News
Horror Heavyweights Pay Tribute to George A. Romero
The importance and influence of George A. Romero, not just to the horror world but to cinema at large, simply cannot be overstated. Back in 1968, Romero didn’t just create the modern zombie with Night of the Living Dead, he also revolutionized independent film and changed the horror genre forever.
There’s not a filmmaker working within the horror space today who doesn’t owe a debt to George Romero, nor is there a horror fan who hasn’t been hugely impacted by his work. And never have both of these things been more clear than in the past 24 hours, in the wake of the devastating news that the godfather of zombie cinema passed away.
Losing a legend like George Romero is incredibly upsetting to us all, but some comfort can be taken from the outpouring of social media love that follows such depressing news. Our disagreements and political viewpoints have been temporarily cast aside as we come together to pay tribute to a fallen icon, and it’s been beautiful to see.
We will be paying tribute to George Romero in our own ways this week here on BD, but in the meantime, we wanted to share some touching tribute tweets from some of horror’s true masters. From longtime friends like Stephen King and Tom Savini to fans such as Edgar Wright and James Gunn, the entirety of the horror world is mourning today.
There will never be another like Romero, that’s for sure.
Sad to hear my favorite collaborator–and good old friend–George Romero has died. George, there will never be another like you.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 16, 2017
Goodbye George A Romero. We laughed through 50 years and 9 films. I will miss him. There is a light that has gone out and can’t be replaced. pic.twitter.com/N0MAC1ItVM
— Tom Savini (@THETomSavini) July 16, 2017
George is gone. One of the greatest ever. creator of the modern Zombie-as-undead-cannibal myth and dear friend of mine…
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) July 17, 2017
George Romero was a great director, the father of modern horror movies. He was my friend and I will miss him. Rest in peace, George.
— John Carpenter (@TheHorrorMaster) July 16, 2017
RIP George Romero. Your groundbreaking contributions to the genre are unparrelled. We will miss you and are made better for your brilliance pic.twitter.com/zYPn3GRfXw
— Barbara Crampton (@barbaracrampton) July 16, 2017
I just hope #GeorgeRomero understood how highly he was respected by his peers and beloved by his fans. #stayscared pic.twitter.com/EoZG27FD7v
— Don Coscarelli (@DonCoscarelli) July 17, 2017
Losing both #GeorgeRomero & #MartinLandau this weekend is a doubly tragic loss. They were irreplaceable and we will deeply miss them. RIP
— Stuart Gordon (@OfficialSGordon) July 17, 2017
RIP George Romero! Had the pleasure of working with him on Savini’s NOLD remake, enjoyed his company at many horror cons. A huge influence!!
— Bill Moseley (@choptopmoseley) July 16, 2017
Here’s to the great George Romero, the man who started it all! A true legend and a huge inspiration. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/Vl3TP46L0W
— Robert Rodriguez (@Rodriguez) July 16, 2017
I just wrote this on Facebook concerning the passing of George Romero, but I thought I’d share it here as well. 💔 pic.twitter.com/r1qKM6GSka
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 16, 2017
RIP GEORGE ROMERO. YOU LIVE ON THROUGH YOUR WORK AND IN THE HEARTS OF US FANS. pic.twitter.com/08L4iEQYKn
— Don Mancini (@RealDonMancini) July 16, 2017
You can trace a direct line from NOTLD to Get Out. And…Romero created the modern zombie. The infectious bite. Shoot the head. Everything.
— Eli Roth (@eliroth) July 16, 2017
Wrote this on the late, great George Romero, to whom I owe a film career. https://t.co/eSaKaRndDC pic.twitter.com/UPMZn3WRrD
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) July 17, 2017
Romero started it. pic.twitter.com/i4dnxi8EFV
— Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) July 16, 2017
SAD YET SOMEHOW FITTING GEORGE ROMERO’S INFLUENCE ON STORYTELLING NOW GNAWS AT US FROM THE GRAVE – THANK YOU, MR. ROMERO AND REST IN PEACE pic.twitter.com/H9OjBcwz0c
— Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) July 16, 2017
George Romero was a horror icon and a true pioneer in the “zombie” genre! He created one of my… https://t.co/dtUaNh02cv
— Elvira (@TheRealElvira) July 17, 2017
Without George A. Romero, there is no Walking Dead. His inspiration cannot be overstated. He started it all, so many others followed.
— Robert Kirkman (@RobertKirkman) July 17, 2017
Night of the Living Dead was a cornerstone of the genre. Massively influential. He was bright and very sweet to me. Safe journey, George. https://t.co/my8OJg8wLj
— Bruce Campbell (@GroovyBruce) July 16, 2017
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.
You must be logged in to post a comment.