The Crazies
Encyclopedia
The Crazies is a 1973 American science fiction
horror-action film about the effects of the accidental release of a military
biological weapon upon the inhabitants of a small American town. The film was written and directed by George A. Romero
, and starred Lane Carroll, Will MacMillan, Harold Wayne Jones. Although it failed at the box office during its original release, it has since became a cult classic. A remake
of the film was made in 2010.
of violent insanity induced by the weapon.
Set in and around the small town of Evans City, Pennsylvania
, the central characters are firefighter
David (Will McMillan), his girlfriend
, Judy (Lane Caroll), who works as a nurse and Clank (Harold Wayne Jones), another firefighter
who harbors feelings for Judy.
It is established that David was a Green Beret
and Clank an infantryman, who both served in Vietnam
. The town has been subject to strange events of late, including an arson fire at a local farm, committed by a demented farmer. Judy and David have extra cause for concern, since Judy is pregnant with David's child.
Meanwhile, heavily armed U.S. troops clad in white NBC suit
s with MK5 gas masks, arrive in Evans City, led by Major Ryder (Harry Spillman), who takes over the doctor's office where Judy works. It is revealed that an Army plane carrying an untested bioweapon recently crash-landed in the hills near the town, infecting the water supply with a top-secret virus code-named "Trixie," causing victims either to die or become homicidal. "Trixie" is highly contagious. In Washington D.C., government officials order Colonel Christopher Peckem (Lloyd Hollar) to go to Evans City to help contain the virus, while a government scientist, Dr. Elliot Watts (Richard France), arrives in town to find a cure before the virus is able to spread outside the quarantine perimeter.
Washington authorities decide to deploy airborne bombers armed with nuclear weapons, to destroy the infected town if necessary. Further mayhem ensues when the Army cordons off the town, shooting anyone attempting escape. The soldiers are assigned to quarantine the townspeople in the local high school, and the ensuing chaos results in the local sheriff (Robert Karlowsky) being shot with his own pistol. While the townspeople are being rousted from their homes, a soldier encounters a serene-looking elderly woman. Dropping his guard, he urges the woman to come with him, and she stabs him with her knitting needle, injuring him. At this point, nearly all of the villagers have been infected. A small group of soldiers are killed by several villagers armed with firearms and dynamite
, after which an infected woman sweeps the bloodied grass. The local priest
(Jack Zaharia) is infected. The priest, aghast at soldiers rousting his flock, douses himself with a keg of gasoline
, and auto-cremates
.
The remainder of the film focuses upon the travails of David, Judy, Clank, teenager Kathy Fulton (Lynn Lowry
) and her father Artie (Richard Liberty
), after soldiers confine them in a large van. The five people manage to escape, with intentions of leaving town.
Gradually going mad from the virus, Artie has sex with his suddenly deranged daughter Kathy. Upon discovering the pair, Clank retaliates by beating Artie, who then apparently hangs himself. A visibly shaken Kathy wanders outside, only to be killed by soldiers. Believing himself to be infected, Clank stays behind and kills several soldiers before being shot in the head. Judy, now visibly infected, is killed by infected townspeople, despite David's efforts to save her. Angry and frightened, David surrenders to the military. He knows that he is immune to the virus, but keeps it a secret.
The soldiers isolate Dr. Watts in the middle of a disaster area with primitive facilities. Watts' insistence that he might find a cure in a proper laboratory are overridden with threats of brute force. When the doctor finally develops a possible cure, he is mistaken for one of the infected while attempting delivery of the vaccine and forced into a quarantined area by soldiers. The test tube
s containing the vaccine are then shattered after the doctor falls to his death when pushed down a flight of stairs by a stampede of "Crazies."
The film's final scene shows a disconcerted Colonel Peckem being ordered to relocate to another infected city. He boards a helicopter, looking with sadness at the city below as he leaves the town in chaos.
The screenplay was read by Lee Hessel, a producer who owned Cambist Films and with whom Romero had previously worked on There's Always Vanilla
. Hessel expressed interest in it and offered to finance it as Romero's next film, but only if the director would be willing to rewrite McCollough's screenplay to focus on what Hessel considered the most interesting ingredient of the story, namely the military takeover of the town, which occurred in the first 10 to 20 pages. Romero agreed and rewrote the script, and he was given a budget of approximately $270,000.
The film was shot in and around Evans City
and Zelienople
, both small towns in Pennsylvania
about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh. Romero has spoken of how the majority of people in the towns were very cooperative and happy to help with the production.
On 23 February 2010, the film was released onto a Blu-ray Disc
format.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
horror-action film about the effects of the accidental release of a military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
biological weapon upon the inhabitants of a small American town. The film was written and directed by George A. Romero
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
, and starred Lane Carroll, Will MacMillan, Harold Wayne Jones. Although it failed at the box office during its original release, it has since became a cult classic. A remake
The Crazies (2010 film)
The Crazies is a 2010 American horror film directed by Breck Eisner. Written by Scott Kosar and Ray Wright, the film is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name by George A. Romero, who is also the executive producer and co-writer of the remake....
of the film was made in 2010.
Plot
The film has two subplots, one of which follows the efforts of civilians to stay alive during the disaster, having to battle both "the crazies" as well as soldiers ordered to shoot on sight. The other involves the efforts of political and military leaders to contain the epidemicEpidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
of violent insanity induced by the weapon.
Set in and around the small town of Evans City, Pennsylvania
Evans City, Pennsylvania
Evans City is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,009 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Evans City is located at ....
, the central characters are firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
David (Will McMillan), his girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
, Judy (Lane Caroll), who works as a nurse and Clank (Harold Wayne Jones), another firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
who harbors feelings for Judy.
It is established that David was a Green Beret
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
and Clank an infantryman, who both served in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The town has been subject to strange events of late, including an arson fire at a local farm, committed by a demented farmer. Judy and David have extra cause for concern, since Judy is pregnant with David's child.
Meanwhile, heavily armed U.S. troops clad in white NBC suit
NBC suit
An NBC suit is a type of military personal protective equipment designed to provide protection against direct contact with and contamination by radioactive, biological or chemical substances, and provides protection from contamination with radioactive materials and some types of radiation,...
s with MK5 gas masks, arrive in Evans City, led by Major Ryder (Harry Spillman), who takes over the doctor's office where Judy works. It is revealed that an Army plane carrying an untested bioweapon recently crash-landed in the hills near the town, infecting the water supply with a top-secret virus code-named "Trixie," causing victims either to die or become homicidal. "Trixie" is highly contagious. In Washington D.C., government officials order Colonel Christopher Peckem (Lloyd Hollar) to go to Evans City to help contain the virus, while a government scientist, Dr. Elliot Watts (Richard France), arrives in town to find a cure before the virus is able to spread outside the quarantine perimeter.
Washington authorities decide to deploy airborne bombers armed with nuclear weapons, to destroy the infected town if necessary. Further mayhem ensues when the Army cordons off the town, shooting anyone attempting escape. The soldiers are assigned to quarantine the townspeople in the local high school, and the ensuing chaos results in the local sheriff (Robert Karlowsky) being shot with his own pistol. While the townspeople are being rousted from their homes, a soldier encounters a serene-looking elderly woman. Dropping his guard, he urges the woman to come with him, and she stabs him with her knitting needle, injuring him. At this point, nearly all of the villagers have been infected. A small group of soldiers are killed by several villagers armed with firearms and dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
, after which an infected woman sweeps the bloodied grass. The local priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
(Jack Zaharia) is infected. The priest, aghast at soldiers rousting his flock, douses himself with a keg of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, and auto-cremates
Self-immolation
Self-immolation refers to setting oneself on fire, often as a form of protest or for the purposes of martyrdom or suicide. It has centuries-long traditions in some cultures, while in modern times it has become a type of radical political protest...
.
The remainder of the film focuses upon the travails of David, Judy, Clank, teenager Kathy Fulton (Lynn Lowry
Lynn Lowry
-Early life:Lowry was born in East St. Louis, Illinois and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.-Movie career:Her first film appearance was I Drink Your Blood in 1970. She appeared in two key 1970s horror films, George A...
) and her father Artie (Richard Liberty
Richard Liberty
Richard Liberty was an American film and television actor. His film work included George A. Romero's The Crazies , the Kirk Douglas vehicle The Final Countdown, Porky's II: The Next Day, and Flight of the Navigator. Television appearances included roles on Miami Vice and Key West...
), after soldiers confine them in a large van. The five people manage to escape, with intentions of leaving town.
Gradually going mad from the virus, Artie has sex with his suddenly deranged daughter Kathy. Upon discovering the pair, Clank retaliates by beating Artie, who then apparently hangs himself. A visibly shaken Kathy wanders outside, only to be killed by soldiers. Believing himself to be infected, Clank stays behind and kills several soldiers before being shot in the head. Judy, now visibly infected, is killed by infected townspeople, despite David's efforts to save her. Angry and frightened, David surrenders to the military. He knows that he is immune to the virus, but keeps it a secret.
The soldiers isolate Dr. Watts in the middle of a disaster area with primitive facilities. Watts' insistence that he might find a cure in a proper laboratory are overridden with threats of brute force. When the doctor finally develops a possible cure, he is mistaken for one of the infected while attempting delivery of the vaccine and forced into a quarantined area by soldiers. The test tube
Test tube
A test tube, also known as a culture tube or sample tube, is a common piece of laboratory glassware consisting of a finger-like length of glass or clear plastic tubing, open at the top, usually with a rounded U-shaped bottom....
s containing the vaccine are then shattered after the doctor falls to his death when pushed down a flight of stairs by a stampede of "Crazies."
The film's final scene shows a disconcerted Colonel Peckem being ordered to relocate to another infected city. He boards a helicopter, looking with sadness at the city below as he leaves the town in chaos.
Cast
- Lane Carroll as Judy
- Will MacMillian as David
- Harold Wayne Jones as Clank
- Lloyd Hollar as Col. Peckem
- Lynn LowryLynn Lowry-Early life:Lowry was born in East St. Louis, Illinois and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.-Movie career:Her first film appearance was I Drink Your Blood in 1970. She appeared in two key 1970s horror films, George A...
as Kathy - Richard LibertyRichard LibertyRichard Liberty was an American film and television actor. His film work included George A. Romero's The Crazies , the Kirk Douglas vehicle The Final Countdown, Porky's II: The Next Day, and Flight of the Navigator. Television appearances included roles on Miami Vice and Key West...
as Artie - Richard France as Dr. Watts
- Harry Spillman as Maj. Ryder
- Will Disney as Dr. Brookmyre
- Edith Bell as Lab. Technician
- Leland Starnes as Shelby
- Bill Thunhurst as Brubaker
- Leland Starnes as Shelby
- A.C. McDonald as Gen. Bowen
- Robert J. McCully as Hawks
- Robert Karlowsky as Sheriff Cooper
- Ned SchmidtkeNed SchmidtkeNed Schmidtke is an American film and television actor. He played Greg Barnard on the U.S. TV show Another World.-Filmography:*The Crazies *Another World...
as Sgt. Tragesser - Tony Scott as Deputy Shade
- Roy Cheverie as Army Doctor
- Jack Zaharia as Priest
Production
According to Romero on the DVD commentary track this project began life with Paul McCollough, who authored a screenplay entitled The Mad People. The script dealt with a military bioweapon that was accidentally released into a small town, with the military subsequently trying to cover up the incident and the townspeople revolting. Romero revealed that the military subplot was only featured in the first act of the script, and the rest of the film focused on the survivors and their attempts to cope with what was happening. The director called McCollough's script "very existential and heady".The screenplay was read by Lee Hessel, a producer who owned Cambist Films and with whom Romero had previously worked on There's Always Vanilla
There's Always Vanilla
There's Always Vanilla is a 1971 film and was director George A. Romero's second motion picture and, , his only romantic comedy. It is one of the few Romero films that does not deal with a zombie apocalypse or other supernatural horror themes...
. Hessel expressed interest in it and offered to finance it as Romero's next film, but only if the director would be willing to rewrite McCollough's screenplay to focus on what Hessel considered the most interesting ingredient of the story, namely the military takeover of the town, which occurred in the first 10 to 20 pages. Romero agreed and rewrote the script, and he was given a budget of approximately $270,000.
The film was shot in and around Evans City
Evans City, Pennsylvania
Evans City is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,009 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Evans City is located at ....
and Zelienople
Zelienople, Pennsylvania
Zelienople is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. The population was 4,123 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which 98% is land and 1.35% is water....
, both small towns in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh. Romero has spoken of how the majority of people in the towns were very cooperative and happy to help with the production.
On 23 February 2010, the film was released onto a Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
format.