Plot: What’s it about?
As part of the preparations for potential conflicts, the government engages in various experiments, some of which involve germ based weapons. This kind of weapon poses an immense threat to enemies, which means if the United States is armed with such weapons, oppositions might not even risk exposure through a conflict. One such germ weapon has been codenamed “Trixie” and has a dangerous presence, as those exposed either experience a quick death or are rendered insane. No cures have been found for the latter, so the people simply go nuts and I mean violent, maniac nuts, not silly, drooling nuts. So when “Trixie” is let loose in a rural area by accident, the town of Evans City, Pennsylvania is sent into total chaos. After the deaths of many of its citizens, Evans City is now home to soldiers looking to secure the town, insane maniacs looking to kill, and a small group of those who haven’t snapped just yet. But with the threats coming from all sides, even inside themselves, the odds are stacked against that band of survivors. Even if they can escape the murderous neighbors and trigger happy soldiers, they still have to fend off the unnatural urges caused by the germ’s impact. Can they somehow manage to survive this assault and even if so, can they maintain their sanity in the process?
If you’re into wild government conspiracies, then you’re in luck, as George Romero’s The Crazies has been released to DVD. And as Blue Underground has restored the film from its original negative materials, cleaned up the soundtrack, and even tossed in some supplements, its never been a better time to go insane. A terrific premise about a germ agent gone bad starts things off, then we turn the corner and find ourselves in a brisk thriller, one which pits a small group of people against everyone else, including themselves. As we all know, that is a premise Romero loves and of course, many of other features focus on a small band of people, outnumbered and trapped, as they battle against the forces around them. In The Crazies, the people have to avoid the trigger happy military soldiers, the insane maniacs, and their own urges, as they seek to avoid turning into the creatures that threaten them at every turn. The pace is quick, but not so fast as to rush things, just enough to maintain motion and attention levels. The acting is decent, the direction is great, and there’s enough blood & guts to satisfy the gorehound in us all. In the end, The Crazies is a well made, fun blend of horror & thriller, with all of Romero’s trademarks. I more than recommend it to genre fans, especially since Blue Underground has issued such a terrific disc.
Although this film was directed by horror maven George Romero, it has never found the same kind of success as most of his pictures. Yes, The Crazies has gained a cult audience over time, but not the kind some of Romero’s other efforts have enjoyed. Then again, we can’t expect to be as big a draw as his zombie epics, since those have become staples of the genre, perhaps even all of cinema, in regard to the original. This movie is a smaller scale, lesser known part of Romero’s resume, but I think it is a terrific project. The sense of paranoia and chaos in full effect, stoked by Romero to rise and rise, until we approach the close. All of his usual touches are found in this one, right down to his flaws even, so fans of his work should be pleased here. I think Romero has done some excellent work in his career, but his later projects often wind up being less than impressive, perhaps by comparison to his earlier works. But The Crazies is a well crafted thriller that is among his better works, without question. Other films directed by Romero include Night of the Living Dead, Bruiser, Two Evil Eyes, Creepshow, Dawn of the Dead, Knightriders, The Dark Half, and Day of the Dead. The cast here includes Lynn Lowery (Shivers, Cat People) and Richard France (There’s Always Vanilla, Graveyard Shift).
Video: How does it look?
The Crazies is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen. I’ve seen this movie in several home video incarnations, but none have been better than passable. This new version from Blue Underground still shows some minor defects, but is head and shoulders above previous editions. And even the flaws found in this version are slight, so unless you’re a perfectionist or anal retentive, you probably won’t even notice them. The print has some minor grain, but looks much cleaner than any prior release, so fans should be thrilled. This allows the other elements to improve also, so colors and contrast are much enhanced here also. You won’t mistake this for a recent release, but Blue Underground has done some excellent work with this transfer. And for fans, at long last there is a superb visual presentation of this cult classic.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio has also been cleaned up, so if you’ve seen the film before, you’ll notice improvements in this area also. Even so, you can only do much with this material, which has a lot of production limitations. The audio for The Crazies was recorded in less than cutting edge fashion, not to mention the overall mix has never been that memorable. But this new mono option does clear up some troubles, so fans can look forward to a cleaner, more audible experience. The music sounds thin as usual, with a hint of distortion in some instances, while sound effects are basic, but sound more than acceptable. I found dialogue to be in good form also, so no vocals are lost or muffled in this presentation. Not the kind of audio you’d crank up to impress the neighbors, but this is a much improved treatment, to be sure.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You’ll find a solid assortment of extra here, starting off with an audio commentary by director George Romero. He is joined by Blue Underground’s Bill Lustig, who prompts the filmmaker to discuss all sorts of topics. Romero touches on technical issues, like film stock and camera techniques, but also tells some interesting production stories, from his own limitations as a director to working within the Hollywood system. He even talks about the new transfer found on this release, as he was quite involved in its creation. A fourteen minute interview with star Lynn Lowery is next, in which she discusses her involvement in The Crazies, but also talks about her entire career. I wish this piece were twice as long, as Lowery is so personable and talkative, I could listen to many, many more of her stories. This disc also includes a talent file on Romero, some still photos & poster artwork, two television spots, and two of the film’s theatrical trailers.
