After going back home and looking more into the film, I stumbled across a source that discussed how George A. Romero used actors that fit the social outcasts around the time of his films to play as the lead role. He started doing this after choosing Duane Jones to play the lead-man in Night of the Living Dead (1968). The reason he chose Jones to play this part was to showcase African Americans during the civil rights movement that was continuing to be fought for. Even though Dawn of the Dead (1978) was after the civil rights movement Romero still decided to cast Ken Foree as Peter. Just decided to share this with everyone since we touched on it during the discussion for the film. It seems like most movies now use a social outcast as the main character just so that we can sympathize and hope they pull through, rather than using someone who we know has a greater chance of succeeding.
Feel free to comment/question.
Romero was truly ahead of his time both socially and creatively. Its interesting that the only director to cast someone who wasn't a caucasian as a leading role in this class is a man known for such "low Brow" subjects as in zombies and gore.
ReplyDeleteCompletly agree that Romero was far advanced for his generation in creativity and what he wanted to do. Another reason why his work is so appreciated.
DeleteI would completely agree to that, Romero incorporated many qualities that you would find in movies of this day in age.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered about that choice from the first movie (Night of the Living Dead). That makes sense, but I was too young to recognize it. We just thought it was cool that the guy who usually gets wacked first was the last survivor. We hear actors of different ethnicities now days make jokes about it in the movie that they are usually the first to get killed off. These days we have to wonder if they cast differently to throw us off or do they put much thought into it at all. I think older audiences notice ethnic differences because of what we grew up seeing, but younger audiences don't think twice about it (or as much).
ReplyDeleteAs I briefly discussed in my presentation on Romero, I think that his casting of minorities and women in these types of roles is done for several reasons. First, he is playing with our pre-concieved notions that these characters will be the first to be killed. Second, he has a social commentary in his films (especially Night of the Living Dead) and these actors represent more than just themselves.
DeleteRomero often insists though that he did not cast minorities in these roles to make a statement though. He has said that he writes characters without considering race and casts whoever he feels best fits the character.