FOR AFTER THE NIGHT, COMES THE DAWN AND THE DAY

The Night of the Living Dead. Not the remake by the way – the George Romero original. Analyzed, talked over, written about ad infinitum. But the thing I always find is that if you are not into deepest darkest Film Studies (ehm, like some people) the fact that the film is actually part of a trilogy seems to be quite quickly forgotten. For reasons best known to itself, the Dawn of the Living Dead has found its way back onto TV recently (don’t get wrong, it is more than welcome it’s just a little random that’s all) so I thought now would be an excellent time to remind ourselves of the rest of the trilogy. Not least because the Day of the Living Dead is one of my favorite zombie films of all times.

As some of you may already know, the series is an “anthology” series (I don’t know if you’re the same, after American Horror story, I’ve started noticing so many anthologies everywhere it’s a miracle I didn’t give it more in depth thought before). The inexplicable event has happened, the zombie apocalypse is here and everywhere there are small groups of humans fighting to survive against diminishing odds.

As a side note and just before we begin, let me tell you unequivocally that the trailer by NO MEANS represents the tone of the film. It is scary. Yes there are flesh eating zombies. But it is NOT as "shock horror" as all that. No, really. Still, I love the classic '70s alarmist style of the trailer - so I kept it.
Dawn of the Living Dead takes us one step up the food chain from Joe public. We kick off at a local TV channel, the place we all turn to for info in times of trouble. But this time the channel is in no fit state to guide as chaos as taken over there as well. Francine who works at the channel and her boyfriend Stephen who is a helicopter pilot (funny how in these Romero films there is always one (but never more than one) helicopter pilot knocking around and the whole affair of -but he’s our only way out- comes up again and again buuut anyway… So, sorry, Francine and her boyfriend. As you probably guessed they make a dash for it in the helicopter. On their travels they team up with two very hard hitting police officers (because honestly, you’re not going to survive long if you’re anything less) and ultimately end up in a mall. And being surrounded by such bounty (granted, they are also surrounded by a good number of zombies) they decide to stick around a while and catch their breath…

I would be the first to tell you that this is not my favorite film in the trilogy (my personal fave is the 3^rd, Day of the Dead, followed by the 1^st, with this fella bringing up the rear) but you would be wrong to dismiss it as just some sort of re-hash of the first. Group dynamics, claustrophobia and the way each and every member of the gang copes with the apocalypse and the tough decisions it brings with it every day makes for a fascinating viewing. Ever present throughout the film is dark humor and of course, a damning and barely obscured criticism of capitalism as zombies trample dollar bills, knock over luxury items and just shuffle around the mall aimlessly consuming –whenever they find anything to consume – merely for the sake of consuming. In pretty much all three films they are described as –mechanized instinct – and very little else besides. Of course when all is stripped down the only thing is left is consumption for the sake of it (the dead bodies need no sustenance) and savagery. Not exactly complimentary of the human race but… Dare I say it, he may have a point…

But if you thought this was bad, I would honestly steer clear of Day of the Dead. No, honestly. It is the bloodiest and most brutal of the three as far as physical violence goes and it doesn’t exactly let up as far as the psychological pressure goes either… For the third film, we move one rung up the proverbial ladder. We are now in the bastion of the last remaining authorities (pretty much, anyway) in the country. It is a military facility guarded by a handful of soldiers and housing a handful of scientists and a few technicians. The scientists are trying, against hope, to find some sort of cure for the epidemic. The advances are minimal however, and as practically every day brings a new loss in their ranks, the patience of the military men is beginning to wear a little thin… Tensions rise slowly and surely, leading to a showdown the group can’t really afford to have under the circumstances… But with neither side backing down, it seems like less of an option and more of an inevitability…

In this film, we see Romero enlarging on several themes and storylines we have seen in the previous films. The military authority is shown as closed in on itself, selfish and crude – much like the group of security guards in the Night of the Living Dead (the 1^st film that also by and large took place in a mall). They are pitted against pretty much all the civilians in the compound and approach them with disdain –only the helicopter driver (again there is only one)can feel some level of actual security, based purely on the fact that he is the only one who can drive the chopper… It is, in short, a nightmare scenario – the rule of law has broken down on all levels, and armed militias rule the roost. In this chaos, however, there is one positive and fascinating breakthrough… One doctor, Dr Logan, may actually have broken through and managed to communicate with one of the zombies…

The question is of course will he have the time to elaborate on this and actually use this advance to some advantage. Romero being Romero, the answer is no. This is where it all winds down ladies and gentlemen. This is where the nightmare reaches its climax, and yet you cannot wake up… True to previous form, come the end of the film, the safe house (and by now it is feeling like the only one left on Earth) is overrun and zombies chew on the broken remains of the last humans…

Romeros trilogy is, in short, a prolonged nightmare where there is no real escape and no real solution. We neither find out what caused the outbreak nor if there is any solution to it. But with our very survival as a species now under threat, we suddenly manage to take a good long look at all those things -  status, money, power and the rest of it – we used to deem so important. We ask ourselves who we really are when put under pressure – and if the way the film paints the authorities, the people responsible for protecting us , even the most seemingly virtuous of us has a few nasty skeletons to hide, deep in the closet. This is why Romero’s zombie films will remain classics. No matter how much time goes by, we will still be scared by the already old-fashioned zombies and the characters reactions to them. Not because we are afraid of the living dead, but on some level, we know we have been confronted by potentially one of the greatest monsters that still walks the earth today… The dark depths of our own souls… 

HUDDLE UNDER THE BLANKET AND LISTEN TO A GOOD OLD FASHIONED "AMERICAN HORROR STORY"

I have been away from the “TV series” scene for a while now. I watch a lot of moves and go to the cinema quite a bit but haven’t “got into” the whole series thing for a while now. I mean, I’m quite picky with these things anyway, and I have been craving something original for a while now. This was recommended to me by a friend, I decided to check out one episode on the insistence of friends. What started out as me just checking out one episode quickly turned into a seven episode marathon that I had to literally force myself away from. I am fully aware that I am waay behind in proceedings – season 4 for this baby being broadcast and all. But have no fear, I am two seasons in and ploughing on as fast as I can to catch up! In the meanwhile though, I think I have a good enough grasp on the whole thing – and you DEFINITELY need to hear all about this one!

So, American Horror story is an anthology of horror stories. The stories are linked principally bt their themes – these are all “classic” American horror stories we all somehow know and love; the first season tells the story of a haunted house, second, a mental asylum where more than one kind of monster lurks beneath the surface of normality, third a selective boarding school that is actually coven of witches and the fourth current one an old fashioned freak show.

The second element that links the anthology is the cast. Not the whole cast – that would be slightly impractical and not a little weird, but quite a few actors from the first season also turn up in the second season playing completely unrelated characters (unrelated to their previous role that is). And other actors that were in the first series but side-stepped the second series turn up in the third. You get the picture. It is such a brilliant showcase for the versatility and talent of the actors – and just the right shade of spooky, perfectly suitable to the eerie series – body snatchers anyone. One constant that needs a mention is, without a doubt, Jessica Lange. The talented actress makes any role she takes on her own and our emotions soar and plummet even through the series as the plotline twists and turns – much less as we cross through different stories of the anthology together.

Speaking of the storyline I really need to say, I think anthologies may well be the future of TV series. I mean, I have always felt that the major virtue of a good series is to know when to stop. I mean sure, we moan and cry when our favourite TV series finishes, we may empathise with this character or have a crush on this actor – actress… But admit it, there is a sense of disappointment there when you realise that the writers are literally scraping the bottom of the barrel just to keep the series going, because hey, the ratings aren’t that bad so you know, let’s keep milking it. I’ve walked away from a number of TV series for this self-same reason, it doesn’t “hook” me if they’re doing stuff just for the sake of doing stuff (I’m thinking particularly of True Blood here – I was told the series did improve but once I lose interest I rarely go back). I mean, the series I reviewed last week, Black Mirror, is basically united by theme alone – but Charlie Brooker’s very original personal mark in each and every story helps one make a very clear link.

But of course one thing is absolutely certain. As fascinating cinematically the casting and the whole “anthology” type storylines are; you will not enjoy this one unless if you are a big fan of the horror genre. But conversely, if you are a fan of the horror genre you’d be a fool to miss it. Series one played host to simply one of the most terrifying haunted houses I have ever come across (and believe you me I have come across some GOOD haunted houses in my day) – to the point that a few episodes in I was jumping at creaks and squeaks in the house (I live with three other adults and two cats so there were plenty of creaks to jump at, I’ll tell you that for nothing). The second series, looking back, seems very improbably when you describe it on paper. I mean, there seems to be waaaay too much going on. An asylum is a fertile ground for potentially all manner of horror story weirdness ranging from alien abductions to possession – it seems a bit risky to stick ‘em all into the same story and then throw in a few more curveballs besides… And yet, they do, and somehow it works. They even throw in a few actual old fashioned medical practices for good measure and it STILL works.

So if you want a chill or three down your spines you guys – definitely take a gander at American Horror Story you guys! As a horror fan my only regret was not having started before – check it out! J