PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The Dead will rise again this year for the 45th Anniversary: Dawn of the Dead was first released in Italy in September 1978, and all the OG zombie fans can’t wait to celebrate the walking dead all over again.
Dawn of the Dead set the standards a little higher for zombie films and to this very day, every time I view a zombie film I always end up comparing it to this George Romero film. Now in deep appreciation, not just for Romero, but also for the movie itself, I am going to go into many aspects of this gory, wonderful blood splash-fest that is Dawn of the Dead. So sit back and enjoy my rationale on why I think this zombie deserves to be celebrated on the 45th Anniversary of its World premiere.
Remember Dawn of the Dead is one of the most popular retro films to date and we still love it. As the warning says lots of gore ahead so be prepared for some ultimate best kill scenes.
Dawn of the Dead was written and directed by George A. Romero, and featured the makeup and special effects by the epic and awesome Tom Savini (who also plays a small part in the film). The production company was Laurel Film Productions and also featured the music of Dario Argento’s Goblin. The main cast was only four people: Gaylen Ross as Francine, David Emgee as Steven aka Flyboy, Ken Foree as Peter, and last but not least, Scott H. Reiniger as Roger. Not to mention the wide cast of all the extras who play the zombies! We can’t forget them! After all, they are a huge part of the film.
This time Romero wanted to show what a zombie apocalypse would be like on not just a small group, but a larger scale of people as we see before they get in a helicopter and high tail it out of the city. There are many different aspects of the film that convey that aspect, especially with the apartment building being overrun and the collection of dead bodies in the basement. Not to mention the moment when they are flying away and you can see the lights in apartments going off one floor at a time, it gives it an eerie feeling of helplessness and you can’t help but feel that panic when you know nothing will ever be the same again.
Romero did a terrific job of exaggerating that unease in the film. Both Roger and Peter come to terms with the truth and that devastation in the basement of the apartment is the perfect example of what exterminating a room full of people can do to you. It’s conveyed as a hard pill to swallow for the main character Peter and it would be for anyone in that situation. And from then on come my favorite parts of this movie…
They escape in a helicopter and land where we see their reactions to the zombies and sometimes the ridiculous situations that happen in movies because of it. Definitely, the most amusing parts are at that stage of the film. When he refers to the ‘rednecks having the time of their lives” and then their insane inability to shoot the zombies. It’s just all-around amusing and it kind of goes to show how Romero tried to push the reality that some people remained ignorant of the danger ahead of them. So what’s next for this unlikely group of survivors well I would jump straight to the mall but I have to mention one of the most awesome helicopter kills of all time to exist in a movie this old.
They end up at a mall where although they are safe for the time being they come to the realization that “hey this could be a great thing,” so they sack up and go on a run to get whatever they need and once again we some awesome one hit kills, zombies walking aimlessly about and a good look into these creatures and what they want and what they are searching for because they all seem to just flock to the mall like cats to milk. And as is such a huge shocker in horror films and TV shows these days, Fran is pregnant…..ohhhh big twist!!!
So after the death of someone who was an essential part of the group, you can see how things slowly start to deteriorate with their mentality. They seem to be distant from each other and the connection is lost. I can see why. Being in one place too long with the same people would drive anyone nuts.
But the best and the worst part is yet to come and for any zombie fan who has seen the movie, they know exactly what I am talking about!! Not just about the cameo of Tom Savini (even though that is awesome), but the whole score of deaths that occur in those last moments. There is so much blood and guts in these scenes that watching it makes my horror and gore fangirl instantly. So as I said there will be splatter coming up so be warned.
Let’s get to the fun part, they get overrun by looters, bikers who have been on the road surviving by doing what they do best: steal, maim, and cause damage. So of course SOMEONE has to shoot first and it turns into an all-out bloodbath of gore and flesh-eating, ripped-apart moments and shots that are just too good and too amusing not to appreciate and love.
And how can we not appreciate this epic kill from Tom Savini! Psst…read our interview with Tom here!
We get so many more awesome kills and scenes of amazing effects in Dawn of the Dead that you would just have to watch it yourself to truly appreciate the excess amount of work and passion that went into the film itself. Not just from Romero, but also from the whole cast and extras and the band, because let’s face it we can’t have Dawn of the Dead without Goblin! So thanks Argento for the most memorable soundtrack to a film ever I still find myself humming it sometimes.
So by the end of the film you’re left feeling just as you did in the beginning…the end is just a new beginning but that beginning doesn’t continue and you once again feel annoyed as most zombie films tend to do. Either way, we love it and for someone like me it’s not just a zombie film, it’s a huge part of why I love horror and zombies, and whenever I need a moment to myself I turn it on because for me it’s more than just a movie it’s a film that brings me comfort.
So with that being said I am going to leave you with the wise words of Peter……. because he was right.
