George Romero, the Godfather of Zombie films in America, is also horror film’s unofficial Doctor of Cultural and Social issues. Beginning with his landmark horror zombie fest, "Night of the Living Dead" released in 1968, Romero has his hand on the pulse of American culture and society.


In the mist of the civil rights movement, the Black Panther Party and Social and Civil unrest in the south. Romero decided to give his Zombie film on African American hero and an armed one at that! Duane Jones, Romero's hero would carry a rifle throughout most of the move as . Caucasian Zombies tried to destroy him. Even though the film was shot near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania it could have just as easily been shot in the deep South. Romero's controversial ending to his film made a social statement as the black hero is shot down in cold blood, mistaken allegedly for a Zombie; this action taken place at the approximate time as the Kennedy and King’s assassinations.


Romero has never lost his touch for what ails America society in general. His contribution to social satire extends throughout his Zombies films. Allegorical in nature, Romero's films can be enjoyed on one level as pure horror fantasy and on another level as social commentary. In an interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine, Romero told interviewer Peter Travers "I see something shitty happening in the world, and I slap some Zombies on it."


Romero's take on American commercialism and capitalism is lambasted as Zombies walk through a shopping mall in a trance in 1978's, "Dawn of the Dead". Take a trip through Chandler Mall or Scottsdale's Fashion Square Mall to see how right on Romero was in his Zombie satire. Misogyny is addressed in his Zombie movie 1985's "Day of the Dead" as female Zombies are continually and mindlessly destroyed throughout the film. 2005's "Land of the Dead" took on the theme of survival and death in a post 9/11 world.


Romero is always on the cutting edge as his movies look at the latest rage in American culture. In his new flick "Diary of the Dead", Romero crucifies U-Tube and other internet madness. In the film one of the characters named “Debra" tells her boyfriend "Jason", "For you, if it's not on film, it never happened." As Jason goes through the movie filming Zombies in all their murdering glory! It's as if we as a country sold our souls for one good close up. -- Smile --