Cosmos 859

Aside from Dawn of the Dead, I feel that this little seen film is one of Romero's strongest vehicles. Indeed the two films have a great deal in common in terms of pacing, style and overall visual impact. It throws the viewer into the middle of a story with little introduction, and continues at a breakneck pace right until it's bleak conclusion. The wonderful thing about Romero's works is that he manages to take situations that might just be distantly possible and make them an absolute chaotic reality. This film is a testament to that, and may even stand as one of his more realistic and plausible stories. Performances on the part of almost all of the actors are very good, particularly the main group of focus. There are some awkward moments with David, but Judy is very good, and proves herself particularly in her final scenes. Clank is interesting to watch, and does a very good job of descending into a dangerous and confused haze. Richard Liberty's Artie is a favorite, though, due largely to a scene where he tells why he never allowed his daughter to date. He is truly creepy. Those on the military side are also very good, particularly Major Rider and Colonel Peckam. I must admit that I do have a soft spot in my heart for Richard France as Dr. Watts. He rants and relentlessly chews the scenery in a grand performance, and adds a wonderful dash of color and even more insanity to this bleak film. Romero is always interesting in his use of characters, and this film is no exception. He is constantly pushing the envelope of audience expectations by having major characters die or succumb to the madness. Nothing is safe in a Romero movie. His use of the soldiers is wonderful in the frenzied and gritty military and chase scenes. This film as a whole is gritty, unnerving and a perfect stylistic precursor to Dawn of the Dead. One of the better scare pictures of the 70s.