A Look Back At George A. Romero's THE CRAZIES (1973)

In the ‘70s there were very few films that dared to be as politically incorrect as this overlooked Georgia A. Romero film THE CRAZIES, or known in some places as TRIXIE (so named after the contagious disease that lies within). The film is about a small town that becomes under marshal law when a deadly government disease is released. As Col. Peckem (Lloyd Holar) and his men try to keep the town under quarantine and locked down a band of seemly uninflected people try to find a safe haven away from the chaos.

The disease TRIXIE turns people in to raving maniacs some in volatile ways and others in puts in a more euphoric state but there seems to be no cure except to get away as soon and as far as possible. David (Will MacMillian) and Judy (Lane Caroll) are among these survivors who watch in horror as the people they have known all their lives kill each other or are killed by American soldiers gripped in the fear of the outbreak. No matter how far the survivors seem to flee they soon realize to their horror that they aren’t really immune at all but that TRIXIE just takes longer to manifest in some people then in others and it is only a matter of time before they are all infected.

As there hold on the town seems hopeless, Col. Peckem must decide whether or not his hold over the town and holding back the outbreak is worth the risk of allowing the disease to go beyond the borders of the town.

This film was a wake up call to American audiences in that it foreshadowed bio-weapons, germ warfare, and infectious diseases such as Ebola and AIDS. Romero wanted to wake up America and he did so with this little film. Although the film was not as successful as his previous success NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) it solidified him as a horror auteur who did more then just craft horror films; he crafted thought provoking films that were meant to not only shock us but to keep us thinking and questioning the world long after the film was through.