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Movies / On DVD / Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead

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Dawn of the Dead (1978)

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Reviews Counted:37

Fresh:35

Rotten:2

Average Rating:8.4/10

Consensus: One of the most compelling and entertaining zombie films ever, Dawn of the Dead perfectly blends pure horror and gore with social commentary on bourgeois society.

Runtime: 6 hrs 25 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Synopsis: Picking up where NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD left off, and still offering no explanation of why the dead are walking the earth, DAWN OF THE DEAD plunges headlong into one of the most violent and... Picking up where NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD left off, and still offering no explanation of why the dead are walking the earth, DAWN OF THE DEAD plunges headlong into one of the most violent and original horror films ever made. After securing an apartment building overcome with flesh-eating zombies, two Philadelphia area SWAT team members, Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott Reiniger), flee to a television station, where they escape in the station's helicopter with Francine (Gaylen Ross) and Stephen (David Emge), two station employees. Seeking refuge from the zombies and the ensuing hysteria, they land on top of a Pittsburgh area shopping mall, despite the fact that the undead seem to be flocking there. What begins as a stop for supplies becomes a longer stay as the four become embroiled in a futile war within the mall to keep their flesh to themselves and remain alive. The film's relentlessly disturbing and innovative gore effects are one reason to see DAWN OF THE DEAD, but those who can stomach the endless barrage of blood and gnarled zombie faces will be rewarded--and possibly surprised--by what the film says about human nature and life within a consumer-based culture. Any aficionado of horror is likely to place the film high on their list of revered cinema. [More]

Starring: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross

Starring: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross, Tom Savini, David Crawford, George A. Romero, David Early, Richard France

Director: George A. Romero

Director: George A. Romero
Screenwriter: George A. Romero
Producer: Richard P. Rubinstein
Composer: Goblin

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Nov 30, 1999

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region 0
  • Widescreen - 1.85

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo - English
  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
 
 
 
 

Reviews for Dawn of the Dead

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21 - 37 (sorted by date)
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No review available.

comment Comment
01/16/04
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Essential, but overrated horror opus.

comment 4 Comments
12/04/03
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

A near-perfect blend of horror, gore and action

comment Comment
11/21/03
Jon Niccum
Jon Niccum
Lawrence Journal-World

Simply the best zombie horror flick ever made

comment Comment
07/09/03
Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson
New Times

Perhaps horror-movie buffs will consider this an improvement.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment 14 Comments
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Hard to believe that they fired [Romero] from directing RESIDENT EVIL, after that entire franchise ripped off his movies to begin with

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/18/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

It's a lot smarter than its appearance suggests, and Romero completely sucks you into a story that's wholly engrossing and epic in its apocalyptic ambitions and scope.

Full Review Source: Netflix | comment Comment
11/07/02
James Rocchi
James Rocchi
Netflix

A true classic of the horror genre.

comment Comment
08/08/02
KJB
KJB
IGN Movies

Romero's classic tale of apocalypse, zombiedom and consumerism.

comment Comment
08/07/02
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

Widely considered that rare sequel which is better than the original.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
07/14/02
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Dawn of the Dead relies upon satire, humor, and allegory. It is one of the more thematically ambitious horror films in history.

Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You | comment Comment
04/03/02
Rumsey Taylor
Rumsey Taylor
Not Coming to a Theater Near You

This is George A. Romero's best film.

Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies | comment Comment
02/28/02
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies

An epic among horror films.

Full Review Source: Flipside Movie Emporium | comment Comment
10/24/01
Jeremiah Kipp
Jeremiah Kipp
Flipside Movie Emporium

An effort which redefines the genre.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
06/20/01
Andrew Howe
Andrew Howe
eFilmCritic.com

As a blend of horror, action, tension, and humour, it stands in a class of its own.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/17/01
Almar Haflidason
Almar Haflidason
BBC

Dawn has a decidedly bleak, almost nihilistic worldview -- one that encompasses all of mankind, not just certain geographical regions.

Full Review Source: ToxicUniverse.com | comment Comment
02/13/01
Mike Bracken
Mike Bracken
ToxicUniverse.com

An unsettling and unforgettable snapshot of life among the zombies.

Full Review Source: Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus
 
 
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Latest News for Dawn of the Dead

May 19, 2008: Romero's Dawn of the Dead Rising in 3-D Opens in new window
Thanks to a process called "dimensionalization," George A. Romero's Dawn for the Dead will see re-release in 3-D. More...

March 13, 2008: Top Ten Death Proof Exploitation Films: the films that wouldn’t die.
Exploitation films are B-grade gold for those who like it rough, sleazy and thrill-packed. More...

March 07, 2008: Guide of the Dead - An RT Romero Retrospective
As Diary of the Dead hits cinemas, we sit down with George A. Romero to talk retrospectively about what has come from his zombie opus, the Dead series, and what the future has... More...

February 15, 2008: George A. Romero on Diary of the Dead: The RT Interview
With sequel talk already on the horizon, RT chats up horror legend George A. Romero about zombie movies and the latest addition to his Living Dead series. More...

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