Excellent but underrated film

Better Late Then Never

Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

The Crazies (1973) ** 1/2 (out of 4)George A. Romero's tale of a small Pennsylvania town that comes under siege from the military after a plane crash leaks a chemical that is turning people crazy. A group of people decide to not give in and try to survive on their own but soon they're battling more than just the government.Romero's THE CRAZIES is a film that is often called a zombie movie but it's certainly not that. If you're going into it expecting gore or a lot of graphic violence then you're probably going to be disappointed because that's not what the picture is. Much like we'd eventually see in Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD, this film certainly has a political message to discuss and in all honesty that takes up the majority of the running time.THE CRAZIES isn't a bad movie but at the same time there are enough flaws that keep it from being a good one. It seems that some people are starting to praise Romero's lesser known works and try to build them up as some sort of lost masterpieces but I really don't think this film fits into that. The biggest problem with the movie is that the majority of its 103-minute running time deals with the government people and it's just not all that interesting. I mean, we see them talking, debating and doing a variety of other things and it's all rather boring.The real entertainment comes from the group of people who break free and try to survive on their own. They're out in the wilderness trying to avoid the government as well as trying not to get infected. I think this story is much more interesting and one wishes that the screenplay had been built more around them and not the government. I can see why Romero would try to do something a bit different but I just don't think it worked well enough here to keep you glued to what's going on.With that said, the cast for the most part are entertaining enough and Romero does a nice job with the directing duties. I'd also argue that the film was well-made considering the budget and it certainly turned out better than most films like it. Still, there are just a tad too many flaws for THE CRAZIES to fully work.

In "The Crazies," a plane crashes in Pennsylvania which is carrying a mysterious virus. As the U.S. government and military step in to investigate, a combination of their efforts and the effects of the virus ignite pandemonium.One of George Romero's lesser-praised but entirely worthwhile films, "The Crazies" is equal parts B-movie exploitation and skilled paranoid thriller. The elements that made "Night of the Living Dead" such a strong film are also present here, though in much more overstated ways: The mass terror and hysteria here is expanded to proportions not offered within the confines of a farmhouse-whereas "Night" delved into isolationist horrors amidst an epidemic, in "The Crazies," the unknown is ubiquitous. In some ways this makes for a more enthralling film, though it does lead to some notably sloppy writing and editing, which I suspect was a result of the film's low budget matching with Romero's aspirations; it's probably safe to say that more was bitten off than could have been chewed.To some degree, the film's messiness and crash-course style is fitting to the subject matter, and its vision of the unknown igniting a mass hysteria could be read as a deliberate stylistic choice (though I doubt this). The pitfalls and weaknesses (which include some less-than-stellar performances), though very much present, are not necessarily enough to undercut the material.Overall, I think "The Crazies" is a solid paranoid thriller, and an expansion on themes Romero would return to time and again. It is far from being a perfect film, but I feel this is more a case that the goals were too lofty for the resources available than it was that the film's core was weak or underdeveloped. In spite of its limitations, "The Crazies" manages to ramp up the hysteria and generate an unease that is palpable and unnerving. 7/10.

I haven't seen the remake of this. I hope it has a bit more verisimilitude (I love to sneak that word in). This is one of those films where people deliver lines a bit like Romero's zombies. There is so much pain in the situation thrust upon them, and we are to believe that our society would be as indifferent and cruel as they are presented here. Everyone is afraid of panic. Yes, panic is not a good thing, but it is traded for a group of townspeople thrust into a horror story, not understanding what is going on. Obviously, this premise rides along on the fact that there was never a contingency for what takes place and so the army and its counterparts don't have a clue how to handle things. Thank God these people aren't like this in war or we'd be goose stepping to this day. So, while it's entertaining, don't think too much. It's a caricature B movie. But that's what this director is best at.

In Evans City, a plane crashes on the hill releasing for six days in the water the bacteriological weapon Trixie that affects only human beings. The army under the command of Colonel Peckemseals (Lloyd Hollar) seals off the town to contain the virus and there is no antidote for the victims that are doomed to die or become incurably mad. The pregnant nurse Judy (Lane Carroll), her husband David (W.G. McMillan), their friend Clank (Harold Wayne Jones), their new acquaintance Artie (Richard Liberty) and his daughter Kathy (Lynn Lowry) tries to cross the border of the town, but the escapees are hunted by the army. Meanwhile, the scientist Dr. Ralston Watts (Richard France) researches blood samples trying to find the cure for the disease."The Crazies" is a tale of paranoia and madness in a period when the world was afraid of a bacteriological war. The plot is based on a total stupidity from the authorities that send the army to contain the virus in a small town but does not provide any explanation to the population, invading real estates and breaking in homes. The lead scientist is another stupid character. Surprisingly this year it was released a remake of this average film. Last time I saw this film was on 04 July 2000. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "O Exército do Extermínio" ("The Extermination Army")