Remembering George A. Romero by Dave Parker
Steve Barton
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Maverick. Pioneer. Trailblazer. Those are a couple of words that could best describe George A. Romero, the filmmaker – even though he would probably shake his head and laugh them off with that deep and joyful laugh that will forever bring a smile to my face when I hear it now, in documentaries and interviews.
Humble. Generous. Empathetic. Those are a couple of words that could describe George A. Romero, the man. I was fortunate to meet and interact with George on several occasions. He was one cool cat, to crib a phrase he might use. A gentle giant.
Giant. That is how I will think of George Romero. His films and their impact shaped the modern horror film every bit as much as Hitchcock, if not more.
I’ve seen many testimonials in the past 24hours that included, “He made me want to make movies” or some similar wording, and that is absolutely true for me. When I saw Creepshow opening night in 1982, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
George A. Romero forever shaped my life, whether he wanted or intended too. He opened up an entire world to me. Through his films, the documentaries about his films that I was fortunate to work on, his collaborators that I became friends with, and my far too few interactions with the man himself, he has been a constant in my life. He even had an impact on it even when he wasn’t there. I remember leaving early from a film school class to go attend a special screening of Two Evil Eyes. That’s how important George A. Romero was to me. I knew I would learn more from him, than I would at that class. I was right.
His loss is immeasurable. His influence incalculable. His impact undeniable.
Thank you George for everything that I have, and will do. Your spirit lives within so many of us, as fans, as filmmakers, and as people. You will be missed, but you truly will live forever, like the ghouls you created, in our hearts, minds, and souls.
R.I.P. George A. Romero
Stay scared.
– Dave Parker
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