- Directed by George Romero
- Written by Walton Cook
- Stars Lincoln Maazel, Harry Albacker, Phyllis Casterwiler
- Run Time: 53 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLw_CYP02lg
Spoiler-Free Judgement Zone
Intended to be a public service announcement about elder abuse, George Romero got a little carried away. It makes a point in the first five minutes and then beats it to death for the next 42 minutes.
Synopsis
Lincoln Maazel, the actor, walks through town and discusses problems with the world. He complains about old age and the unfairness of it all. He lists many of the difficulties older people face. He introduces the film, which highlights many of these problems. He warns, “Remember as you watch the film: one day, you will be old.”
An old man dressed in dirty white clothes sits on a bench in a white room, covered in scrapes, cuts, and bruises; he’s had a rough day. Another, younger, healthier, man walks in and wants to talk to him (They’re both the same actor). The old man doesn’t want to talk; he doesn’t want to go outside. The younger man goes through a door into the amusement park. He notices hundreds of old people in wheelchairs, on canes, and just limping around.
The man gets in a line where old people are selling their antiques and possessions for peanuts. He gets on the roller coaster, which has age, income, health, and other requirements.
The next attraction, bumper cars, has an eye chart you have to pass; no, it’s a driver’s license test, and The Man watches another old guy be told he can’t drive. “Anyone over 65 years old should be made to ride the bus!” Shouts one guy who got hit in the bumper cars game. He tries to be friendly with some little kids and gets accused of being a degenerate. He starts seeing the Grim Reaper on some of the rides.
One attraction is marked “Senior Citizens Encouraged,” and the inside is basically a nursing home. He watches a pony ride labeled “affordable public transportation,” and he sees the couple that was in the traffic accident, now required to take public transportation because they couldn’t afford insurance.
He watches a young couple getting their fortunes told. They see themselves old and living in a slum without health care. The husband is dying, and she can’t get a doctor or even afford to make a phone call. The young man then punches our man out of anger at seeing his future.
With each attack, The Man gets more and more disoriented and confused. He then gets beat up by a gang of bikers. He sits on the ground, and no one will help him. Then he has to deal with the healthcare system. Before long, he’s covered in cuts and bruises, and he becomes the man we saw in the beginning.
Commentary
An organization called the Lutheran Society hired George A. Romero to create a movie about elder abuse and the importance of showing respect to older people. When Romero presented the society with his surreal and frightening take on the subject, they were so shocked and horrified by what they saw that they hid the film and never showed it to anyone. It would be 45 years before the film would be seen again. (From IMDB)
Apparently, not much has changed in 45 years other than film quality has improved. There’s little to no real plot or dialogue, just The Man moving from one scenario to another, always getting the short end of the stick due to his age. It’s grainy and low-budget, one of Romero’s first films, which he refused to release.
It’s billed as “The scariest movie of all time,” and I guess what it shows probably is the scariest thing, since it’s real. On the other hand, it’s no fun to watch at all. The circus music is annoying, and after the first ten minutes, it’s fairly predictable. It’s not even an hour long, but it still manages to drag in the middle.
Yes, it has an important message. On the other hand, this is marketed as a horror film, not a public service message.