Knightriders (1981)

Romero + Savini: Horror’s Greatest Partnership (Part 5)

For his follow up to his biggest success (so far), DAWN OF THE DEAD, Romero decided to veer completely from the horror genre and, in the process, created his most personal film.

KNIGHTRIDERS is a two-and-a-half hour hangout movie. A character drama with few genre elements (outside of a few motorcycle stunts) and features his frequent collaborator Tom Savini is a totally different role than he'd had on previous Romero films. This time, he was a leading man, second on a bill that was topped by an emerging young talent by the name of Ed Harris.

The film was, by financial measures, a total failure, and was a disappointment to fans who wanted more of the same from George. Fortunately, over the decades, it's found its audience and has become one of Romero's most acclaimed films.

In this episode, we recount the story of how this movie got made, and where its legacy falls now.

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Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.