U.S. Premiere: April 7, 1979
Written, Directed, and Edited by George A. Romero
Cast: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross, David Crawford, David Early, Richard France, Howard Smith, Daniel Dietrich, Fred Baker, James A. Baffico, Jese Del Gre, Randy Kovitz, Joseph Pilato, Pasquale Buba, Tony Buba, Tom Savini, George A. Romero
Soundtrack: De Wolfe Music Library (U.S.)/Dario Argento & Goblin (International)
I know what you’re thinking.
I know exactly what you’re thinking.
Dawn of the Dead is a seminal horror classic with legions of fans around the world.
“Why on Earth would it need defending?”
Come with me, my friends, and I will show you (the walk is not far).
True, Dawn of the Dead is a Classic whether I say so or not. The story of four heroes (Stephen, Peter, Roger, and Fran) on a quest to survive the Zombie Apocalypse (brilliantly unexplained in the film), hunkered down in a lush suburban shopping center after escaping the ravages of Philadelphia (and also the undead), is as compelling as ever after the events of 2020 and onward; but while the film is undoubtedly punctuated by horrific violence, it has so much more to offer.
Dawn of the Dead fervently checks off the classic horror criterion of “How Would I Handle This Situation?” while simultaneously asking deep ethical questions on the level of great sci-fi, while also being, at its core, just kind of a fun adventure movie.
Honestly, if you were to hypothetically tone down the gore, Dawn of the Dead could easily be a Saturday Matinee you could watch with the whole family; not that I’m advocating for that sort of censorship, I’m just pointing out how surprisingly enjoyable of a film it is in spite of, perhaps, its reputation in some circles as nothing more than a gross-out geek show.
And that’s why I feel the need to “defend” it. Because Dawn of the Dead is not just a “good horror movie,” it’s an outstanding movie by any standard, and deserves respect on that level (“Film School” level, if you will).
If I have any criticisms whatsoever, it’s that some of the music choices in the U.S. Theatrical version feel a bit clunky, and there’s one aspect of the ending that I find puzzling, but overall it’s a wonderful movie from start to finish.
Rating: ★★★★☆