George Romero's color sequel to his
incredibly influential "Night of the Living Dead,"
co-produced by fan and friend Dario Argento, starts off with some
nasty flesh-eating bangs as it depicts urban Philadelphia in a martial-law panic
over the ... moreever-growing zombie population. Then its heroes chopper off to hole up
in an abandoned shopping mall, because why the heck not? The social commentary
aspects of this picture are too obvious to even warrant pointing out anymore,
but the real beauty is how seamlessly they're integrated into the suspense and
abundant gore elements. Among other things, this is also a flesh-ripping special
effects landmark, one that put gore-simulator Tom Savini (who in a sense learned
his craft during the Vietnam war, in which he served) on the cinematic map.
