Night of the Living Dead Creator, George Romero, Passes Away at 77
After battling an aggressive form of lung cancer, news broke that the legendary king of horror, and creator of the Night of the Living Dead franchise, passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age off 77. George Romero was the mind that created many zombie classics and according to a statement made to LA Times, his battle came to an end while he listened to his favourite film, 1952’s The Quiet Man, with his wife and daughter at his bed side.
Those that enjoy the modern day flux of zombies has Romero to thank for that, he revolutionized horror in a unique way with the start and evolution of the zombie genre. The birth being with his esteemed 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead all the way throughout the entire series spanning until 2009’s George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead.
Romero’s mind was appreciated and valued among his fan base. With his unique approach to the genre, even when at odds to what that genre has evolved into, brought a perspective unique to Romera that will continue to hold weight within the horror microcosm of entertainment. LA Times states that when asked about his ‘intellectual view’ of zombies, this is what he had to say,
I grew up on these slow-moving-but-you-can’t-stop-them [creatures], where you’ve got to find the Achilles’ heel, or in this case, the Achilles’ brain,” Romero told The Times in 2005, referring to the organ whose destruction waylays a zombie. “In [the remake] they’re just dervishes, you don’t recognize any of them, there’s nothing to characterize them…. [But] I like to give even incidental zombies a bit of identification. I just think it’s a nice reminder that they’re us. They walked out of one life and into this.”
With grey-scaled glasses in terms of human perspective, Romero’s eye has served as huge inspiration both in film and video games. He is survived by wife Suzanne Desrocher Romero and his three children. His genius and his intelligence will be sorely missed throughout the community and our hearts are with his family and friends during this trying time. Rest in peace, Romero.
Liana Ruppert578 Posts
With an arguably unhealthy obsession with Mass Effect, Liana has been an avid collector of gaming and comic memorabilia for well over two decades. With a passion for writing, gaming, and comics - she is currently working as Editor-in-Chief for the revival of Prima Games, with previous managing editor experience with several gaming publications including ComicBook.com, The Hollywood Reporter, TwinGalaxies, and other outlets. She is also the Co-Owner and Managing Editor for DFTG. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, as well as several Facebook communities online.
