Advanced Screenings: Diary of the Dead

Believe me, this was not how I imagined spending my Valentine’s Day.

Seeing an add in the Village Voice my friend and I sent an email to get two free tickets to a screening of George Romero’s new entry into the zombie world, Diary of the Dead. Not twenty seconds later we received an email back. And we knew we were seeing the movie.

Romero’s latest is something totally different from his previous zombie films. Gone are the mass extra filled frames of his previous efforts. Gone are the big names and Hollywood action that comprised his previous entry, Land of the Dead. Diary consists of “found footage” culled from two on scene cameras, as well as various web videos, security, and handi-cam footage. This entry follows the makeshift film school crew, who in the mists of making there own horror film, inadvertently discover the scarier documentary in the world around them, when the dead rise. Their film is The Death of Death.

I don’t claim to be a Romero enthusiast or disciple. The only previous film I have seen of his is the cult classic Dawn of the Dead. While I certainly respect Romero’s brand of B-horror/social commentary, Dawn wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. Diary however I find far more fascinating.

It is interesting that Romero has chosen the “found footage” technique for this piece. It’s also unfortunate that it will probably garner comparison to the other found footage movie of late, Cloverfield. While the two films are wildly dissimilar, they share the same narrative problem:

Why, for God’s sakes, are you still filming this?

While Cloverfield addresses this problem up front and then moves on to the good stuff, Romero has other plans. George is more interested in the fact that they are still filming, unfortunately his why, the director's incessant need to document the situation, falls flat under the numerous, and unlikely occasions it is addressed. Romero is offering up a zombie filled criticism on the Youtube generation mass media machine. It’s a brilliant point he’s driving; the problem is that he drives it a little too hard and often. Dairy’s heavy handedness is it’s undoing.

The stilted “meaning of life, why is this happening” dialogue of the film counteracts the inherit realism it is trying to achieve. At no point do the events we view feel real, and Romero is too much of a showman to pass of up cool tricks. The fact the kids would take the time, while in the middle of a zombie filled world, in a black militia encampment to steal their surveillance footage to enhance their doc is asinine. While it provides us the cool “oh look they are editing the scene we just watched” moment, it also detaches us from the film. So does the director, refusing to drop his camera and run after witnessing a friend shoot two zombie’s dead to remain in the same room with the corpses tethered to the wall as the camera charges while the rest of his posse goes off to experience off screen horrors. These and numerous other instances feel false to the real world aesthetic and only take you out of the picture. However, it’s this same detachment that Romero wants to examine.

If it’s not on camera it doesn’t happen.

That’s the mantra repeated numerous times throughout the film. Unfortunately no human would be this compulsive to get things on camera. After the director/cameraman Jason’s girlfriend’s family is found zombified and the killed, he doesn’t even stop the camera to console her. Romero does afford the couple some feeling; Jason puts down the camera in an out of focus shot to console Debra. He then rudely, immediately resumes his camera duties. How great would it be to have him talk to Deb, see her grieving, turn off the camera and then only see them in the aftermath of their talk? It would be akin to what Rodriguez did in Planet Terror with his missing reel, allowing character relationships to move forward with the climax unseen. The viewer then fills in the blanks for themselves. But then again:

If it’s not on camera it doesn’t happen.

Romero isn’t interested in a character study, this is social commentary we are talking about, and thus, moments like this are missed.

Don’t get me wrong though, Romero does nail some things perfectly on the head. The opening scene is enthralling and totally sets up the piece. Every zombie attack and death is handled with horror buff delight. The tension and dread are readily apparent when not uncut by the comical. And then there are the overtop, cheesy touches that just fill you with geek glee.

Samuel the deaf Amish zombie killer, anyone?

Oh yes indeed. But unfortunately there is too much cheese in Diary to make it a tasty or thoughtful dessert. Romero aspires to great things, and for that I applauded the effort, unfortunately the film ends up coming short. If I cared about these characters, it’d be one thing. If I was allowed to forget the gimmick and go with the movie, it would be another. But sadly, neither is true, which leaves Diary a fascinating if stunted experience. It’s worth a look for diehards, and horror buffs, but nothing to write on your Myspace page about. But hey, on the plus side, it was a free ticket for a 95 minute ride.

And I got an email from George Romero.

Diary of the Dead opens Friday February 15th in select cities.