Born February 4, 1940, George Romero started his filmmaking career by shooting movies in 8 mm when he was still a teenager. He later attended the Carnegie-Mellon Institute of Art in Pennsylvania where he received a Bachelor's degree. After having mastered the fundamentals of filmmaking, he added his unique touches that led to the groundbreaking "Dead" series. These five horror movies had a zombie apocalypse theme that made them true thrillers, but more importantly, Romero included his insightful commentaries on modern society.
The first movie in the series was made with a ridiculously low budget of just over $100,000 but that was enough to literally propel Romero to the highest level in the industry. The entertainment arena is often best entered with a horror film because traditionally, it's easier to find a distributor for this type of movie. While Romero merely sought to get a start in the business, the phenomenal success of this film showcased his talent for combining suspense, horror, dark humor and romance. This versatility became his trademark and also allowed him to comment on social issues, thereby giving his movies depth.
Romero distinguished himself in the horror genre through the subtle, yet powerful messages contained in his work. Often the overall point was a stab at some aspect of society and therefore contained a cynical and bitter tone. After Night of the Living Dead, his next films didn't achieve the same acclaim, and in 1978, he returned to the zombie genre with a movie that gave him the success he deserved. Dawn of the Dead featured a story about four people who fled from a zombie outbreak, only to become victims of a different kind. With a budget of $1.5 million, the movie grossed over $40 million and Entertainment Weekly declared it one of the top cult films.
George Romero is impressive as a writer and director. His talents were seen in a variety of venues including a live action commercial to promote Resident Evil 2, a video game. He also put together a series of short films detailing the work involved in the Diary of the Dead.
Although his work received both exceptional reviews as well as mediocre ones, George Romero added something special to his zombie tales - specifically, a combination of gore and the guts to comment on society's flaws. His horror movies connected with audiences because he had the ability to transfer ideas to the screen with stop-your-heart action. Romero is a legend that will live forever in these zombie movies.
