Featured Audience Ratings

• Mark W

  
  In 1968, director George A. Romero made his directorial debut with the - now infamous - zombie horror film "Night Of The Living Dead". At the time, it was considered the ultimate gore-fest and has since spawned numerous imitations. Not many have achieved the same standard of… More
  In 1968, director George A. Romero made his directorial debut with the - now infamous - zombie horror film "Night Of The Living Dead". At the time, it was considered the ultimate gore-fest and has since spawned numerous imitations. Not many have achieved the same standard of that classic zombie movie but Romero himself released this follow-up, ten years later, in 1974 and arguably, it's as good as (if not better than) his debut. The epidemic of zombies, who have risen from the dead and are now walking the earth, continues as four survivors of the zombie plague take refuge in a deserted shopping mall. They decide to stay longer than they thought and try to hatch a plan to escape somehow but with the arrival of a gang of militant bikers their security is compromised. Less of a sequel and more of a remake to "Night Of The Living Dead", this film benefits from an ingenious and very memorable conceit; four people barricaded in a huge shopping mall while the undead lurk and prey outside. It allows itself to be an allegory of consumerism with a clever and highly satirical approach. It contains an occasional humorous nature but the overall terrifying premise is never compromised. Some of this humour even comes unintentionally, due to it's cheap budget and sub-par special effects - the blood used looks like vibrant, red, children's poster paint. However, the low budget only adds to the overall authentic feel and despite it bordering on the ridiculous, Romero's skill still shines through. His use of tension is excellently delivered, simply by using an extensive series of cuts. Each action sequence is edited in such a way that it is nothing less than highly skilful filmmaking and with Romero assuming both director and editor credits, he deserves the utmost respect. A more sophisticated audience may balk or snicker at the budgetary constraints and abysmal acting but really, it doesn't matter. The material is so good and handled with such skill that it overshadows any lack of worth or imperfections. In this particular sub-genre, bad acting and bad effects would normally make for a bad movie but in this instance, that's not the case. Romero is a master of his craft and this is evidence enough to prove so. A hugely enjoyable, and one of the best, post-apocalyptic zombie flicks.

• Reid V

  
  I know, I know, I know. Being the self-proclaimed "horror buff" that I am, I should have already seen this film. In fact, Romero's sequel to the masterful "Night of the Living Dead" should have been at the very top of my must see list many moons ago. Yet, due… More
  I know, I know, I know. Being the self-proclaimed "horror buff" that I am, I should have already seen this film. In fact, Romero's sequel to the masterful "Night of the Living Dead" should have been at the very top of my must see list many moons ago. Yet, due to the legion of horror fans who unremittingly declare this film's divinity, I frankly got sick of hearing about it. However, I finally decided to just give it a roll and I am very,very glad that I did. Much like other great creators of science fiction and horror - such as the stunning Stephen King - director George Romero focuses not so much on the terror itself, but rather on how a select number of humans respond to said terror. In this America now teeming with the unwanted undead, Romero shows how different personalities use the calamity to either justify their quest for power, bask in their desire to dominant another group of people, live out their consumerist fantasies, or simply quench their thirst for violence. At times the film feels like a documentary on human behavior. This is evidenced by certain scenes such as the one in which Romero follows a group of bumpkins who quickly gather, whip out some Bud Lights, and use this hoard of zombies for target practice. Also, he spends a significant amount of time showing some of the survivors, who in the midst of fighting off a murder of zombies, get their rocks off by snagging up all the goods they can grab in a department store. Romero also uses this film as a scathing indictment of the living. He uses small touches to illuminate the self-centeredness of humans during a time when they are in theory, supposed to be banding together. For example, when an innocent policeman asks our protagonists for a cigarette - a brief bit of comfort in all of this bedlam - they all deny having any. However, once they leave the policeman's company, their hands search for their open packs and shamelessly light up. And this is the group of people that we are supposed to be rooting for! Romero also shows how much energy is used to build up this consumer-based economy by showing that even in death, it will be nearly impossible to ignore the lure of shopping malls. One character sums it up well when asked about why the undead are flocking to the mall, he replies because of "Some kind of instinct. Memory of what they used to do. This was an important place in their lives." Oh, did I fail to mention that this is also a very effective Zombie film? The visual effects are stunning, even if they haven't aged incredibly well. And the human meat, much liked slow-cooked ribs, look like they are sliding right off the bone. Tom Savini, who has a bit part, really outdid himself here. While not "scary" by today's standards, Dawn of the Dead packs quite a heavy punch. Much unlike the brainless creatures that haunt this film, Dawn of the Dead is smart, well-executed, and George Romero chews on some very interesting observations on the human condition. Now forgive me for I must be off. I have to go join my new legion....

• Everett J

  
  One of, if not, the best sequel of all time and also one of the best zombie movies of all time. "Dawn of the Dead" is a true horror movie classic, that took what made the first movie("Night of the Living Dead") good, and made it great. Story picks up a few months… More
  One of, if not, the best sequel of all time and also one of the best zombie movies of all time. "Dawn of the Dead" is a true horror movie classic, that took what made the first movie("Night of the Living Dead") good, and made it great. Story picks up a few months after "Night" and follows a small group of people who get on a helicopter to escape, and then take refuge in an abandoned mall. Zombie's are drawn to the mall, while the group try to live and survive off everything the mall has to offer. Very gory and features one of the greatest zombie kills ever when a zombie walks into a helicopter propeller. The movie does look dated(it was made in 1979), but it holds up a lot better than other horror movies. There is a cheesy quality to it that makes it less scary, but it's still very entertaining, and mandatory viewing for all zombie fans. With "Walking Dead" coming back, now is the perfect time to go back and enjoy this, and the other George Romero classics.

• Samuel R

  
  Once again, George A.Romero has made another successful masterpiece towards the zombie genre. It may not have kicked off a new generation of horror like its predecessor, but it creates a better, more efficient entry to this genre. With a combination of intense horror and comedy, this… More
  Once again, George A.Romero has made another successful masterpiece towards the zombie genre. It may not have kicked off a new generation of horror like its predecessor, but it creates a better, more efficient entry to this genre. With a combination of intense horror and comedy, this is the greatest zombie film of all time.

• Lucas M

  
  With a critique to consumerism and bourgeois society, gore scenes, darkly humor in the intelligent screenplay by Romero, Dawn of The Dead it's the most entertaining, tense, scary and brilliant zombie film was ever made.

• xGary X

  
  A disparate group of survivors from a zombie holocaust hole up in an abandoned shopping mall that becomes beseiged by an ever-increasing horde of the dead. The performances may not be of the highest calibre and dated as some of the effects may be, Dawn Of The Dead is still THE zombie… More
  A disparate group of survivors from a zombie holocaust hole up in an abandoned shopping mall that becomes beseiged by an ever-increasing horde of the dead. The performances may not be of the highest calibre and dated as some of the effects may be, Dawn Of The Dead is still THE zombie movie. Romero's zombies are of the "true" kind in that their mindless shuffling gait reminds us of own own mortality and the inevitability of our own demise and eventual decay as well as the animal instinct within we try so hard to mask with a civilisation that so quickly crumbles into chaos. It may not have the visceral impact of Night Of The Living Dead, but the sly social commentary on consumerism and greed combined with humour and observations on the human condition makes for one of the most influential horror films ever made. It's no small irony that our heroes soon despair at their "paradise" that seems to offer everything they've ever wanted at the expense of any real human contact or purpose, and their downfall is caused not by the walking corpses themselves but rather very human selfishness and greed. The rather cheap looking photography detracts a little (I still think Night is the best looking of the series) but the sheer weight of the concept and brilliant writing more than make up for the technical weaknesses. One of the true classics.

• Daniel M

  
  Having created the modern zombie movie almost singled-handedly, George A. Romero spent the years after Night of the Living Dead diversifying his portfolio. His efforts ranged from cult hits like The Crazies and Martin to the choppy Season of the Witch and There's Always Vanilla,… More
  Having created the modern zombie movie almost singled-handedly, George A. Romero spent the years after Night of the Living Dead diversifying his portfolio. His efforts ranged from cult hits like The Crazies and Martin to the choppy Season of the Witch and There's Always Vanilla, which he has all but disowned. After Martin failed to find an audience, Romero continued his Zombie Trilogy with Dawn of the Dead, an engrossing and just plain gross sequel which has many of his trademarks but doesn't quite live up to the first instalment. While there is no direct character continuity between the first and second films, there is some thematic continuity in the first ten minutes. Dawn of the Dead continues with the zombies representing racism by having a group of Puerto Rican or Hispanic zombies being mown down by the National Guard. Like the previous film, our main protagonist is black, the main female character is blonde, and there is a couple within the small group of survivors (who are with child, rather than with a child). There are other thematic continuities too, albeit ones which are not dwelt upon as the film gathers pace. During the opening credits there is a comment on media sensationalism, as the various executives want to keep the station on the air, even if it means misleading people. While the sensible people, like the presenters and camera operators, are packing up and leaving, the bigwigs run with outdated material in the hope of keeping whatever audience is out there. The film does drift into sillier B-movie territory, with one of the scientific experts wearing an eye-patch, but that's emphasised no more than the radio broadcasts about alien radiation in the first film. After the first ten minutes, Dawn of the Dead's main theme comes to the fore, as the zombies shift from being the spectre of racism to the spectre of consumerism and material greed. While its predecessor reflected an America reeling from both the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, Dawn of the Dead reflects a country laid low by the OPEC crisis, high inflation and sluggish growth. It depicts the institutions of developed capitalism as hollow shells, to which we mindlessly flock out of habit or memory of what we once had. There are two interesting consequences of this central conceit. The first is that the film becomes more relativistic than its predecessor, arguing that the human survivors who take refuge in the mall are no better in terms of morals or motivations than the zombies laying siege to it. Both groups are drawn to the mall through a mixture of necessity and habit: both groups need fuel (whether petrol or human flesh), and both find comfort in gravitating to what they know, rather than taking their chances and starting anew in the wilderness. The second is the way in which consumerism takes over the survivors, and they become reckless merely through being surrounded by convenience. Having killed all the zombies inside the mall and barricaded themselves in, we see them swanning around in a lengthy montage, having fun and building up their possessions to the point of pure decadence. Having watched society crumble around them, they have recreated their middle-class, property-based idyll which gives them comfort and familiarity, and it is only when their lives are truly threatened that they sum up the courage to leave material comforts behind. All three instalments of Romero's Zombie Trilogy could be put into the category of siege films, since they are constructed around characters inside a building or location seeking to keep out a malevolent force. But where Night of the Living Dead put a greater emphasis on the ordinary nature of said force (i.e. the zombies look exactly like us), Dawn of the Dead concentrates more on the siege mentality itself - in other words, how you would keep the zombies out, rather than what the zombies are like. There is a further tie-in with the theme of bourgeois life being recreated through consumerism when the bikers (including make-up artist Tom Savini) break into the mall and take everything in sight. These scenes reflect both the bourgeois fear of outsiders and the film's on-going relativism: the bikers are doing what the other survivors and zombies are doing, only more quickly and with more weapons. The invasion of the mall by the bikers also demonstrates the influence of Italian horror on Dawn on the Dead. There is a screenwriting credit for the master of giallo Dario Argento, who was in his prime having made Suspiria the year before. The blood that Savini uses in the gory battles between bikers and zombies is the same, day-glo, shimmering red that Argento has made his trademark - as Eli Roth puts it, "putting the gore in gorgeous". And like Suspiria, Dawn of the Dead benefits from a soundtrack by the progressive rock group Goblin, who build threat through unusual yet effective instrumentation. The soundtrack to Dawn of the Dead plays a considerable part in cultivating threat from creatures which, in speed at least, are relatively unthreatening. One of the tensest moments in the whole film comes when a Hari Khrishna zombie has managed to find the entrance to the survivors' den, where the pregnant Fran has been left behind while her male comrades fight the zombies off. As the zombie approaches, the soundtrack throws up a strange jangly sound, like a demonic tambourine, which makes the whole scene more unsettling. Romero also plays on the upbeat muzak of the mall itself to drench the situation in yet more irony. Much like its predecessor, the real emotional weight of Dawn of the Dead lies in the characters, which feel more layered and complex than many other horror movies of the time. Gaylen Ross gives a great performance as Francine, who gradually moves from the role of damsel in distress to a genuine force to be reckoned with. Scott Reiniger and Ken Foree have good camaraderie as Roger and Peter respectively, with the truck scenes providing some much-needed comic relief. And David Emge rounds the cast out nicely as Stephen, attempting to make sense of the chaos that surrounds him. For all the good things going for it, Dawn of the Dead has a number of problems which ultimately make it a poor relation to its predecessor. It was always going to be hard to top the chilling terror of Night, and in fairness to Romero, widening the scale of the action was probably the only way he could have gone. But because he has more space to play with, the natural feeling of claustrophobia is not as strong or as effective as in the first film. When you've got characters closed off in one room, it's naturally unsettling, but when they have several floors at their disposal, it's not so much. The film also suffers from poor pacing, particularly in its second act. After an efficient and exciting opening, the film unfolds at an all-too-leisurely pace once the immediate threat has been dealt with. Had John Carpenter helmed the film, he would have being working overtime to sustain the terror to breaking point, just as he did in Hallowe'en or The Thing four years later. As it is, Romero begins well, then drops the ball, and only truly recovers in the last 20 minutes when the proverbial really hits the fan. The final problem or debate concerns the ending. The original ending involved Stephen and Francine making it to the roof and committing suicide rather than face being turned into zombies. The current ending, in which they escape and fly off into an unknown future, feels like an uneasy compromise thrown together at the last minute. There's no way of knowing how the original ending would have worked, but it would at least have reinforced the film's nihilistic mood, and provided further continuity with its predecessor, which ends with the main character being shot. Dawn of the Dead is a weighty and interesting sequel to what is arguably Romero's finest achievement (though Martin comes very close). Although its ideas are perhaps more fleshed-out than its predecessor, its mechanical and narrative shortcomings prevent it from delivering any kind of knock-out punch. But it has aged very well indeed, and remains a very fine film with plenty to say about our culture and society. Whatever the merits of Zac Snyder's remake, this remains the version you must see.

• Melvin W

  
  Stephen: We're still pretty close to Johnstown. Those rednecks are probably enjoying this whole thing.  "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth." Dawn of the Dead is often regarded as the best of the zombie genre. It's the best… More
  Stephen: We're still pretty close to Johnstown. Those rednecks are probably enjoying this whole thing.  "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth." Dawn of the Dead is often regarded as the best of the zombie genre. It's the best traditional zombie movie I have seen. What it lacks now, in scares and true terror, it makes up for in awesomeness and humor. The ideas have stayed true all these years later and although when viewed today it looks ridiculous, it is a true classic in any sense. It's dated, that's for sure. The zombies look, umm... not that great. The special effects, make up, and all that type of stuff, while good for the time it was made, looks completely ridiculous now. Honestly though, the movie being extremely dated adds to the appeal. It's a well made movie, and all of the ridiculousness just adds to the fun experience.  When comparing this to Night of the Living Dead, it is important to note that they have different feels. I believe Night is creepier and a better pure horror film. But you can't argue with just how cool and fun Dawn is. The setting(a mall) is great and the idea's on consumerism are right on and funny.  I wouldn't go into Dawn expecting a perfect movie, nor would I want you to believe it is at all scary, because it isn't. But Dawn is bizarre, well shot, and pretty fucking epic for a zombie movie. At times, I was thinking to myself, if Stanley Kubrick were to have made a zombie movie, it may have turned out somewhat like this. There's some really cool wide shots. Romero really outdid himself and the genre when he made this horror classic.

• Dan S

  
  A phenomenally versatile, heavily influential zombie-apocalypse film from the master of the subject, George A. Romero, who tells the story of four random people who group together in a shopping mall in order to try to survive the onslaught of chaos after zombies start taking over the… More
  A phenomenally versatile, heavily influential zombie-apocalypse film from the master of the subject, George A. Romero, who tells the story of four random people who group together in a shopping mall in order to try to survive the onslaught of chaos after zombies start taking over the earth. What separates this from your typical zombie film is Romero's wickedly clever use of setting, in this case the mall, which allows him to make a few points concerning consumerism, which is a huge added bonus for the film in the end. The character development could be better, but it is still enough to make us care for these four survivors, as well as openly criticize some of their actions in the process. Romero's hurried, sometimes incomprehensible plotting surprisingly fits the film's tone perfectly, fully capturing the chaotic Hell that is unleashed if a situation like this would ever arise. The last half hour is tremendous, where the blood and gore get turned on full-throttle, and the character's actions of surviving no matter what come across as very realistic, including a last minute switch-ero that caught me off guard.

• Mike S

  
  Dawn of the not-so-scary-looking zombies. I realise it was made in 1978 and everything, but it looks like they've just splashed some cheap theatre make-up on a bunch of underpaid extras. What it lacks in the make-up department, however, it makes up for with superb action,… More
  Dawn of the not-so-scary-looking zombies. I realise it was made in 1978 and everything, but it looks like they've just splashed some cheap theatre make-up on a bunch of underpaid extras. What it lacks in the make-up department, however, it makes up for with superb action, engaging characters and a nice dose of humor. Incredibly well-made for its time, it does a perfect job at illustrating the fear and panic of the entire situation. And even though having a running length of nearly 2 1/2 hours, it doesn't ever slow down or lose its grip on you. Psychologically, it also works as a fascinating commentary on human and societal behavior. Despite being full of braindead flesh-eaters, it has an intelligence to it that is very rare within the horror realm. It gives it an edge, which sets it high above the median of its competitors. For all it's great attributes, however, I do like the re-make somewhat better. They're both great films, but the 2004 version has one thing this one doesn't: zombies that look like zombies are supposed to. I still give it an "A" for effort though, for making the best out of the film-making tools available at the time. Normally, films from the 70's don't interest me that much, unless they have the word "Alien" or "Wars" in the title, but this was so fantastically enjoyable, that it goes straight to my Top 10 list of the greatest films of the decade. And best of all, you don't need to leave your brain at the door. That is, unless you're afraid it might get chewed upon by certain hungry ex-humans. Then it might not be such a bad idea.

• Graham J

  
  One of my favorites for sure. Scary and funny. Beautiful cinematography, I love the greenish blue faces of the zombies.

• Tim S

  
  Whether you're in it for its social commentary or just simply for the story, Dawn of the Dead is THE zombie movie for anyone. It tends to lean more on horror, with a bit of slapstick thrown in for good measure. It's basically a living comic book of a movie, with a heavy… More
  Whether you're in it for its social commentary or just simply for the story, Dawn of the Dead is THE zombie movie for anyone. It tends to lean more on horror, with a bit of slapstick thrown in for good measure. It's basically a living comic book of a movie, with a heavy emphasis on social satire. That could prove disasterous in other instances, but as much as fun as the story itself is, it doesn't really matter. Some of the effects don't hold up and the zombie make-up is very weak compared to what the series would do with later films (not to mention other zombie films), but it helps to make it fun instead of just out-and-out horrifying. This is one of my favorite movies and I never get tired of popping it in for a good time. :)

• AJ V

  
  I wasn't sure if this movie was trying to be a bit of a spoof on Romero's first movie Night of the Living Dead or if it was supposed to be a serious sequel to it. It seemed to be a combination of the two, which I'm not sure was a good idea. Plus, the story has the… More
  I wasn't sure if this movie was trying to be a bit of a spoof on Romero's first movie Night of the Living Dead or if it was supposed to be a serious sequel to it. It seemed to be a combination of the two, which I'm not sure was a good idea. Plus, the story has the same plot line as every other zombie movie, so it didn't have any surprises for me, especially in the end. There are a couple of suspenseful scenes, and some scenes that made me laugh, but overall, it could have been better.

• Carlos M

  
  In this excellent sequel, Romero exchanges the ghastly, oppressive black and white of the original film for some very entertaining and gruesome gore in color, with plenty of humor and clever social satire. A classic zombie horror film that stands out as a really intelligent allegory.

• Chris W

  
  Some say this is Romero's best work. Me, well, I'm undecided. This is an excellent film though, and not just in horror circles. You can never go wrong with intelligent social commentary and satire, especially when mixed with great (albeit somewhat dated) gore effects.… More
  Some say this is Romero's best work. Me, well, I'm undecided. This is an excellent film though, and not just in horror circles. You can never go wrong with intelligent social commentary and satire, especially when mixed with great (albeit somewhat dated) gore effects. Despite coming out a decade after Night of the Living Dead, this seque treats things as if only a few days or so have passed. In that time, the zombie outbreak has become incredibly widespread. A group of survivors (a diverse lot professionally, racially, and genderwise) take refuge in a shopping mall where they barricade themselves in and kick all zombies (and others) out. This is where the film gets interesting. The mall is a larger setting than the previous film's farmhouse, but is still a great place full of all sorts of possibilities and claustrophobia. What I find really interesting is how this film is a satire/social commentary railing against malls, consumerism, and greed, and came out at a time when shopping malls were really new to the world. I love that this films is a brilliant blend of humor, satire, gore, and zombies. Humor is not the focus, but the levity is a necessary element that provides a unique spin on the zombie apocalypse stuff. I can't really think of anything this film gets wrong. The direction, performances, makeup/sfx, music, and camerawork are all terrific. I did say that the effects are dated, but in a way, their garishness actually adds to the atmosphere and enhances the mood, satire, and 70s decor. This is an essential film in multiple categories, so don't hesitate to check it out.

• Cassandra M

  
  Dawn of the Dead is concrete proof that extreme gore and violence doesn't always equal a dumb movie and that the two can make very nice bedfellows indeed. This film is a rare thing in that it will please both gorehounds and fans of art cinema, and there isn't a vast amount… More
  Dawn of the Dead is concrete proof that extreme gore and violence doesn't always equal a dumb movie and that the two can make very nice bedfellows indeed. This film is a rare thing in that it will please both gorehounds and fans of art cinema, and there isn't a vast amount of films that do that. Aside from doing what I've just mentioned, this follow up to Night of the Living Dead established George Romero as a household name in many a gore fan's home and his trilogy of zombie films will ensure for ever more that the name 'Romero' and the zombie film will always go hand in hand. The plot of this film follows four survivors of the zombie apocalypse that has ensued after the events of Night of the Living Dead as they hold up in a shopping mall to try and hide from the events going on in the outside world. However, this poses another problem, as once their home has been built up in the midst of the atrocities; will our hero's be able to give up all that they have built? The commentary on society and the trappings of consumerism that Romero appears to be keen to implement in his film come off as being somewhat muddled, due to the fact that it's lost under the reality that what we see our hero's doing makes absolute perfect sense. This, however, is where the genius behind the commentary comes into play; it's a depiction of what people within a consumerist society would do in this situation, which makes the commentary all the more potent. Despite it being a film about zombies, Romero implements a sense of realism into the proceedings, which works due to the fact that he never overindulges in anything. Sure, the gore towards the end is over the top; but even that is realistic as it is what you would expect a zombie massacre to be. Because of his sense of realism, we are able to care for the characters that Romero has presented us with, even though we really know little about them. The audience is able to put themselves into their situation and we are constantly given the feeling that we are actually involved in the events on screen. This makes the ending of the movie more potent by way of the sense of security that Romero has lulled you into throughout the movie, and at the end; we really feel for what is happening to our characters and even though we want to see the massacre happen (as that's why we're watching the film at the end of the day), we sort of don't want to see it at the same time. This kind of mind-game isn't carried off successfully very often, but Romero has it down to an art form here. The movie benefits massively from a great score by Dario Argento's house band, Goblin. In fact, with the obvious exception of Suspiria; I would even go as far as to say that this is their best work ever. The score blends so well with the happenings on screen that it's impossible to have one without the other. Some films have a superfluous score, or one that doesn't add anything to the film; but it's undeniable that the score of Dawn of the Dead not only adds to what we're seeing, but 'makes' it. As many people will be tuning in to see gore, I am pleased to tell you that this film doesn't disappoint in that respect. It's one of the goriest films ever made, with many sequences reaching a level of disgustingness that is rarely seen in cinema (intestine dinner, anyone?). As you are probably aware, Tom Savini did the make-up effects for Dawn of the Dead and it is the film that made his career and established him as the gore guru that he is often seen as today. The film is also notable for a certain line that has been quoted more times than any other line uttered in any other horror movie. I am of course talking about the fabulous; "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth". Dawn of the Dead is undoubtedly one of the most important films ever made. It inspired a barrage of rip-off's that are still being made today and it stands tall on many a horror fan's list of favourite horror films. Dawn of the Dead is one of the most recent films to inspire a remake and, unfortunately, it turned out to be terrible. Not that it matters, as the original is where it's at; and this film is an undeniable masterpiece.

• danny d

  
  romero's loose sequel to his classic "night of the living dead" is a slight step back in fright and subtle effectiveness, but this is still a solid zombie film. the design of the zombies was awful and the plot thinned at points, but for the most part the second stage… More
  romero's loose sequel to his classic "night of the living dead" is a slight step back in fright and subtle effectiveness, but this is still a solid zombie film. the design of the zombies was awful and the plot thinned at points, but for the most part the second stage in the progression that we see in romero's films is highly entertaining, and the stage of a mall is a perfect setting. solid film.

• Michael G

  
  Too clever to be a horror movie. The first act is incredibly enjoyable and hysterically silly. But once the second 2 acts have the 4 survivors holing up in a shopping mall and succumbing to a commercially materialistic instinct that should no longer exist in a world overrun by… More
  Too clever to be a horror movie. The first act is incredibly enjoyable and hysterically silly. But once the second 2 acts have the 4 survivors holing up in a shopping mall and succumbing to a commercially materialistic instinct that should no longer exist in a world overrun by zombies, its not only gold, but its classic George A. Romero social commentary. Dawn of the Dead is incredibly smart (even if it doesn't seem like it would be) and at times (usually unintentionally) funny. Easily one of the best zombie movies ever made. It doesn't hold that same place in my heart that Night of the Living Dead does but they're parked pretty damn close to one another.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth."</i> Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek… More
  <i>"When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth."</i> Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> If proof were ever needed that the 1970's was the golden age of horror movies, 'Dawn Of The Dead' is it. A decade after his groundbreaking 'Night Of The Living Dead', George A.Romero returned to zombies with this, arguably the greatest film of its kind. Low budget horror films were all the rage in those days. Strangely, the lack of money worked in their favour as film makers such as Cronenberg, DePalma, Carpenter, Lieberman and Hooper had to rely on their imaginations. Instead of big-name Hollywood stars, 'Dawn' presents us with four ordinary people - one woman and three men - struggling to survive in a nightmarish world. The documentary look lends weight to the horror, as at times you feel that what you are watching is real! Romero comes up with some stunning set pieces such as S.W.A.T. troopers invading a house full of the living dead, a zombie's head being sliced off by the rotor blades of a helicopter, and Hells Angels storming the shopping mall where our heroes are holed up. Tom Savini provided the gruesome make-up ( even Peckinpah never used so much blood! ) and appears as one of the Hells Angels. Great soundtrack by Dario Argento and The Goblins! 'Dawn Of The Dead' was a worldwide box-office hit whose success provoked dozens of imitations, mostly from Italy, such as Lucio Fulci's 'Zombi 2' ( 'Zombie Flesh Eaters' ).

• Coxxie M

  
  im sorry but im one of the few that dont think this is a classic. I think its very very stupid and not scary at all... also if ppl could come back from the dead, they would not just have blue skin. they would be rotting and decaying. They probably would not have much skin at all, but… More
  im sorry but im one of the few that dont think this is a classic. I think its very very stupid and not scary at all... also if ppl could come back from the dead, they would not just have blue skin. they would be rotting and decaying. They probably would not have much skin at all, but if they did, it would never, ever be eye-shadow blue.

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