DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) REVIEW

This film, is my favourite Horror film of all time, it's a classic of Genre film making and one of the most influential horror film ever made. Why do I love it so?...

!!!!!!!!!!!!WARNING! SPOILERS AFTER THE JUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As i have recently been rather unkind to La Horde, i decided to revisit this film, as it is the film that introduced me the wonderful world of the living dead. Thanks go to George A.Romero for unleashing a horde of zombies films for me to eat up. Not only Dawn but Day and Night are fantastic films, even his latest 3 films are enjoyable to a degree. But in the end my heart will always have a soft spot for this epic apocalyptic vision of the end of the world.

THE PLOT:

As the world comes under attack from the ever growing living dead, two S.W.A.T team members join up with a TV producer and her Helicopter pilot boyfriend, to flee the city (Pittsburgh) and find a safe place to live. As they're flying over an infested America, they find an abandoned mall. Landing on the roof they decided to venture into the mall for supplies. When they realise that they're onto a good thing with the mall, they have all they need, food, Clothing, guns etc.. They Decide to clear out the zombies in the mall, and set up home in the attic. After one of the SWAT guys (Roger) gets bitten and comes back as zombie, they receive a distress call from a biker gang, Stephen and Peter (pilot & SWAT guy) get into gear as the biker gang make they're way to the mall. There's a shoot out and Stephen gets bitten. In the end Peter and Frannie (the woman) get into the chopper and take off....

THE CAST:

KEN FOREE as Peter

Ken Foree is one of the icons of horror and it's his role as Peter that cements his iconic status. He's great as Peter, the badass, take no prisoners SWAT member who meets up with Roger, after an insane raid on a housing projects building. He becomes the sort of leader of the group as they try to survive in the Mall.

For another great Foree performance check out The Devils Rejects. Just a side not on Foree, If you watch Shaun of the Dead, The electronics shop the Shaun works in is called Foree Electrics. Nice homage.

DAVID EMGE as Stephen aka Flyboy

David Emge is good as the naive Stephen, He really wants to help Peter and Roger but lacks the experience of handling a fire arm. He tends to ignore Frannie, his fiancée, and seems to be scared of what is happening. In all honest ive not seen him in anything else except Dawn.

GAYLEN ROSS as Francine

Gaylen Ross is the only female character in Dawn and from the start of the film, she starts out as the sort of usual horror movie female, weak, easily scared but by the halfway mark has become slightly stronger, she wants to be treated as an equal. She learns to fly the chopper and fire a gun. Gaylen was a good actress and a great choice for Fran. The Mall in Zack Snyder's remake is named after her too.

SCOTT H. REINIGER as Roger

Again, as with Emge, i have not seen him in anything else except for when he appears as a military officer in the news reel played in the 2004 remake, Here as Roger, he's really good. He, like Foree, plays his SWAT character as a pretty badass, hardcore cop, that when he is bitten, changes to a sort of helpless state. He makes the transition well.

TOM SAVINI as Blades

Tom Savini pops up as the biker known as Blades, he doesn't have much to say but he's in the forefront for all the chaotic zombie slaying at the end. More on Tom Savini further down.

THE DIRECTION:

Between 1968 and 1978 Romero's skilled increased to a higher level. When you look back at Night Of The Living Dead, you can see that he was still using TV techniques and then when we move to the Crazies, it has more of a documentary feel to it, but with Dawn, he seems to be in feature film mode. He use the camera to tell a story, shots of the zombies in the car park of the mall, shot as overheads are great, the opening SWAT attack on the Projects is Romero's attempt at a sort of action set piece and his pulled of really well. Romero's best direction is probably more evident in 1985's Day Of The Dead.

THE MAKE UP F/X:

This film is the reason why Tom Savini is the master of cinematic gore, from the opening shotgun/exploding head to the Blood pressure arm rip at the end, the gore FX are outstanding. The make up on the Zombies is a bit on the lame side compared to his work on day and even compared to KNB's work on Land of The Dead, but for the time they were pretty damn good, you could tell which was a zombie and which was not. Most of the Living dead had their faces greyed or greened(?) but when added with a bit of blood make for a more realistic zombie. Savini is legendary for his push-the-limits gore FX and for me his crowning glory is his work on Day. I salute you Tom Savini!!!

THE MUSIC:

The music comprises of stock Library music including the famous Gonk, and original music from Argento collaborators, Goblin, who bring a gothic, Syth feel and make the film that bit more atmospheric. I have been trying to track down the Goblin soundtrack, but to no avail so far, although i did manage to get this album...

....that has a lot of the library tracks that are used in the film. But if anyone has a copy of the Goblin soundtrack, i would really appreciate it if you'd let me know.

MY FINAL VERDICT:

Ok, right, Dawn Of The Dead is my all time favourite horror film, it's themes of isolation, consumerism, and the gore and story aspects, draw me in everytime, and i have found my self just putting it on and sitting back and enjoying it. There are three different cuts of the film and for me my favourite cut is the directors cut, the longer version. So if you want an epic, well written, directed and acted, non comedic zombie film that has themes that are very relevant to today's economic crisis, and a boat load of gore, then Dawn Of The Dead is for you. If you've seen the 2004 remake, you really need to see the original. The remake is good, and is a little more frightening and gory, but does lack the underlying themes of the original.

The Version i have reviewed is from Anchor Bay's 3 disc Ultimate edition, but if you want to avoid importing the boxset, then Arrow Films in the UK have released this in a four disc DVD set and a 3 disc Blu-ray edition with new, original, commissioned artwork....Check out the covers below.