10 Bizarre Favourite Films Of Great Directors

2. George A. Romero - The Tales Of Hoffmann

No one person has had more impact on the zombie sub-genre than George A. Romero. With his Trilogy of the Dead, Romero didn't just redefine the movie zombie forever, he also had a significant impact on the horror genre as a whole. It was unexpected, then, when it was revealed that one of Romero's favourite films was Powell and Pressburger's 1951 filmed take on an Offenbach opera, The Tales Of Hoffmann. Romero is such a hardcore fan, in fact, that he features on Criterion's home video release, giving an interview about just how the film inspired him. The movie has another unlikely fan in Martin Scorsese, he of studies of gangsterism, mean men and ultra-violence, and whom also features on the Hoffmann Criterion DVD, hijacking the commentary. According to film lore, both Scorsese and Romero took turns at renting out New York's only print of The Tales Of Hoffmann when they were both younger men, way before movie success and back when they were just your average, everyday film nerds.
Contributor
Contributor

Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the dashing young princes. Follow Brogan on twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion: @BroganMorris1