The Crazies (1973)

Director:

George A. Romero

Writers:

Paul McCollough (screenplay)
George A. Romero (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 March 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Thriller | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

All hell is about to break loose.

Plot:

The military attempts to contain a manmade combat virus that causes death and permanent insanity in those infected, as it overtakes a small Pennsylvania town.

Plot Keywords:

Pennsylvania | Murder | Virus | Military | Shot In The Stomach

Cast

Lane Carroll	...	Judy
Will MacMillan	...	David (as W.G. McMillan)
Harold Wayne Jones	...	Clank
Lloyd Hollar	...	Col. Peckem
Lynn Lowry	...	Kathy
Richard Liberty	...	Artie
Richard France	...	Dr. Watts
Harry Spillman	...	Maj. Ryder
Will Disney	...	Dr. Brookmyre
Edith Bell	...	Lab. Technician
Bill Thunhurst	...	Brubaker (as W.L. Thunhurst Jr.)
Leland Starnes	...	Shelby
A.C. McDonald	...	Gen. Bowen (as A.C. MacDonald)
Robert J. McCully	...	Hawks
Robert Karlowsky	...	Sheriff Cooper

Also Known As:

Code Name: Trixie
The Mad People

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 (re-rating) (2005) | Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Evans City, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Pittsburgh Films

Trivia:

The basis of the film was a script by Romero's friend and co-worker Paul McCollough entitled 'The Mad People'. McCollough gave the script to Romero with his blessing to re-write it and Romero turned out a revised version of it that was made into 'The Crazies'.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: During the scene at the fire, a Sherrif's Deputy remarks there are road blocks on the on ramps to Interstate-80. I-80 is over fifty miles north of Evans Mills and would be far out side the perimeter the army set up.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Soundtrack:

Heaven Help Us

Trixie, a German virus?!?

"The Crazies" is a pretty good low budget shocker and probably one of the best virus thrillers ever made! So forget Wolfgang Peterson´s worthless Hollywood borer "Outbreak" from 1997: Instead of a high budget and overpaid stars Romero put an apocalyptic atmosphere, lots of suspense and some social critics into his film. No choose what´s better... But there´s even more than that, because without "The Crazies" Romero´s mega classic "Dawn of the Dead" would not have been possible! Both films are connected with lots of parallels, DOTD is a consequent development from the basics this movie delivered! By the way, some scenes were shot in the same old farmhouse the director already filmed "Night of the living Dead" before..!