I think by that point Romero's "ha ha ha, these zombie movies have SOCIAL MESSAGES" bug was starting to get the better of him. Still a respectable end to the trilogy (to say nothing of the lame later Romero movies... though some people really like Land of the Dead?).
I saw
Judex last night, by Georges Franju. Franju made one of the most lyrical and creepy horror movies around in
Eyes without a Face, so I have been long wanting to see some of his other work.
The one scene everyone talks about is an
early scene at a masquerade ball, with the iconic image of the bird-headed titular character who tries to make good on his threat of an evil banker's life:
^Also note in the scene above the expertly haunting musical score. Wow!
It was easily my favorite scene in the movie, but there were so many others. The movie is often described as "dreamlike," and many scenes fit the bill. A lot of things happen that are removed from reality: the heroine knocked out and thrown over a bridge, only to serenely float downriver; a trio of black-clad men scaling what seems like an impossible stone wall; attack dogs surrounding their unconscious owner instead of chasing after the crooks, and more. It's all very...
surreal. Very French. The film is at times eerie and other times slick.
However, since this was recreated from an early-20th-century serial series, the pacing sometimes zips along or slows down, and you can certainly tell how certain moments and scenes would have been their own "episodes" that only haltingly fit together. This again adds to the "anything can happen" atmosphere, but it can make things feel stretched or disjointed. However, at less than 100 minutes, it is short enough to be taken and enjoyed, especially for the gorgeous imagery and black-and-white cinematography.