Other Titles • Code Name: Trixie (1973) • The Mad People (1973) • Crazies (1973)
Synopses for The Crazies (1973)
1.
During the 10 years between Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, director George Romero had a string of box-office flops--some of which were actually quite good. For example,there's The Crazies, in which a military plane carrying biological-warfare agents crashes near Evans City, Pennsylvania. The virus gets into the town's water supply and has two effects on the infected: death or irreversible insanity. The military moves in to contain the situation, but the local populace regards the army as a menacing force and things rapidly spin out of control. Soon the highly contagious virus infects the whole town and the soldiers as well, while a government scientist races to find an antidote. The Crazies features some great set pieces as the virus spreads: a little old lady smiles sweetly and stabs a soldier to death with a knitting needle; a young woman placidly sweeps with a broom while soldiers and locals have a bloody firefight around her; a soldier swings his rifle wildly at his comrades until they shoot him.
Made in the shadow of both Vietnam and Watergate, The Crazies contains plenty of allegory: an invasion by military force, government cover-up and duplicity, madness and eventually genocide (all set, of course, in Romero's beloved Pennsylvania). The President only appears on television, and then only the back of his head is shown as he speaks in detached, almost bored tones. Like Night of the Living Dead, this film offers no hope, no comfort, and sure as hell no happy ending. Keep an eye out for Romero in a somewhat gassy role as Evans City's mayor. --Jerry Renshaw
2.
In director George Romero's THE CRAZIES, a government plane carrying a biological warfare virus crashes near the small Pennsylvania town of Evans City. The virus finds its way into the town’s drinking water, turning everyone who comes in contact with it into a murderous lunatic. Firefighter David (Will McMillan) and his pregnant wife, Judy (Lane Carroll), remain unaffected but face great danger in trying to escape the town, which has been quarantined by the U.S. army, who lurk around every corner, clad in gas masks and protective suits. Joining them in their attempt to escape are Clank, one of David’s fellow firemen, and Kathy and Artie, a father and daughter whose strange behavior indicates that they might have been exposed to the virus.
Similar in tone and structure to his DEAD trilogy, Romero's film overcomes a visibly limited budget to create a colorful 1970s genre film that neatly captures the feeling of governmental distrust that was characteristic of the Vietnam era. With both a social message and plenty of splatter, THE CRAZIES is an underrated horror film with appeal.
3.
The Bio-Terror Shocker From the Director of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and DAWN OF THE DEAD Its code name is ‘Trixie,' an experimental government germ weapon that leaves its victims either dead or irreversibly insane. When the virus is accidentally unleashed in Evans City, Pennsylvania, the small community becomes a war zone of panicked military, desperate scientists and gentle neighbours turned homicidal maniacs. Now a small group of citizens has fled to the town's outskirts where they must hide from trigger-happy soldiers while battling their own depraved urges. But even if they can escape the madness of this plague, can they survive the unstoppable violence of THE CRAZIES? Richard France (DAWN OF THE DEAD), Lynn Lowry (SHIVERS, CAT PEOPLE) and Richard Liberty (DAY OF THE DEAD) co-star in this little-seen masterpiece of modern horror written and directed by George Romero that remains one of his most chilling and disturbing films ever. Blue Underground is now proud to present THE CRAZIES fully restored from original negative materials and loaded with exclusive new extras created especially for this DVD edition.
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