John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park

by Annemarie Jutel

“John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park” is an adaptation of a 1973 George A. Romero film by the same name.  Romero is perhaps best known for his horror films and the Night of the Living Dead series, but also produced a number of documentary television series.

The film upon which the graphic book is based is “The Amusement Park,” commissioned by the Lutheran Society and directed by Romero.  The film was a social commentary, highlighting the plight of senior citizen, and their social devaluation.  Under supported, marginalised, impoverished and mocked, the film came to their defence.

However, Romero’s surrealist, and horror-influenced film shocked the commissioners, and it was withdrawn from circulation.  Upon his death, the foundation established in Romero’s name, and directed by his widow, located and restored the film, and commissioned the graphic novel.

The adaptation follows an elegant, dapper and optimistic older man, who tries to convince a battered version of himself that there is excitement and pleasure to be found “outside.”  He takes the reader on a tour through an amusement park, run by young opportunists and visited only by senior citizens.  The old people have to buy tickets to take the rides, and they barter away precious belongings for a chance to have some fun.

But, their tickets are often worthless, as they are prevented from taking rides on the basis of their health, their eyesight, or plain old prejudice.  Our protagonist, more limber and more prosperous than many, takes their side, and rapidly finds his authority waning.  He too is marginalised, victimised, and ultimately attacked.

The original film is prefaced with an introduction by a similarly dapper character, explaining the social ambition of the work, underlining the problems faced by elders in North America at the time.  The actors, he explains, are just older people, and the excitement of being part of the film was the highlight of many of their sorry, secluded lives as forgotten members of society.

As poignant today as was the film in 1973, plus ca change.  The tenets of this film and the graphic novel are as poignant today as they were 50 years ago.

This adaptation makes an important gesture towards its original director and commemorates his work.  Many of the images appear to be exact replications of the film stills (traced?) and the dialogue follows the film script.  While this is not my personal cup of tea, it is beautifully done, and for those who enjoy this immersion in stilled moving image, it is definitely worth a read.

The film is available on the streaming service, Shudder (https://www.shudder.com/).

About the reviewer:  Annemarie Jutel is a sociologist of diagnosis and author of the books “Putting a Name to it:  Diagnosis in Contemporary Society (JHUP)”  and  “Diagnosis: Truths and Tales (TUP)”.  She has also written a graphic memoir about grief The Tear Bottle: A Graphic Story of Love and Things.