (Duane Jones) arrives in a truck, having noticed that the house has a gas pump out in the front yard. Ben quickly boards up the windows and doors, and tries to reason with the now virtually catatonic Barbara.

It isn’t long before Ben and Barbara find that they were not the first ones to spot this place. Hiding in the basement are Harry Cooper (Karl Hardman, also the film’s producer), his wife Helen (Marilyn Eastman) and injured daughter Karen (Kyra Schon, Hardman’s real-life daughter), as well as Tom (Keith Wayne) and his girlfriend, Judy (Judith Riley). Only a few boards of wood and an extra door (all held in place by nails) are what stands between them and a growing population of the cannibalistic walking dead. Desperate for information, the group turns first to a radio and, then, to a television set. This is all before the power cuts out on them, though whether that’s from a blown fuse or a downed power line is never specified. As tensions mount inside the house as well as outside, there is never a chance for anyone to breathe as the night becomes a constant struggle to survive.

The first-time feature-length film director took a big risk with his cast of unknowns, but it paid off. Some of them were friends of his, others were financiers and were professionals in areas other than acting, and some (like lead Duane Jones) were primarily stage actors. With such a pivotal film having been made on such a shoestring budget, it makes one wonder who among the legion of today’s YouTube users might secretly be the next George Romero.

As the movie came out just before the MPAA ratings system was in place, that meant that anyone could go see it. Today’s desensitized modern audience may find it too tame for their tastes, scoffing at its brief scenes of gore. What they ought to be doing is viewing the film from the perspective of a late 1960’s moviegoer. The sort of dark, subversive movies that are commonplace now were only just beginning to surface at this time. “Night of the Living Dead” came around when you could still “go too far” without actually going too far.

The movie stirred even more controversy, specifically with its African-American male lead, something which (apart from Sidney Poitier) just didn’t happen in ANY genre in those days. Speaking of Poitier, both he and actor Duane Jones share a then-shocking “slap” in common. Poitier’s came when Virgil Tibbs struck back after being backhanded by a Caucasian plantation owner. In “Night of the Living Dead,” Ben slaps Barbara (a white female) to knock some sense into her, and also later strikes Harry (also white). Shocking, to 1968 audiences, would be putting it mildly. George Romero fully admits to being inspired by Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend,” but “Night of the Living Dead,” with its zombie violence and its patented George Romero social commentary, this time on our obsession with breaking news bulletins and racism (both of which, sadly enough, are still relevant today) has fully earned its own legendary status.