The Zombies in a Mine are Better than the Humans Occupying It

 Thank goodness Romero and his film's script includes Sara, a realistic, mature but overwhelmed scientist, chopper pilot, John (Terry Alexander), with some sage wisdom and philosophical food for thought, and radio man, McDermott (Jarlath Conroy), swigging brandy from his constantly-filled flask when trying to keep away from volatile Captain Rhodes (Joseph Pilato) and his asshole Army. Because the characters that occupy "Day of the Dead" (1985) are wholly unbearable miscreants who seem most relaxed with their faces and voices fixed in rage and vitriol, this isn't an easy, breezy watch but the film does sure differentiate itself from the previous 1978 sequel. This isn't fun as much potent and impactful. Yes, it's damned impressive in it's more. I will dedicate another post on the blog to that. God, Rhodes is a fucking pill. Woof, he's not really in as much of this film as one might think but he sure does bring up anxiety and raise the blood pressure with his presentation by Pilato. His face and manner of addressing those among him is so hostile and vicious, that overbearing presence and tone doesn't help anyone, and that's the point. This whole mine operation--set up by the government where the military assists the scientists, Dr. Logan (Richard Liberty, the father of Lynn Lowry in Romero's "The Crazies") in charge, with Sara and Ted (John Amplas, from Romero's "Martin") his fellows--has deteriorated beyond repair. Now considered Frankenstein, Logan cuts up bodies, always seen with bloody gloves, and talks in rapid increments, obviously brilliant but spending so much time holed up in labs, with conversations dedicated to a highly trained and evolved zombie, Bub (Sherman Howard, nothing short of astonishing), have challenged his own sanity. Sara tries to mitigate between her peers and the menacing soldiers, tired of pulling in zombies from a mine for Logan to experiment with. Helicopter flights out to search for survivors yield no results and any contact with other outposts and DC has stopped. And after losing the prior Major Cooper, Captain Rhodes assuming the leadership over the dwindling Army just escalates tensions. Sara loves a soldier named Miguel (Antone DiLeo), but when the film begins their relationship is strained. We never see Miguel before he has reached a mental break, a psychological point of no return. He's so awful to Sara it's hard to imagine what ever made him palatable as a lover. I'm always curious if there were plans to see Miguel prior to his decline but when we are introduced he's holding on to a slender thread. Other soldiers like Steel (Gary Klar) and his buddy, Rickles (Marrero), are quite incorrigible. They cackle, mock, spit insults and racial epithets, shout and bark; much like Rhodes, they are the epitome of a rotten soul. That stench of foul odor that is their personalities and behavior reeks throughout the film. That's why the zombies pulling them apart at the end is rewarding.