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Even if George A. Romero had only made his zombie films, he would still have a well-earned spot in the cinematic canon. As famous as he is for his "...of the Dead" franchise, though, he's not recognized widely enough as a multi-talented auteur with an incisive lens on American politics and culture. Romero was a brilliant writer with an ear for naturalistic yet meaningful dialogue and an editor whose unique style — rapid-fire but loose, as narrative-driven as it is mood-driven — turned his films into arthouse fare for the masses.

Though most directors with any longevity have a few "lower-tier" works in their catalog, it can be difficult to rank Romero's films given how many bonafide classics he directed. This list will do just that. From missteps both early and late in his career to at least three masterpieces — each of which could easily take the number one spot — here are George A.

Joan and Jane are two women trapped in their lives. Joan is trapped in a cold, dead marriage, and Jane is trapped by the trauma of losing a child. Both traverse their own journeys to self-actualization and liberation through the exploration of the occult. Season of the Witch and All the Colors of the Dark, released within one year of each other, take the audience into the underbelly of the weird and the witchy, probing into the pressures set upon women by their lovers and society, as a whole. Each film is equally profound, yet their epic conclusions lie on opposite extremes.

In George A. Romero’s 1973 psycho-drama Season of the Witch, Joan (Jan White) has grown listless and miserable with her perfect suburban life. Her husband Jack (Bill Thunhurst) no longer satisfies her, neither does the housework. She’s merely going through the motions when we meet her. And...

Nick Aldwinckle Nov 27, 2017

Our latest round-up of genre DVDs and Blu-rays covers George A Romero, Damnation Alley and more...

With real life’s ridiculous news stories almost beyond parody, it seems fitting that 2017 was the year we saw George A. Romero, the master of satirical zombie tomfoolery, responsible for horror classics from Dawn Of The Dead through to Tales From The Dark Side, shuffle off this mortal coil. To commemorate three of Romero’s less celebrated early movies, Arrow Video has released the intriguing Between Night And Dawn set on Bluray, with ample extras to sate the most eager fanboy/girl.

First up, and by far the movie most will know (perhaps due to its 2010 remake), 1973's The Crazies plays out almost like a retread of Romero's 1968 debut Night Of The Living Dead, with a group of townsfolk again subject to a dodgy violence-inducing substance whilst military jackanapes try and control the epidemic.

There’s Always Vanilla, Season of the Witch, and The Crazies, made between Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, showcase the extraordinary versatility and dynamism of this irreplaceable American auteur… Three films from the late, legendary horror director, George A. Romero, showing that although he might have defined zombie cinema, it didn’t define him. George A. Romero – “Between Night and Dawn” will be released on Blu-ray October 23rd from Arrow Video

There’S Always Vanilla (1971)

Young drifter Chris and beautiful model Lynn embark upon a tumultuous relationship which seems doomed from the outset.

Season Of The Witch (1972)

Joan Mitchell is a bored housewife whose dissatisfaction with her humdrum life leads to an unhealthy interest in the occult.

The Crazies (1973)

A small rural town finds itself in the grip of an infection which sends its hosts into a violent, homicidal frenzy

When George A. Romero passed away in July,...