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The Crazies

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6.0/10 • 357

1973-03-161h 43m

Science FictionThrillerHorror

Why are the good people dying?

Citizens of a small town are infected by a biological weapon that causes its victims to become violently insane. As uninfected citizens struggle to survive, the military readies its own response.

Directors
George A. Romero
Editors
George A. Romero

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Lane Carroll

    Lane Carroll

    Judy

  2. Will MacMillan

    Will MacMillan

    David

  3. Harold Wayne Jones

    Harold Wayne Jones

    Clank

  4. Lynn Lowry

    Lynn Lowry

    Kathy

  5. Lloyd Hollar

    Lloyd Hollar

    Col. Peckem

  6. Richard Liberty

    Richard Liberty

    Artie

  7. Richard France

    Richard France

    Dr. Watts

  8. Harry Spillman

    Harry Spillman

    Maj. Ryder

  9. Bill Thunhurst

    Bill Thunhurst

    Brubaker

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Apr 1, 2023

5/10

I suppose this might resonate more now in the wake of the recent global lockdown, but I'm afraid I found it all rather tame and predictable. A devastating virus is accidentally released in a small Pennsylvania town and the military have to contain it before the gradual, but irreversible, insanity it causes spreads throughout the entire country. Responsibility for this onerous task rests firmly with "Col. Peckem" (Lloyd Hollar) as he has to contend with an increasingly fed up local mayor, communications problems and a town that is slowly becoming more and more lawless (and dangerous) by the minute. It doesn't help that, pregnant, local nurse "Judy" (Lane Carroll) has skulked off with fireman husband "David" (Will MacMillan) to try escape the quarantine zone and so he has to try and track them down too. Finally, there is the eccentric "Dr. Watts" (Richard France) who is trying to find a cure for this by sampling the blood of just about everybody/thing he can jab a needle into. This is all your standard contagion horror film, and is produced to a remarkably mediocre standard. The acting is pretty ropey, the script likewise and the denouement is probably the least realistic you could imagine. Taken with your tongue in your cheek, it might raise a smile or two as the stupefied locals take on more zombified (and super-human) strengths, but this is just a rehash of some more charismatically cast Hammer style films without the slightest sense of peril. It does reiterate the oft presented position that the US Military is great at starting problems but hopeless at solving them, but I'm not sure that's what George A. Romero was looking for when he created this rather feeble effort. I saw it on a big screen just last week and I made it through to the end. I won't bother with it again.

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$275,000.00
Revenue
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Keywords
small townbiological weaponquarantinepennsylvania, usamurderdiseasescientistepidemicdeathmilitary policevirusplaguegerm warfare