Watch Diary of the Dead
- 1980
- 1 hr 33 min
Diary of the Dead is a horror film from writer and director George A. Romero. The movie follows a group of film students who are in the middle of shooting a horror movie when a zombie outbreak begins to spread across the United States. As the students attempt to navigate this new world they are living in, they document their experiences with their handheld cameras as a way to keep a record of what is happening.
The main character of the movie is Debra, one of the film students who is initially skeptical of the zombie outbreak news. She convinces her group to leave campus and check on her family, and that's when things start to go downhill fast. The group picks up other survivors along the way, each with their own story of how they managed to survive so far.
As they travel, the students encounter hordes of flesh-eating zombies, and they soon realize that they cannot trust anyone, even other survivors. The group struggles to find a safe place to stay, and they are constantly on the move. They soon realize that the only way to survive is to band together and rely on each other's strengths.
The camera work in Diary of the Dead is unique, as it is all shot through handheld cameras wielded by the characters in the movie. This creates an almost documentary-like feel to the movie, which is fitting given the subject matter. The camera work is jittery and chaotic, much like the world the characters find themselves in.
Despite being a zombie movie, Diary of the Dead is also a commentary on society's overreliance on technology. The characters in the movie are so focused on capturing everything on video that they start to lose sight of the bigger picture. There are moments where filming something becomes more important than helping someone who is in danger.
The movie is tense and thrilling, and there are plenty of jump scares throughout. However, what sets Diary of the Dead apart from other zombie movies is its social commentary. It's a movie that asks us to question our dependence on technology and to consider what truly matters in a world where everything is falling apart.
The acting in the movie is great, with standout performances from Geraldine Fitzgerald, Hector Elizondo, Salome Jens, Joseph Maher, Austin Pendleton, and Kate Wilkinson. Each character is unique, and they all bring something different to the movie.
In terms of gore, Diary of the Dead is definitely not for the faint of heart. The zombies are gruesome, and there are plenty of scenes of blood and guts. However, the gore never feels gratuitous. It's all in service of the story, and it never feels like it's there just for shock value.
Overall, Diary of the Dead is a great addition to the zombie genre, and it's a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a film that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, and it's definitely worth a watch for fans of the horror genre.