**George A. Romero (1940-2017)** was an influential American director, screenwriter, and editor, universally recognized as the father of the modern zombie film. His most celebrated work, *Night of the Living Dead* (1968), redefined the horror genre by introducing the zombie as an iconic figure and a vehicle for social commentary.

He continued to explore these themes with his famous "Dead" trilogy: *Dawn of the Dead* (1978) and *Day of the Dead* (1985). His style is characterized by the use of graphic violence, not as an end in itself, but as a metaphor for social disintegration and a critique of consumerism, militarism, and injustice. Romero elevated genre cinema, indelibly influencing generations of filmmakers and the perception of the cinematic monster.