Variety reports (briefly) on the upcoming remake of the 1973 George A. Romero movie The Crazies. The project will be produced and distributed by Overture films.

I’m in two minds about this. On the one hand The Crazies was an intelligent film with a political subtext that makes it perfectly suited to a modern day remake. On the other hand it’s a shame that Romero will only be “Executive Producer”, usually little more than an honorary role. Perhaps most worrying is that the script will be by Ray Wright (who wrote the excellent Machinst, 2005 but also co-wrote the unloved Pulse, 2006) and Scott Kosar (remakes of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2003 and the Amityville Horror, 2005).

Oh dear.

I’ve added a review of 30 Days of Night (2007). I gave it three stars and concluded: “30 Days of Night isn’t a bad film, it’s competent and watchable. It’s just that it’s not a particularly good film.”

Good news for Romero fans like me: Variety reports that he has another zombie movie in production.

The film, written and directed by George A Romero, is set on an isolated island off the US coast. No title has been officially announced but my money’s on “Isle of the Dead”.

As always with Romero there’s a social commentary element. In this case the island leaders are apparently divided about whether or not it’s right to shoot your friends and relatives in the head just because they’re a little off colour.

Let’s hope that Romero tones down the commentary a little following last year’s disappointing Diary of the Dead.

Photo Credit: fluzo (Creative Commons)

I’ve added a review of “They” (2002). I gave it two stars and concluded it was: “some superb direction wasted on an inadequately developed story and poor acting.”