From modern medieval epics to legendary zombie films, here are some of our favorite George A. Romero films, ranked in order from worst to best.
Few people have fundamentally changed the horror genre to the same extent as George A. Romero. A prolific visionary whose contributions to horror can never be overstated, Romero’s iconic career is matched only by his ceaseless creativity as a filmmaker. Most obviously, Romero remains widely credited for popularizing the zombie genre, as seen through his breakout work on the Living Dead franchise. As influential as his work within the zombie landscape is, Romero also found a way to dovetail horror with intelligent, socially relevant subject matter, paving the way to unique films that hold up from one decade to the next.
From modern medieval epics to legendary zombie films, here are some of our favorite George A. Romero films, ranked in order from worst to best.
A rare non-horror film from the characteristically ghoulish Romero, Knightriders also humorously explores the inherent disconnect between medieval romanticism and modern sensibilities. Focusing on the exploits of a traveling Renaissance troupe, Knightriders unfolds like an Arthurian drama set in the contemporary age, complete with dramatic betrayals, opportunistic coupes, and climactic joust battles atop high-speed motorcycles. While nowhere near as well-known as Romero’s most popular films, it’s a riveting action drama that leaves a lasting impression on most viewers fortunate enough to see it.
In the early 1980s, few names were as closely tied to the horror genre as George Romero and Stephen King. That being said, when the two horror maestros decided to collaborate on one cohesive film, audiences waited with rapt attention to see what the results might look like. Fortunately, Creepshow didn’t disappoint in the slightest, laying the groundwork for a fittingly chill-inducing horror comedy unlike any other. A pulpy love letter to E.C.’s horror comics of the 1950s, each segment of Creepshow can stand on its own as a garish horror short straight out of your worst nightmares.
In many ways, The Amusement Park’s turbulent production history is just as fascinating as its actual narrative premise. Originally filmed in 1975 as part of an educational program exploring ageism and elderly abuse in modern America, The Amusement Park saw its official release nearly five decades later in 2019. A lost film of Romero’s thankfully rediscovered by industrious film scholars, this disquieting psychological horror film forces audiences to reflect on our collective outlook towards elderly individuals. Liberally employing surrealism in the course of its 55-minute runtime, The Amusement Park’s complex, frequently uncomfortable narrative finds Romero at the height of his creative powers, affording the director a chance to craft a film as thought-provoking as it is genuinely horrifying.
When Day of the Dead was in its earliest production phase, Romero’s ultimate goal was to make “the Gone with the Wind of zombie films.” Admittedly, the director never came close to achieving that momentous feat, but his ensuing work on Day of the Dead remains an engrossing zombie film in and of itself. As with Dawn of the Dead before it, Day of the Dead continues to show the zombie-infested world falling into rapid decay, with its few human survivors desperately struggling to survive against the undead (as well as their fellow, increasingly unstable allies). Though not as groundbreaking as the initial two Living Dead films, it’s a supremely entertaining zombie film that’s sure to leave viewers hooked from the opening credits onward.
Romero might be more readily recognized for his contributions to the zombie genre, but the director also ushered in his distinct vision for vampires with 1977’s Martin. Often described as Romero’s personal favorite of his many films, Martin’s ambiguous psychological nature leaves plenty of room for interpretation, allowing viewers to form their own opinion on Martin’s professed belief of his vampiric nature. As a result, the movie sustains multiple viewings without ever losing its charm or appeal, remaining every bit as fascinating to watch now as it did nearly 50 years ago.
Incredibly, Romero found a way to conjure up a more than satisfying follow-up to 1968’s Night of the Living Dead with its spiritual sequel, Dawn of the Dead. Arriving to theaters 10 years after the original, Dawn of the Dead continued to build off the nightmarish world Romero presented with Night of the Living Dead, widening its narrative scope and showing America’s struggle to contain its rampant zombie apocalypse. Smart, terrifying, and subtly hilarious with its treatment of mass consumerism through its ordinary shopping mall setting, it’s an eminently enjoyable zombie film that also ranks as Romero’s best sequel in the Living Dead franchise, bar none.
Night of the Living Dead might not have been the first zombie movie, but it is the film that helped popularize the flesh-eating undead in mainstream cinema. Setting the standard for practically every zombie movie that followed, Romero established numerous characteristics related to the zombie genre with Night of the Living Dead, from the shambling footsteps of his zombie antagonists to their nauseating taste for hapless human survivors. Without Night of the Living Dead leading the way, who knows what the current state of the zombie genre might be like, with everything from Shaun of the Dead to The Walking Dead owing Romero a serious debt of gratitude through his work here.
