George Romero's Resident Evil

By now I'm sure that most folks know that George Romero was set to write and possibly direct the film adaptation of Resident Evil a few years back. I mean, who better than the king of zombie flicks to make a film about one of the greatest zombie stories of all time?
I attend an annual convention in Louisville, KY called Wonderfest that gears itself towards model kits and their producers, toys, movie memorabilia, etc. Back in 2001 Romero, and special effects guru Greg Nicotero, were in force showing off some RE related stuff inasmuch as the movie was in pre-production. All I can say is wow. I couldn't wait! Then...poof...nothing. Next thing I hear Romero's been given the boot by the producers...he was even so candid as to say at a Wonderfest a couple years later that he was outright fired from the project.
Now enter Paul Anderson and his take on things. In all honesty I can say that I like the live-action films...I think they do fine in their own way...albeit when I think of what Romero had envisioned for his version...well...it makes me heartsick just a little bit. At the time of that one particular Wonderfest (I'm sure for legalities) Romero couldn't discuss the reasons as to why he'd been let go from the project...but he hinted here and there that budgeting was a big concern, and Romero's script hints at a faithful/expansive telling of RE1 (which probably would have emptied a few purse strings budget-wise). Imagine the zombie researchers, Tyrant in all his glory, packs of Hunters roaming around for fresh kill, Yawn, Neptune, mutant dogs, Plant 42, the underground lab with the Chimera and other nasties running about...sigh. Supposedly there are more than a few samples of Romero's script running around on the 'net...a google search will pull them up easily enough (now whether or not the scripts are "real" may be another story...but the samples I've seen seem to jibe with Romero's accounts of what he wanted to do with RE1).
Please don't misunderstand, IMO Anderson probably did the best he could do given budgetary restraints from the studio, and this thread isn't meant to throw him "under the bus"...this post I guess is just me rambling a bit about what might have been...so I'm sorry if I've been long-winded, and I'd surely like others thoughts on this!

---

---

---

Code:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero, made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

What do you mean?

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

What do you mean?

If the movie was supposed to be like games than S.S. would be director

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

What do you mean?

If the movie was supposed to be like games than S.S. would be director

Oh, I see, Whichever, I think It would be really nice if the movies where more like the games, but, I do like the RE movies now, in a different way then the games, of course the games are better, way better! lol

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

What do you mean?

If the movie was supposed to be like games than S.S. would be director

Oh, I see, Whichever, I think It would be really nice if the movies where more like the games, but, I do like the RE movies now, in a different way then the games, of course the games are better, way better! lol

Well only movie i like is Degeneration... Its CG movie but still i count it

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

What do you mean?

If the movie was supposed to be like games than S.S. would be director

Oh, I see, Whichever, I think It would be really nice if the movies where more like the games, but, I do like the RE movies now, in a different way then the games, of course the games are better, way better! lol

Well only movie i like is Degeneration... Its CG movie but still i count it

It is way better then the other movies, because It's cannon to the RE game series! I love it!

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

What do you mean?

If the movie was supposed to be like games than S.S. would be director

Oh, I see, Whichever, I think It would be really nice if the movies where more like the games, but, I do like the RE movies now, in a different way then the games, of course the games are better, way better! lol

Well only movie i like is Degeneration... Its CG movie but still i count it

It is way better then the other movies, because It's cannon to the RE game series! I love it!

Well, although the Wesker's Report & Biohazard 4D-Executer were not full lenght, those were both really good. There was nothing bad about the Paul Anderson films, they weren't true to RE, but once you get over that, then I find that they have a lot of good stuff to offer.

Spike991 wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

frodomir wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I like the RE movies, but, I would have loved if George Romero made them like the games, that would have been amazing!

Well than that wouldnt be George Romero... It would be Steven Spielberg

What do you mean?

If the movie was supposed to be like games than S.S. would be director

Oh, I see, Whichever, I think It would be really nice if the movies where more like the games, but, I do like the RE movies now, in a different way then the games, of course the games are better, way better! lol

Well only movie i like is Degeneration... Its CG movie but still i count it

It is way better then the other movies, because It's cannon to the RE game series! I love it!

Well, although the Wesker's Report & Biohazard 4D-Executer were not full lenght, those were both really good. There was nothing bad about the Paul Anderson films, they weren't true to RE, but once you get over that, then I find that they have a lot of good stuff to offer.

All very well put. As I said when starting this thread my intention isn't to demean the live-action films or throw mud at Anderson...just discuss the possibilities. Bringing in the cg offerings is also important, because IMO I surely wouldn't mind more of like what RE: Degeneration has to offer!

duralumin wrote:

Well, although the Wesker's Report & Biohazard 4D-Executer were not full lenght, those were both really good. There was nothing bad about the Paul Anderson films, they weren't true to RE, but once you get over that, then I find that they have a lot of good stuff to offer.

All very well put. As I said when starting this thread my intention isn't to demean the live-action films or throw mud at Anderson...just discuss the possibilities. Bringing in the cg offerings is also important, because IMO I surely wouldn't mind more of like what RE: Degeneration has to offer![/quote]

Anderson had the right intention at first, making a prequel that would explain everything that started the outbreak, but I think it is safe to say that RE0 sort of made his version obsolete, even though his stuff can be good to watch, he knew that he wasn't staying true to the games, and he knew what was coming.

As for Degeneration, I really hope that there are more like it, it was amazing, it would be nice to see some stuff with some other characters too.

Quote :

Well, although the Wesker's Report & Biohazard 4D-Executer were not full lenght, those were both really good. There was nothing bad about the Paul Anderson films, they weren't true to RE, but once you get over that, then I find that they have a lot of good stuff to offer.

All very well put. As I said when starting this thread my intention isn't to demean the live-action films or throw mud at Anderson...just discuss the possibilities. Bringing in the cg offerings is also important, because IMO I surely wouldn't mind more of like what RE: Degeneration has to offer! [/quote]

I would love it if they made more CG Resident Evil movie's like Degeneration.

ChrisSherry wrote:

I would love it if they made more CG Resident Evil movie's like Degeneration.

I think that it is safe to say that Degeneration was a success, so that might make Capcom think that they could make some more money if they make another RE CG film based on the games.

Spike991 wrote:

but once you get over that, then I find that they have a lot of good stuff to offer.

Well i cant get over it... Its just i played almost every RE game... And i know how story goes, and what are characters capable of...

Romeros characters are more like superheroes than outbreak survivors... And since i watched lots of Sci-Fi movies i cant say that i love his films... I wouldn't even call it RE... I would rather call it ZO (Zombie outbreak)...

From every part i just liked part with Nemesis even that is fucked up since we all know how Nemesis ends in game... And it should be the same with the movie, since its called RE... Idk how did Capcom let them do it with movies... They completely screwed both Capcom and RE

Spike991 wrote:

ChrisSherry wrote:

I would love it if they made more CG Resident Evil movie's like Degeneration.

I think that it is safe to say that Degeneration was a success, so that might make Capcom think that they could make some more money if they make another RE CG film based on the games.

You listening, Capcom? I can't get enough of RE: D, so more of the like are certainly welcome. I kinda disagree that Romero's characters are more like superheroes...he likes to put fallible, regular people into extraordinary circumstances and see what develops. As he has been quoted, he merely uses zombie scenarios to tell stories about revolution...turning society up on it's side and seeing what might happen. IMO, RE is really at it's core a cautionary tale concerning mankind's arrogance in his attempt to control something that is inevitably way out of his control...and Romero's been telling stories like these for over 40 years.

no romero should of totally made the resident evil films. did anyone see the advert he shot for the release of resident evil 2 in japan? totally amazing. that paul anderson guy is totally worthless.

charlieRE2 wrote:

no romero should of totally made the resident evil films. did anyone see the advert he shot for the release of resident evil 2 in japan? totally amazing. that paul anderson guy is totally worthless.

I wouldn't say that he is useless, he made some good stuff, especially with the first one, and originally he planned on having his first movie a prequel to the first RE, but obviously he took it in a new direction.

charlieRE2 wrote:

no romero should of totally made the resident evil films. did anyone see the advert he shot for the release of resident evil 2 in japan? totally amazing. that paul anderson guy is totally worthless.

Yes! I have seen that commercial Mr. Romero made for the RE2 Japan release...incredible!!! But, as Spike has said and from what I've heard, I really do think that Anderson did the best he could and was operating under the auspices of the movie studio...not doing so was what got Romero fired from the project. Great jump-start to my memory you bringing up that commercial!

Spike991 wrote:

charlieRE2 wrote:

no romero should of totally made the resident evil films. did anyone see the advert he shot for the release of resident evil 2 in japan? totally amazing. that paul anderson guy is totally worthless.

I wouldn't say that he is useless, he made some good stuff, especially with the first one, and originally he planned on having his first movie a prequel to the first RE, but obviously he took it in a new direction.

mr anderson did nothing for the fans just money making blockbusters. i really disliked the films. if you took resident evil from the titles you would not even think they had a link to games. except little hints three real big let downs

charlieRE2 wrote:

mr anderson did nothing for the fans just money making blockbusters. i really disliked the films. if you took resident evil from the titles you would not even think they had a link to games. except little hints three real big let downs

For the fans, not exactly, there were some nice things in there, but I think that once people get over the idea that it isn't really related to the games, then they can enjoy them. And the first one had some stuff that were good enough to be put into the games, Red Queen AI System, Laser scene. But that doesn't apply to the third one as much, because that one wasn't very good at all.

Yeah, after that fiasco called Land of the Dead, I cringe at the thought of George Romero's Resident Evil...

Ghost Leader wrote:

Yeah, after that fiasco called Land of the Dead, I cringe at the thought of George Romero's Resident Evil...

Yeah, what was he thinking??? Zombies were terrible in that one.

i think romero made land of dead as comical film. its release had a lot to with shaun of the dead too i think.
spike i understand that you like the films but i myself just see no good in them but thats my opinion

charlieRE2 wrote:

i think romero made land of dead as comical film. its release had a lot to with shaun of the dead too i think.
spike i understand that you like the films but i myself just see no good in them but thats my opinion

Exactly CharlieRE2, "Land" was strictly intended as farse...hell...with the current ratings systems there's no way Romero could make one of his traditional serious zombie opuses (like "Day") and it get nothing less than an NC-17 (for those who doubt what that can do to a film witness Rob Zombie's 2 year struggle to get his film House of 1,000 Corpses an 'R' instead of the dreaded NC-17...but, back to topic). Bottom line: Romero, in discussions I witnessed, and from what I've read, was hoping to make a Resident Evil that was practically a point-for-point adaptation of the first game...truly a shame it didn't happen. Now enter Anderson...Constantin Film I'm sure had a map for him to follow...one that I believe was largely a result of Romero's unwillingness to follow studio exec wishes: Romero's spent an entire career telling film studios to kiss his pasty behind, so to an extent I think that Anderson took on a herculean task stepping in for Romero. Try making a RE film that a film studio dictates must appeal to the masses, and at the same time please folks who live and breath RE (like us, )....oh, BTW, the films can't follow the games exactly...and here's a next to nothing budget...have fun Mr. Anderson. Practically impossible. Cool moments came out of the live-action films, but that's about all I can say. Since I've watched a "canon" film like Degeneration I've lost more and more interest in the live films...and I don't think I'm alone. I kinda like to think that's the worm turning for the film execs that put Romero out into the streets. Whew...sorry gang...way longwinded!

charlieRE2 wrote:

i think romero made land of dead as comical film. its release had a lot to with shaun of the dead too i think.
spike i understand that you like the films but i myself just see no good in them but thats my opinion

No, I didn't say that I liked the films, they weren't the worst thing in the world, but I think that on the whole, they are pretty bad, at least Land Of The Dead.