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To me, the zombies have always just been zombies. They've always been a cigar. When I first made 'Night of the Living Dead,' it got analyzed and overanalyzed way out of proportion. The zombies were written about as if they represented Nixon's Silent Majority or whatever. But I never thought about it that way.
George A. Romero
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects the idea that symbols in art can be interpreted in many ways, but the creator may have a simpler intention.

George A. Romero emphasizes that his portrayal of zombies in 'Night of the Living Dead' was not intended to serve as a political symbol or social commentary, despite numerous interpretations that attempt to ascribe deeper meaning. He suggests that the audience often overanalyzes artistic works, while the creator's vision can be much more straightforward than those interpretations imply.

Themes

ZombiesArtInterpretationIntentSymbolism

In practice

Example use cases

In a film studies lecture discussing the nature of horror films.

More from George A. Romero

I go to conventions and universities and talk to young filmmakers and everybody's making a zombie movie! It's because it's easy to get the neighbors to come out, put some ketchup on them.
George A. RomeroRead
Because of 'World War Z' and 'The Walking Dead,' I can't pitch a modest little zombie film which is meant to be sociopolitical.
George A. RomeroRead
I've always felt that the real horror is next door to us, that the scariest monsters are our neighbors.
George A. RomeroRead
My films, I've tried to put a message into them. It's not about the gore; it's not about the horror element that are in them. It's more about the message, for me. That's what it is, and I'm using this platform to be able to show my feelings of what I think.
George A. RomeroRead
I'm more alarmed by people reacting violently to the violence in my films than I am by the violence in films.
George A. RomeroRead
There are so many factors when you think of your own films. You think of the people you worked on it with, and somehow forget the movie. You can't forgive the movie for a long time. It takes a few years to look at it with any objectivity and forgive its flaws.
George A. RomeroRead

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