Dawn of the Dead -- U.S. Theatrical Cut

Rating:
Summary: On the all-time 100 Best list.
Review: Dawn of the Dead (George Romero, 1979)

I can't believe I haven't already written a review of this, given the number of times I've seen it. But I watched it again last night since the remake is coming out soon, so...

Dawn of the Dead begins an unspecified time after the closing of Night of the Living Dead. The zombies have reached at least as far east as Philadelphia, where two workers at a TV station decide to steal the weather chopper and head for Canada. They're taking a friend along with them, who brings another guy. The four of them are the core of the movie, aborting the Canada idea when they run out of fuel, stopping on the outskirts of Pittsburgh to take up residence in a shopping mall.

There are simply not enough good things to be said about this movie. While it didn't completely redefine the genre the way Night of the Living Dead did, Romero pushed the American envelope (as he is so fond of doing), incorporating giallo-style violence that Americans were completely unfamiliar with at the time while all the while pursuing the same sociopolitical commentary that makes Night of the Living Dead so rewatchable even thirty-five years later. Romero is a master at getting his point across without being too preachy about it; ninety-nine percent of the movie's hundred twenty-eight minutes (in the American version) keeps the commentary below the radar (all save one brief scene that's a little on the heavy-handed side).

For an ultra-low-budget flick, the acting is tremendous. All four main characters do their jobs capably, and they're surrounded with a supporting cast whose lack of acting resumes since is criminal. Special note should be given to Richard France, a member of the Romero "inner circle" since There's Always Vanilla, as an overly pragmatic television commentator who's just a joy to watch every time he comes onscreen.

The pacing is excellent, the effects not completely overdone (though, honestly, they did get better in Day of the Dead), the mix of humor and disgust perfect. There is very little to be said wrong about this brilliant movie. Don't expect to be scared, but expect to enjoy yourself tremendously. **** ½

Rating:
Summary: DUMMIES! DUMMIES! DUMMIES!
Review: This film is a heavily satiric followup to the 1968 Romero cult film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD that more than satisfies those hungry for more zombie fun. While the plot is simply a survival story inside a shopping mall involving 4 hapless national guardsmen, the subtext is a sharp dose of fun-poking at the mindless, consumer-driven "zombies" that populate our nation's malls ad nauseam. In addition, there is a LOT of gore, violence, cannibalism, and general bad taste (lovingly done though by Savini et al) but it is all accomplished with great flair and deftness. Another thing - it's more funny than scary, but it works.

Rating:
Summary: An Appetizer For The Main Course
Review: Hard to believe that it's been a quarter of a century since George A. Romero unleased DAWN OF THE DEAD on unsuspecting moviegoers! Even to this day, DAWN OF THE DEAD is one of the scariest horror movies of all time, and in some respects even better than NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD! I just love the way that this film opens, in pure chaos! We are thrown right into the action and never look back; it's all gone to Hell when the dead are walkin' the Earth! Too bad the critics (and some fans) fail to recognize the full force of Romero's satire of consumerism, a trend which sadly continues to this day. The satire isn't as subtle as those critcs would lead you to believe, in fact Romero knocks consumerism and the influence of shopping malls on society front and center; the dehumanization of the four survivors who hide out in the mall by consumerism makes the living dead seem normal by comparison, and that's precisely the point that Romero makes here.
George A. Romero is my favorite horror movie director. His approach to horror in modern society is amazing! Every horror movie he does, particularly NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE CRAZIES, MARTIN, DAWN and DAY OF THE DEAD, and CREEPSHOW is a sign of the times disguised as some truly terrifying horror and disarray. Romero also manages to take on authority, and the Military in particular (THE CRAZIES and DAY OF THE DEAD), presenting a paranoid vision that those in positions of power are the real bad guys. That Romero can find and present terrifying stories in even the smallest details of everyday life (see his newest film BRUISER, a take on Kafka) is a testament to Romero's longevity in the horror genre!
But what I found to be most enjoyable about DAWN was the involvement of Dario Argento! After getting into Argento's movies (SUSPIRIA, INFERNO, TWO EVIL EYES, DEEP RED, and TENEBRE), I began to appreciate DAWN more than I did when I first saw it. Argento put up the money for DAWN, served as script consultant, and provided the awesome music he did with his favorite band Goblin. The music is amazing and really drives home the terror of the story! The other thing that I love about DAWN is how shocking Tom Savini's makeup effects are even today, especially towards the end! DAWN OF THE DEAD is one of the reasons why the 1970's was a great decade for horror!
I just had to get this new edition just to see what the Silver Anniversary set coming out this fall will be like. And I'm glad that I did! The new hi-def transfer and widescreen framing is a revelation, light years beyond any other presentation of this movie over the years! The 5.1 surround tracks add new life to Goblin's score and the soundtrack itself! Plus, you have got to hear the commentary by George and his wife Chris, Tom Savini, and DVD producer Perry Martin; it's an enlightening and funny commentary not to be missed! If you're a major fan of DAWN OF THE DEAD or need to understand the movie before you see the remake that's coming shortly, you can't go wrong with this disc, presented in its US Theatrical version. For all DAWN fans, this is the perfect way to see the incredible job Anchor Bay will do with DAWN OF THE DEAD later this year!

Rating:
Summary: GREAT COMMENTARY
Review: I am a big fan of this film and of Romero's work Anchor Bay has again managed to pick my pocket with yet another bare bones edition of this great movie, for the price (cheap only 13.00) a die-hard fan will relish the superb commentary( Thanx to Perry Martin) by George his wife Chris Romero and the special effects king Tom Savini. If you can wait the deluxe edition comes out in September, Oh please put Document of the dead on this edition.:-)

Rating:
Summary: There's No More Room in Hell, So the Dead Now Walk the Earth
Review: 1978's DAWN OF THE DEAD is the second entry in George Romero's "DEAD" trilogy, though it isn't as scary or as groundbreaking as his first, the classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968). Still, for a low-budget sequel, it is an interesting and entertaining film, an unusual mix of action, drama, comedy, and horror that actually functions on two levels: One, it is a stomach-churning study of the depths to which people will sink in order to ensure their survival; and two, it is a dark satire that takes several pokes at Western consumerism.

The plot of DAWN OF THE DEAD builds on the premise of its predecessor. The world is now becoming overrun with the flesh-eating zombies, and in the United States, martial law has been declared and all survivors are required to go to state-run "rescue stations" for shelter and protection. The manager of a TV station and her helicopter-pilot boyfriend decide to defy authorities and seek out their own save haven, and two police officers--friends of the helicopter pilot--decide to abandon their duties and go along with the couple. The group eventually arrives at an abandoned shopping mall, and when they realize that the stores within contain all they need to survive--food, clothing, and weapons & ammunition--they seal off the building, dispose of most of the zombies inside, and take up residence. But when their claim on the mall and its goods is challenged by a band of motorcycle-riding marauders, the quartet is soon fighting for survival against not only the zombies, but also against their own kind.

Although the audience has been made to sympathize with the film's four protagonists, there is no true heroism in this world of Romero's making. Instead, there are only different levels of self-interest and narcissism. After the four move into their new home and start living off the "fat of the mall," they quickly develop a sort of bourgeois attitude towards the comforts they now enjoy. Of course, that is exactly the Western attitude that Romero is ridiculing--that sense of security and satisfaction one feels after amassing material goods. And when the group's right to possession is violently challenged by outsiders, Romero clearly demonstrates just how tenuous a security based on personal possessions really is.

Romero is a master storyteller who knows how to manipulate the emotions of his audience. In this film, he creates a relentless sense of unease by juxtaposing the repulsive and grotesque with the lighthearted and humorous. For example, when the quartet of protagonists first occupies the mall, they turn on the mall-wide Muzak system to mask from the zombies the noises they make while looting the stores. So for several scenes there is this macabre contrast between bloody, pasty-faced zombies and syrupy instrumental music. Uncomfortably comical and humorously disturbing.

Creepy, bloody (FX by Tom Savini), boisterous, and constantly full of surprises, DAWN OF THE DEAD is easily one of the most entertaining zombie movies ever made. True, it does have an underlying anti-materialism message that is none too subtle, but that doesn't detract in the least from the enjoyment of being playfully spooked and repulsed by all the zombie grotesquerie. All in all, horror fans will have a good time watching this minor Romero masterpiece.

The Divimax Edition DVD from Anchor Bay offers an excellent digital transfer of the U.S. theatrical cut (often considered superior even to the director's cut), and there are lots of cool extras, too, not the least of which is a feature commentary with writer/director Romero and FX man Savini. A worthy addition to the film collections of serious horror fans, and well worth amazon.com's very reasonable asking price.

Rating:
Summary: Good, though Very Over rated Zombie Flick
Review: From National Film Critics to us humble Amazon posters, this movie is treated like the "Citizen Kane" of horror films. It isn't, though it is pretty good. The not so subtle message of all Americans in our consumer society being zombies is hammered home ad nauseum at the expense of suspense. Romero's decision to eject most of the terrific score by Dario Argento regulars "Goblin" and subsitute bland public doman "muzak" is no help either. Pluses for this film are solid acting, good make-up and a sense of humor. Minuses, in addition to those previously mentioned, are slack pacing and awkward diologue.

NOTE: This film was re-edited by Argento (one of the producers of Dawn) under the title "Zombies" (not to be Lucio Fulci's "Zombie"). That version also has most of the Goblin score cut out of this version and, happily, is also available on DVD. Though missing Romero's humor, this version is the preferable one to get and rates four stars in my book>

Rating:
Summary: Just a word about this DVD
Review: I watched my recently purchased DIVIMAX edition on a television that is almost 10 years old, and I was blown away at the pix quality. I have never seen the other DVD transfers, but I have of course seen it on video and sat.tv, nothing has come close to this edition. Same goes for the audio.
As for the commentary I greatly enjoyed it,finding it insightful, funny, and somewhat educational. Romero despite his successes still made this film using guerrilla moviemaking tactics. The other extras, mostly trailers,t.v. spots, and something you dont always see..radiospots are all well reproduced. If you dont have a copy of this film then I highly recommend this cut,if you have one you may want to hold out until the "alleged" rerelease of a heavier loaded edition this Oct.

Rating:
Summary: When there's no more room in hell...
Review: Written and directed by horror master George A. Romero, Dawn of the Dead was the nightmarish follow up to the hugely successful, low budget 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead, a film that forever changed the horror genre and influenced many posing the possibility in realistic fashion that few had seen before of the dead rising from the grave and feeding on the flesh of the living.

Dawn of the Dead Picks up sometime after Night of the Living Dead, and we see a television studio in pandemonium as the zombie plague spreads and various commentators argue about a course of action. It's here we meet two of the main characters of the film, who are romantically involved, in Francine Parker (Gaylen Ross) and Peter Washington (Ken Foree). Francine works in the studio, and Peter is a helicopter pilot. Peter speaks of a plan to leave the city and fly to Canada using the helicopter. We then cut to a SWAT team getting ready to enter a tenement where it is thought local residents are harboring a group of family members who are now of the undead variety, unable to let go of hope that they may be helped in some way. Here we get our first look at the zombies and some particularly violent and brutal scenes involving the munching of flesh and the popping of heads with various small arms weapons. One of the SWAT members, Stephan Andrews (David Emge) is in on the plan to leave the city in the helicopter, and confides this information to another member, Roger DeMarco (Scott H. Reiniger) who both soon departs to meet with Peter and Francine.

Flying in the helicopter, they come across a shopping mall, land with the hopes of getting supplies, and find that this might not be a bad place to hole up for awhile. They begin to clear the mall of the undead, and fortify their position by blocking the entrances into the building, keeping the zombies at bay. Things seem to be going pretty well until a roving gang of bikers/mercenaries crash the party, allowing for the zombies to re-enter the building. This sets up some pretty funny scenes with the bikers racing around stealing now useless articles and beating up on zombies.

A few things set this movie apart from the original Night of the Living Dead (1968). Obviously this film being color is a huge difference, allowing us to see the visceral gore in all its Technicolor brilliance whereas the original was in stark black and white. Another point is the inclusion of comedy. Some of it ironic, some subtle, and some being slapsticky (a pie fight with zombies? Yep, it's here). The elements I appreciated most were seeing the zombies walking around the pinnacle of western consumerism, the shopping mall, and hearing the pre-recorded announcements playing ("For each five dollar purchase, customers will receive a complimentary one pound bag of hard candy") A final point I found different from the original was the scale of that film compared to Dawn of the Dead. Night of the Living Dead was a much smaller production, relying on a small number of settings to tell that highly effective tale. Here we are treated to a number of large sets, and most of the film takes place within a shopping mall with a cast of hundreds, many being zombies. This really served well in displaying the extent of the problem, in that it seemed no matter how many zombies you dispatched, there were always more to take their place.

It's interesting to see how well the more violent scenes hold up in this movie, eliciting revulsion from this viewer, despite a number of previous viewings. I'll never get used to seeing a zombie take a chunk out of someone's neck, blood spurting, flesh tearing...I'm serious, if you have a weak stomach, this film should be avoided. The realistic portrayal of the violence is not toned down one bit, but certainly doesn't go as far as some of the European horror/splatter films of the late 70's/early 80's. Tom Savini really set a standard here with his mastery of special effects.

I really appreciate Anchor Bay for re-releasing this original theatrical version on DVD again. Their first release sold out quickly and now commands a much higher price from third party sellers than I was willing to pay. Along with a beautiful print of the film, we get a commentary by Romero and effects master Savini, trailers, TV spots, promotional materials, a preview of the comic book, and exhaustive liner notes. This film is followed up by Day of the Dead (1985), also written and directed by Romero. I had heard Romero was working on a fourth film, tentatively titled Dead Reckoning, but given his sporadic output and his seemingly continual difficulties with financing and creative control, I would be surprised if that project ever saw the light of day. One can always dream...

Cookieman108

Rating:
Summary: And the Debate of the Dead rages!
Review: The re-make ambles into theatres and this disc gets released amid swirls of rumors later in March (?) a DVD DIRECTOR'S CUT will be released as well. This is the US Theatrical Cut - coming in at 127 minutes. It features a new DTS soundtrack, anamorphic treatment, and a new commentary from Romero and Savini (with some other guests). It's low priced, and certainly the best the film has ever looked! The commentary is great, but there is little else in the special features. Mainly you get previews, posters, trailers, and radio spots. But it's worth every penny! And in a way it is the true director's cut.

The edit with 20 minutes added was a rushed job Romero did to preview the film in CANNES. When he and Dario Argento revisited the movie they decided it needed to be tighter (less talk more ACTION), and two cuts emerged. One was Romero's US VERSION which hit theatres and remains his true director's cut; meanwhile, you also have a 6 minute shorter slightly more gory less humor Dario Argento ITALIAN CUT. To muddy waters even more ... when CREEPSHOW was released an R-rated studio cut appeared at drive-ins as part of a double bill! So there are many cuts out there.

But what makes the film survive and even get remade? Pure and simple it's a monster movie where humans are the ultimate monsters. And it's not always the zombies that do the awful stuff -- infact, it's surprising how human they appear in contrast to the inhumane looters that appear in the climax. Shopper zombies trapped in a mall? That's the obvious satire. But the film has so many layers! Racism, sexism, consumerism, religion, the media, the government, scientific thought -- it all gets eaten alive here. Sure it's dated and slower than most horror movies these days. The remake will speed up the zombies ala 28 DAYS LATER! But this one remains what it is -- an intelligent masterful excercise in horror. "A movie that not only goes for the jugular, but rips it out and eats it for good measure!"

Rating:
Summary: THE DEAD MUST WALK!
Review: ''Dawn of the Dead'' is one of the best films around. I hadn't watched it since hiring it a year and a half ago on video, and the quality wasn't that good, so after purchasing this film and viewing it again the way it should be, I've just fallen in love with this film. I've always been a big fan of 'Day of the Dead' and 'Night Of the Living Dead, not to mention the trilogy of 'Return of the Living Dead', but this film is pretty wonderful. I love how it's in the shopping mall and the whole story with the characters and the Zombie effects. I can't describe in words how cool this film is, you'll just have to see it for yourself. The commentary with George Romero, Tom Savini, Chris Romero and the modderator is very interesting and informative about the film. I definitely recommend this to every horror fan.
by Justine Ryan