Those who know of George A. Romero’s seminal film about the living dead may not be as familiar with his other works. But even his diehard followers usually only spoke of The Amusement Park as a curiosity… something he made for a quick buck that had been lost forever.
Now restored as best as can be from two very worn down prints which were recovered a few years ago, we can see that asking a master of social commentary masked as horror to create a public information film about the importance of looking after our elders was only ever going to end like this.
Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go. The film isn’t a lost masterpiece. As much as I’m an admirer of Romero’s work, it has to be said he had his flaws as a filmmaker, and The Amusement Park has all the hallmarks of his worst excesses. Disjointed editing and hammy acting spoil a few moments, and there’s little subtlety at times with a few points being scored not so much on the nose but right up it, tugging at your bogies.
But when it works… when it truly works… the film has a real unease about it. Romero’s protagonist sees warning after warning that this place he finds himself in is not for him, and yet he continues to engage only to be punished for doing so. Before long he is robbed not only of his money and precious ride tickets, but his dignity and self-respect.
It’s something that will only become more harrowing to a viewer the older they themselves become, but also mirrors what our society has arguably become for all of us with the rise of social media. For all of us, the amusement park is waiting…
The Amusement Park is available on Blu-Ray & DVD now, and is also streaming on Shudder worldwide.
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