Monkey Mech X
04-28-2005, 12:45 PM
Q - Is this a sequel to Dawn of the Dead (2004)?
No. This film is the fourth in George Romero's "Dead Series". The film continues the series started by Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985). Dawn of the Dead was an unconnected remake of the 1978 film.
Q - I heard the film was to be called 'Dead Reckoning'?
Earlier drafts of the script did run with the title 'Dead Reckoning'. The old title referred to an armoured vehicle that the characters in the movie use to raid zombie infected towns and cities for supplies. The movie's title was later changed to 'Land of the Dead' to fit in with the ethos of Romero's Dead titles, and to prevent confusion with an old Humphrey Bogart movie of the same name. The Dead Reckoning vehicle will still feature prominently in Land of the Dead.
Q - Will the zombies run in this film?
No. The script for Land clearly depicts these zombies strictly as "shamblers" who are not the sprinters depicted in the Dawn remake or 2002's 28 Days Later. The zombies in Land of the Dead are consistent with those of Romero's three earlier Dead films.
Q - Will the zombies talk in this film?
No. The script for Land does not include any spoken words by zombies. Emotions and motives are hinted at, but that's about it - there are no phone calls to "Aunt Alisha", so to speak.
Q - Script you say? Where can I get a copy????
There are numerous links and e-mail addresses provided on this board where the script can be downloaded from. The majority of these sources give out the August 2004 script, which was slightly modified prior to shooting, including deletion of the "zombie rat" scene.
Try these ones for starters:
http://lotd.0catch.com/LandoftheDead.html (http://lotd.0catch.com/LandoftheDead.html)
http://www.freespaces.com/lotd/romero_slandofthedeadscript.pdf (http://www.freespaces.com/lotd/romero_slandofthedeadscript.pdf)
Q - Where can I see the trailer for Land?
No trailer has yet been released for Land. Latest reports are that the trailer will begin screening before XxX 2 on 29 April, and will appear online shortly thereafter.
Q - I see that the guys from Shaun of the Dead are in this one! What gives?
George Romero is a huge fan of last year's English zombie film 'Shaun of the Dead'. As a "reward" for their film, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg were invited over to the USA to cameo as zombies in Land of the Dead. One or possibly both of the two will feature in a nightclub scene where humans can get their photo taken with a zombie. This may or may not involve one of the two being made up to look like "Bub" from Day of the Dead.
Q - What's with all the famous actors in the cast?
The film is being distributed by Universal, so it's not entirely suprising that a "name" cast has been attached to this film. In today's film market, where names = money it's hard to see the Joe Pilatos, Ken Forees and Lori Cordille's of the world attracting people to the box office. So, Land has seen, for the first time, a name cast taking part in a 'Dead' film including Simon Baker (The Guardian), John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge) and Dennis Hopper (Speed, Waterwold).
Q - When is this movie released?
The following are the confirmed release dates:
USA 24 June 2005 (moved forward from October 2005)
Germany 27 October 2005
Sweden 28 October 2005
Czech Republic 17 November 2005
France 23 November 2005
Australia 1 December 2005
Q - Is Tom Savini involved with this film?
Tom Savini was supposedly originally set to play a minor character in Land (one of the Dead Reckoning work team), but was apparantly denied a Canadian work permit. He will instead reprise his role as a zombiefied "Blades" (his biker role from 1978's Dawn of the Dead). The initial gossip saw Savini (as Cholo) kill his previous character (Blade)...however due to work permit requirements, this didn't work (and many would say, thank goodness for that!)
The zombie make-up and effects in Land are being supervised by Greg Nicotero.
Q - Why the hell is this called Land of the Dead, and not Dusk of the Dead, Twilight of the Dead or Early Evening of the Dead?
Look, nobody knows except George Romero. Rumours come up from time to time that John Russo owns the rights to all the "Times" of the Dead...but this has never been confirmed.
Q - With George Romero famous for filming his pics in Pittsburg, why did he decide to film Land of the Dead in Toronto?
In order to get as much bang for their buck (i.e. the currency-exchange rate), the producers, not Mr. Romero, decided to film in Canada. The current tax laws in Pennsylvania apparantly made shooting in Pittsburg cost-prohibitive.
Q - I've read that some of the filming took place at BCE Place in Toronto. What is BCE Place?
BCE Place is the setting for Fiddler's Green in LOTD. BCE Place is a actually a complex of buildings (Canada Trust Tower-53 floors, Bay Wellington Tower-49 floors & the just-recently approved BCE Place III-49 floors) consisting of apartments, shopping & businesses. It is known for its unusual interior architectural design by Santiago Calatrava (this should make for some great Romero shots). You can see pictures of the complex here:
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/cx/?id=100687 (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/cx/?id=100687)
Unfortunately, you cannot download the pictures, as they are copywrited.
Q - In the Romero Dead films, how does one become infected and become a zombie?
As per "Romero's Rules" you can become a zombie by ANY cause of death (including zombie bites), as long as the brain is not damaged. By contrast, in the Dawn of the Dead remake, ONLY a bite from a zombie can result in death and subsequent reaninmation.
Q - What is the cause of the zombie outbreak in the "Dead" films?
The definitive cause of the recently dead coming back to life is probably the most debated issue amongst all fans of the "Dead" movies. In Night of the Living Dead (1968), the first of Romero's Dead films, there is mention of a Venus space probe exploding and subsequently emitting high levels of radiation onto Earth. But Romero himself has nevere confirmed the probe as the cause. Other theories briefly mentioned in the other Dead movies include punishment from God, and there being "no more room in Hell".
Romero has stated previously in interviews that he left the cause open for interpretation throughout his Dead films. Testament to the much-debated nature of the cause, a fellow forumite on the Land of the Dead board offers the following excerpt from the Night of the Living Dead script as providing us the true answer:
TV ANNOUNCER: "Being monitored closely by scientists at all the radiation detection stations at this hour, they report that the level of the mysterious radiation continues to increase steadily. So long as this situation remains, government spokesmen warn that dead bodies will continue to be transformed into the flesh eating ghouls. All persons who die during this crisis from whatever cause will come back to life to seek human victims unless their bodies are first disposed of by cremation."
In that report the debate is apparently over and the cause has been determined to be the mysterious radiation from space.
In that light it is apparent that it is not the bite that turns you into a zombie after all. While it is true that the bite from filthy mouth of a zombie is 100% lethal it is not the agent that causes the dead to rise. It would appear that it is the radiation from space that is the resurrecting force.
Perhaps a definitive answer from Mr Romero in the lead-up to the release of Land is in order?
Q - Is that picture on the Land Of The Dead IMDB site the "official" teaser poster for the movie?
No. Universal has confirmed the picture IS NOT a poster submitted by the studio. Two things to look for:
1. The MPAA rating. The film is still in post-production and has not been submitted to the MPAA for a rating. Universal may not submit the film for a rating until 1-2 months before the release date, a standard procedure for any studio release. This is a MAJOR point!
2. The artwork of the zombies at the bottom of the poster are "borrowed" from sombie sillhouttes featured on the Dawn Of The Dead remake poster artwork.
Q - When does Land of the Dead take place?
George Romero has never given a specific point in time in any of his Dead films. Though it is obvious that Night Of The Living Dead takes place in the 60's and Dawn Of The Dead takes place in the 70's (because of certain styles of those eras, i.e. clothing, hair), Romero has also left that aspect of the series open. George Romero has said in recent media interviews that Land of the Dead is set three years after the outbreak, but no specific 'era' is given. Early set photos indicate the characters will be wearing contemporary clothes and armed with modern weapons.
Q - Will Land of the Dead feature an African American in the lead role?
George Romero has never consciously cast a Black as a male lead to make a point. With NOTLD68, he cast Duane Jones as the lead because he was the best actor for the role. He mentioned in several interviews he didn't realize the political significance of the decision at that time. The same for Ken Foree in Dawn; Mr Romero simply cast the best actors available for the roles at the time.
The lead role for Land of the Dead will be played by Simon Baker (a white Australian). Arguably though, the real hero of the movie is in fact a black male. If that sounds a little cryptic and you want to know more, then it is recommended that you download and read the script from the link above.
Q - Where can I see artwork from the Land of the Dead comic book?
Try this link here:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=5075 (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=5075)
Q - What is the budget for Land Of The Dead and how does it compare to other recent horror releases?
Land's reported budget is $15 Million. In comparision:
Budget (Estimated)
The Grudge: $10M*
Freddy Vs. Jason $25M*
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 03 $9.2M*
Cursed $35M*
Boogeyman $20M*
Resident Evil II:Apocalypse $50M*
Now, in comparision with the other Romero "Dead" films:
Budget (Estimated*/Today's cost approx.**)
Night of the Living Dead (1968) $114,000*/$579,302**
Dawn of the Dead $1.5M*/$4.35M**
Day of the Dead $3.5M*/$5.9M**
*Source: imdb.com
**Source: www.westegg.com/inflation (http://www.westegg.com/inflation) (The Inflation Calculator)
No. This film is the fourth in George Romero's "Dead Series". The film continues the series started by Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985). Dawn of the Dead was an unconnected remake of the 1978 film.
Q - I heard the film was to be called 'Dead Reckoning'?
Earlier drafts of the script did run with the title 'Dead Reckoning'. The old title referred to an armoured vehicle that the characters in the movie use to raid zombie infected towns and cities for supplies. The movie's title was later changed to 'Land of the Dead' to fit in with the ethos of Romero's Dead titles, and to prevent confusion with an old Humphrey Bogart movie of the same name. The Dead Reckoning vehicle will still feature prominently in Land of the Dead.
Q - Will the zombies run in this film?
No. The script for Land clearly depicts these zombies strictly as "shamblers" who are not the sprinters depicted in the Dawn remake or 2002's 28 Days Later. The zombies in Land of the Dead are consistent with those of Romero's three earlier Dead films.
Q - Will the zombies talk in this film?
No. The script for Land does not include any spoken words by zombies. Emotions and motives are hinted at, but that's about it - there are no phone calls to "Aunt Alisha", so to speak.
Q - Script you say? Where can I get a copy????
There are numerous links and e-mail addresses provided on this board where the script can be downloaded from. The majority of these sources give out the August 2004 script, which was slightly modified prior to shooting, including deletion of the "zombie rat" scene.
Try these ones for starters:
http://lotd.0catch.com/LandoftheDead.html (http://lotd.0catch.com/LandoftheDead.html)
http://www.freespaces.com/lotd/romero_slandofthedeadscript.pdf (http://www.freespaces.com/lotd/romero_slandofthedeadscript.pdf)
Q - Where can I see the trailer for Land?
No trailer has yet been released for Land. Latest reports are that the trailer will begin screening before XxX 2 on 29 April, and will appear online shortly thereafter.
Q - I see that the guys from Shaun of the Dead are in this one! What gives?
George Romero is a huge fan of last year's English zombie film 'Shaun of the Dead'. As a "reward" for their film, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg were invited over to the USA to cameo as zombies in Land of the Dead. One or possibly both of the two will feature in a nightclub scene where humans can get their photo taken with a zombie. This may or may not involve one of the two being made up to look like "Bub" from Day of the Dead.
Q - What's with all the famous actors in the cast?
The film is being distributed by Universal, so it's not entirely suprising that a "name" cast has been attached to this film. In today's film market, where names = money it's hard to see the Joe Pilatos, Ken Forees and Lori Cordille's of the world attracting people to the box office. So, Land has seen, for the first time, a name cast taking part in a 'Dead' film including Simon Baker (The Guardian), John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge) and Dennis Hopper (Speed, Waterwold).
Q - When is this movie released?
The following are the confirmed release dates:
USA 24 June 2005 (moved forward from October 2005)
Germany 27 October 2005
Sweden 28 October 2005
Czech Republic 17 November 2005
France 23 November 2005
Australia 1 December 2005
Q - Is Tom Savini involved with this film?
Tom Savini was supposedly originally set to play a minor character in Land (one of the Dead Reckoning work team), but was apparantly denied a Canadian work permit. He will instead reprise his role as a zombiefied "Blades" (his biker role from 1978's Dawn of the Dead). The initial gossip saw Savini (as Cholo) kill his previous character (Blade)...however due to work permit requirements, this didn't work (and many would say, thank goodness for that!)
The zombie make-up and effects in Land are being supervised by Greg Nicotero.
Q - Why the hell is this called Land of the Dead, and not Dusk of the Dead, Twilight of the Dead or Early Evening of the Dead?
Look, nobody knows except George Romero. Rumours come up from time to time that John Russo owns the rights to all the "Times" of the Dead...but this has never been confirmed.
Q - With George Romero famous for filming his pics in Pittsburg, why did he decide to film Land of the Dead in Toronto?
In order to get as much bang for their buck (i.e. the currency-exchange rate), the producers, not Mr. Romero, decided to film in Canada. The current tax laws in Pennsylvania apparantly made shooting in Pittsburg cost-prohibitive.
Q - I've read that some of the filming took place at BCE Place in Toronto. What is BCE Place?
BCE Place is the setting for Fiddler's Green in LOTD. BCE Place is a actually a complex of buildings (Canada Trust Tower-53 floors, Bay Wellington Tower-49 floors & the just-recently approved BCE Place III-49 floors) consisting of apartments, shopping & businesses. It is known for its unusual interior architectural design by Santiago Calatrava (this should make for some great Romero shots). You can see pictures of the complex here:
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/cx/?id=100687 (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/cx/?id=100687)
Unfortunately, you cannot download the pictures, as they are copywrited.
Q - In the Romero Dead films, how does one become infected and become a zombie?
As per "Romero's Rules" you can become a zombie by ANY cause of death (including zombie bites), as long as the brain is not damaged. By contrast, in the Dawn of the Dead remake, ONLY a bite from a zombie can result in death and subsequent reaninmation.
Q - What is the cause of the zombie outbreak in the "Dead" films?
The definitive cause of the recently dead coming back to life is probably the most debated issue amongst all fans of the "Dead" movies. In Night of the Living Dead (1968), the first of Romero's Dead films, there is mention of a Venus space probe exploding and subsequently emitting high levels of radiation onto Earth. But Romero himself has nevere confirmed the probe as the cause. Other theories briefly mentioned in the other Dead movies include punishment from God, and there being "no more room in Hell".
Romero has stated previously in interviews that he left the cause open for interpretation throughout his Dead films. Testament to the much-debated nature of the cause, a fellow forumite on the Land of the Dead board offers the following excerpt from the Night of the Living Dead script as providing us the true answer:
TV ANNOUNCER: "Being monitored closely by scientists at all the radiation detection stations at this hour, they report that the level of the mysterious radiation continues to increase steadily. So long as this situation remains, government spokesmen warn that dead bodies will continue to be transformed into the flesh eating ghouls. All persons who die during this crisis from whatever cause will come back to life to seek human victims unless their bodies are first disposed of by cremation."
In that report the debate is apparently over and the cause has been determined to be the mysterious radiation from space.
In that light it is apparent that it is not the bite that turns you into a zombie after all. While it is true that the bite from filthy mouth of a zombie is 100% lethal it is not the agent that causes the dead to rise. It would appear that it is the radiation from space that is the resurrecting force.
Perhaps a definitive answer from Mr Romero in the lead-up to the release of Land is in order?
Q - Is that picture on the Land Of The Dead IMDB site the "official" teaser poster for the movie?
No. Universal has confirmed the picture IS NOT a poster submitted by the studio. Two things to look for:
1. The MPAA rating. The film is still in post-production and has not been submitted to the MPAA for a rating. Universal may not submit the film for a rating until 1-2 months before the release date, a standard procedure for any studio release. This is a MAJOR point!
2. The artwork of the zombies at the bottom of the poster are "borrowed" from sombie sillhouttes featured on the Dawn Of The Dead remake poster artwork.
Q - When does Land of the Dead take place?
George Romero has never given a specific point in time in any of his Dead films. Though it is obvious that Night Of The Living Dead takes place in the 60's and Dawn Of The Dead takes place in the 70's (because of certain styles of those eras, i.e. clothing, hair), Romero has also left that aspect of the series open. George Romero has said in recent media interviews that Land of the Dead is set three years after the outbreak, but no specific 'era' is given. Early set photos indicate the characters will be wearing contemporary clothes and armed with modern weapons.
Q - Will Land of the Dead feature an African American in the lead role?
George Romero has never consciously cast a Black as a male lead to make a point. With NOTLD68, he cast Duane Jones as the lead because he was the best actor for the role. He mentioned in several interviews he didn't realize the political significance of the decision at that time. The same for Ken Foree in Dawn; Mr Romero simply cast the best actors available for the roles at the time.
The lead role for Land of the Dead will be played by Simon Baker (a white Australian). Arguably though, the real hero of the movie is in fact a black male. If that sounds a little cryptic and you want to know more, then it is recommended that you download and read the script from the link above.
Q - Where can I see artwork from the Land of the Dead comic book?
Try this link here:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=5075 (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=5075)
Q - What is the budget for Land Of The Dead and how does it compare to other recent horror releases?
Land's reported budget is $15 Million. In comparision:
Budget (Estimated)
The Grudge: $10M*
Freddy Vs. Jason $25M*
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 03 $9.2M*
Cursed $35M*
Boogeyman $20M*
Resident Evil II:Apocalypse $50M*
Now, in comparision with the other Romero "Dead" films:
Budget (Estimated*/Today's cost approx.**)
Night of the Living Dead (1968) $114,000*/$579,302**
Dawn of the Dead $1.5M*/$4.35M**
Day of the Dead $3.5M*/$5.9M**
*Source: imdb.com
**Source: www.westegg.com/inflation (http://www.westegg.com/inflation) (The Inflation Calculator)