Dawn of the Dead – 1978 – Horror, Thriller
Directed by: George A. Romero
Written by: George A. Romero
Main Players: Ken Foree; David Emge; Scott H. Reiniger; Gaylen Ross
Shit is really hitting the fan. People in a news studio grapple with whatever the hell is going on in the streets. They are unsure how long they will stay on the air. The story on all stations is one in the same: Are the dead returning to life?!
Tensions are high and people are nervous. No one is quite sure what to do, and everyone is arguing. The doctor on TV says everyone that the dead kill will get up and kill others themselves. A rhythmic heart type beat thumps during the entire opening, ramping up anxiety. Chaos begins to reign.
The public needs facts, but there aren’t many. Marial law is to be set. To stop this spread, all returned dead must have their heads severed, and/or brains destroyed. Simple. As the emergency networks begin to take over, a few people from a couple groups around the city scramble to make a move that will lead to their survival. They converge during the course of the story.
Dawn of the Dead is a solid sequel to the very good Night of the Living Dead. There is plenty of social commentary, as well as tons of blood, guts and zombie action. The script is pretty smart, but the pacing is a bit slow in a few spots as the movie is just over 2 hours. Mostly the tension remains, and following the multiple characters is a good experience. The zombies remain dark and disturbing.
People that grew up with this film adore it, but for me I didn’t get into it until later in life so it’s good but isn’t my whole zombie world.
There are additional cuts of this film, however for the most part the experiences are the same.
See This If You Liked:
Night of the Living Dead (1968; 1990); Dawn of the Dead (2004); Day of the Dead (1985); Land of the Dead; 28 Days Later; [REC]; World War Z; Train to Busan (Busanhaeng); The Crazies (1973; 2010); The Return of the Living Dead; Resident Evil (2002); The Evil Dead
Score:
7.5