Dawn of the Dead Ultimate Edition

( 22 )

Overview

Director George A. Romero's epic sequel to his legendary Night of the Living Dead has firmly established itself as the equal of its ground-breaking predecessor. Though shot in 1978 -- ten years after the first films' release -- Dawn's story begins as if the events in Night had happened only a few months before: after shambling armies of the recently-dead take over every major city -- seeking warm human flesh for food -- the U.S. government imposes a state of martial law, sending in special National Guard units to...
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Overview

Director George A. Romero's epic sequel to his legendary Night of the Living Dead has firmly established itself as the equal of its ground-breaking predecessor. Though shot in 1978 -- ten years after the first films' release -- Dawn's story begins as if the events in Night had happened only a few months before: after shambling armies of the recently-dead take over every major city -- seeking warm human flesh for food -- the U.S. government imposes a state of martial law, sending in special National Guard units to attack and destroy zombie infestation where they find it. Two members of one such unit, Peter Ken Foree and Roger Scott Reiniger have been tasked to overthrow a nest of zombies in a Pittsburgh housing project one of the film's most explicitly gory scenes. When the job turns ugly and Peter is forced to terminate his own berserk, racist commanding officer, the pair decide to split the outfit with the help of his friend Stephen David Emge, a traffic pilot for WGON-TV, and the station's floor manager, Stephen's girlfriend Frances Gaylen Ross. Together they steal the station's helicopter and head for less-populated areas, but after some narrow scrapes with flesh-hungry redneck ghouls in the country outside Harrisburg, they opt for a more secure hideout. Eventually they find the perfect solution: a massive, sprawling shopping mall. After the lengthy process of purging the building of zombies is complete, the four secure themselves snugly in the miniature city, consigned to live out their lives in a dull but cushy consumer's paradise... but the arrival of a menacing gang of nomadic bikers proves that this is not to be. With their survival instincts weakened by a mallful of toys and trinkets, the crew are again forced to face grim reality as they face both living and undead foes in a final battle. Romero's excellent, multi-layered story combines high-adventure heroics, three-dimensional characters and explicit gore by the always masterful Tom Savini, who plays a small role as a leering biker to excellent effect. The subtext comparing the glassy-eyed behavior patterns of the ghouls to those of American consumers is clear, but not overdone: "It's some kind of instinct," Stephen comments, observing the zombies' attraction to the mall; "This was an important place in their lives." Despite the glimmer of hope offered by the film's closing scene, the outlook for humankind is grim. Perhaps it is Frannie who best expresses Dawn's outlook for humanity: "We're not gonna make it, are we?" Several versions of this film are available on video, including a faster-paced European version edited by overseas distributor Dario Argento and a "Director's Cut" with a great deal of exposition restored though Romero is quoted as having preferred the unrated cut released initially to U.S. theaters. The shooting script also contains a more downbeat ending, which was never filmed.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Robert Firsching
One of the most successful independent films ever made -- as well as one of the bloodiest -- this first sequel to Night of the Living Dead couches its splattery goings-on in the context of a satire on pop consumerism. A handful of humans are trapped in a shopping mall filled with flesh-eating zombies who look for all the world like the regular blissed-out customers. Tom Savini's effects are brilliantly and disgustingly realized, with screwdrivers in the head, chunks of flesh bitten from necks, scalps lopped off with helicopter blades, and so on, but this is really more of an action movie than either horror or satire, resembling a particularly gory version of Rio Bravo more than it does its predecessor. Romero fills the film with soldiers, bikers, and other action-movie stalwarts, prefiguring his more obscure genre melding in Knightriders (1981). A tour-de-force of action, gore and wit, Dawn of the Dead is exciting filmmaking, but is not for the squeamish.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 4/27/1999
  • UPC: 013131078039
  • Original Release: 1978

    • Rating:

  • Source: STARZ / ANCHOR BAY
  • Presentation: 20Th Anniversary / Dir Cut / Wide Screen
  • Format: VHS

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Scott Reiniger Roger
Ken Foree Peter
David Emge Stephen
Gaylen Ross Francine
Tom Savini Motorcycle Raider
James A. Baffico Wooley
Fred Baker Commander
Ted Bank Officer at Police Dock
Pasquale A. Buba Motorcycle Raider
Tony Buba Motorcycle Raider
Sharon Ceccatti Lead Zombie
Pan Chatfield Lead Zombie
Jim Christopher Lead Zombie
David Crawford Dr. Foster
Daniel Dietrich Givens
David Earle Mr. Berman
Christine Forrest TV Producer (uncredited)
Richard France Scientist
Jese del Gre Old Priest
John Harrison Screwdriver Zombie
Randy Kovitz Officer at Police Dock
Patrick McCloskey Officer at Police Dock
Clayton McKinnon Officer in Project Apt
Scott H. Reinger
John Rice Officer in Project Apt
George A. Romero TV Director
Marty Schiff Motorcycle Raider
Howard K. Smith TV Commentator
Taso N. Stavrakis Motorcycle Raider
Rod Stouffer Young Officer on Roof
Jay Stover Lead Zombie
Technical Credits
George A. Romero Director, Editor, Screenwriter
John Amplas Casting
Claudio Argento Associate Producer
Dario Argento Score Composer
Tony Buba Sound/Sound Designer
Josie Caruso Costumes/Costume Designer, Production Designer, Set Decoration/Design
Michael Cornick Cinematographer
Kenneth Davidow Editor
Christine Forrest Asst. Director
Goblin Score Composer
Michael Gornick Cinematographer
Richard P. Rubinstein Producer
Tom Savini Makeup, Makeup Special Effects, Special Effects
Donna Siegal Producer
Taso N. Stavrakis Stunts
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 22 )
Rating Distribution

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(17)

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(5)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 22 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The Ultimate Reality Concept

    I first saw this film around 1980. I was age 12, and a friend of mine smuggled me into a midnight showing, skirting the age admission rules. I couldn't hear or even see much in a theater full of riotous teens, but I was quietly intrigued by what I saw: a depiction of an armageddon of sorts. It was strangely not until a day or so after 9/11 that I was moved to view the film again. Sitting at home watching a signal-drained TV, straining through screens of snow to glare at emergency broadcast coverage in a state of petrified fear was a direct reminder of the opening moments of Romero's classic. It only reminded me of what a masterwork in the prophecy of social order and dangers of civilization and man's most visceral connection to man this film really was. Watch it again..carefully.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Amazing

    this movie has it all: laughs, gore galore, jumps, and together it makes the greatest zombie horror film of all time "with the exception of The Evil Dead" this movie is awesome!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    for the original film

    I havent got a chance to buy this version, but the Theatrical Divamax edition was cool. If you are a die-hard fan of the Dead series I recommend the Ultimate edition, mostly because you may find the bonus features to be captivating. If you just wanna see the movie, rent it, buy the theatrical version.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    must see cult classic

    this movie is what really busted the living dead horor doors wide open romero took a low budget and turned it into a magnificent masterpiece if you dont see this movie then you will be ripped apart by flesh eatring hords of zombies or at least should be

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Zombtastic fun

    This movie has it all. Gore, Violence, Death and Biker Gangs. What more could you ask for in a zombie movie. Perfect

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Very Good Sequal

    This is a cult classic horror movie. George A. Romero is one of my favorite horror directors. The acting wasn't so great, and it seemed to last too long but still very entertaining with some of the coolest special effects i've seen in 70's horror movies. Good sequal, and a great horror film.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    DOTD

    Just got this in the mail today its a pettery good box set the feature on it was good and did a pettery good job putting it together. But one thing that was a big disappointment is it didn't come with the 156 mins one, witch I thoght was dumb that they didn't add that to this collection. All the Extended Version is, is George A. Remeros Director's Cut that was on VHS (139 Mins). To me they need to stop srewing up on the DOTD DVDs!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    It's a new Dawn for the Zombie fans

    One of the best zombie movies is finally in a 4-disc set. The Dawn of the Dead Ultimate set is a great buy for any George Romero fans. This 4 Disc set in widescreen format contains hours of fun zombie watching. The box is done in black and the inserts were nice. On the first disc you get to see the Dawn of the Dead we saw in theaters. There are also cool commentaries and trailers which I missed the first time it came out. There's some interesting stuff with a gallery thing they had showing a comic preview and some stuff about Romero. There is also some other stuff on the first disc that I didn't get to yet but I will. The second disc has the extended stuff which made it so worth getting the set for me. It's not like seeing a new movie but it was nice. There is some commentary by the producer in this one and some more gallery stuff with prodction stills and etc. The third disc contains the European Version which was shorter than the U.S. version we all saw, or at least the one I saw and loved. At this point of watching the dvd set I was turing into a zombie myself. A happy zombie I point out. The most interesting things on this disc were the UK tv ad for the film and the commentaries. There was some more gallery stuff which I still haven't yet watched because I wanted to save a little something for later. The fourth disc contains featurette Monroeville Mall tour with George Romero on set home movies with commentary from Robert Langer, document of the dead and the dead will walk. The video quality and audio quality throughout this film was amazing. I can't believe they did such a good job with the video tranfer. There are a nice amount of extras to make most fans happy. If you haven't seen this film before you might want to rent it first but not fans.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Dead Come to life again

    Dawn of the Dead Ultimate Edition is a great set that all Romero fans should own. If you are thinking of buying a set get it from barnes and nobles. The 4 disc set contains hours of zombie watching. It has commentaries, images and version from Europe of the film. Revisit you favorite mall once again.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The best modern horror film ever made. Period.

    While some will give me heck for such a bold statement, I stand by it. As Ernest Hemingway once said of modern literature, 'all modern American literature traces it's origins back to a book by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn.' I believe the same can be said for contemporary horror movies and Dawn of the Dead. Love it or hate it, the impact of the film cannot be overstated.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Perfect sequel

    I love this movie. this movie is perfect. Seeing humanity fall apart is awesome. this movie has comedey, horror, action, and a little bit of drama. What more could you ask for.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    This is a horror must-see for any horror buff

    Dawn of the Dead was great. Although it was shot in the 70's, the special effects were great for a movie back then. All I will tell you is that you will never believe the ending...

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    'Never point a gun at anyone, mister...'

    CLASSIC! Romero's apocalyptic vision resonates throughout this awesome film. Great score by the Goblins, too. Check for George's cameo in the TV studio. First review!!! YES!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 11, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 8, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 7, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 2, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 8, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 31, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 19, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 22 Customer Reviews