The Crazies
Short description
A biological weapon accidentally spreads through a small Pennsylvania town, driving those exposed to it into permanent insanity and violence. As the infection moves through the water supply, the military moves in to seal off the area and contain the outbreak, but the quarantine turns the soldiers against the townspeople they are meant to protect. A handful of unaffected residents try to escape while the authorities struggle to keep the situation under control.
George A. Romero wrote and directed this 1973 release, his second feature as director after Night of the Living Dead and before Dawn of the Dead. It was produced by Pittsburgh Films with A.C. Croft and Al Croft producing, and runs 103 minutes. The cast includes Lane Carroll, Will MacMillan, Harold Wayne Jones, Lynn Lowry, Lloyd Hollar and Richard Liberty, among 24 credited performers. It blends action, horror, science fiction and thriller elements around the outbreak and the military response.
Reception places it as a middle-tier entry: on IMDb it holds 6.1/10 from roughly 16,000 votes, while on TMDB it also sits at 6.1/10 from a much smaller base of 427 votes. A critics' rating of 5.7/10 from 28 reviews is close to both audience scores, suggesting broad agreement rather than sharp division.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film was shot in Pennsylvania, specifically in the town of Evans. Local residents appeared in minor roles on screen; for example, high school students played the parts of soldiers in white uniforms.
- The filmmakers were unexpectedly lucky with the shooting of the burning house at the beginning of the film. The local fire department was practicing extinguishing a fire on an old house, and the filmmakers were allowed to set up equipment and film the training exercise.
- No Hollywood stuntmen were used in the film. Local firefighters were filmed in all scenes without exception.
- According to director and screenwriter George A. Romero, the only problem with the residents of Evans arose during the filming of the final scene. The script required Colonel, played by Lloyd Hallar, to completely undress and change clothes before flying away in a helicopter. Some local residents saw the filming of this scene and did not appreciate the sight of a completely naked man. Resolving the scandal required the involvement of lawyers.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
