Rating: 
Summary: Avoid the US theatrical cut
Review: The amount of stars I have rated this DVD has nothing to do with how good this movie is (if that were the case, it would be five stars). What you may already know, is the greatness of this movie itself, what you may not know is the different versions available. The only way to really enjoy this movie is in the directors cut. The US cut is a cramped, rushed version, that does not let you get the full flavor of the movie. Not to mention, both DVD's have no special features to make them appealing. I am personally fortunate enough to have the old "special edition" laserdisc of this movie. It came in an oversized box with three digitally formatted discs. It also contained an unbelievable amount of memoribilia on the last disc, that contained the entire shooting script with the original "suicide" ending, countless pictures, television spots (foreign and domestic), radio spots, artwork, the real mall floorplans, board games, fan testimonials and more! This edition even has commentary by George Romero, his assistant director and his make up artist. This was an exrtemely advanced package for laserdiscs at that time. You may think I am trying to brag, but I want you know what you're buying. I want the DVD version really bad, but am holding out for a better package to come along. There's nothing out there right now that is comparable to my laserdisc version, which is a shame. If you have to buy this movie, make sure it's the directors cut.
Rating:
Summary: Worth seeing, but not Romero's best
Review: If you want to see Tom Savini dish up gore, you'll get much more viscera for your buck with the (to my mind) under-rated "Day of the Dead". If you want a satire on consumerism, watch "American Psycho". (The admittedly great line about why the zombies come to the mall - "It was an important place in their lives" - is about as trenchant as Romero's satire gets.) And if you want real haunt-your-nightmares zombie chills, nothing has ever come remotely close to the original "Night of the Living Dead".But "Dawn" is worth watching for its great premise and skillful direction, even though it's half an hour too long (the condition now known as "Tarantino-itis") and undercuts its effectiveness with silliness like having bikers attack the zombies with cream pies. In particular, the end credits - though not half as powerful as those in the first film - are memorably creepy. (The DVD extras are just as paltry as everyone says and should not be an added incentive to purchase.)
Rating: 
Summary: Very Creepy, very 80's, and very up to par.
Review: This is one of Romero's best. It tells a great story of survival in the most interesting setting that could bring out so many ideas for a movie... the mall!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best of the genre gets shoddy treatment on DVD
Review: This brilliant, stunning, and apocalyptic vision by George Romero is truly one of the genre's best epic films, even surpassing its predecessor, 'Night of the Living Dead'. If your looking for more than the average, lame-brained teenage slasher film or exploitation blood bath, go here. This is a savage satiric attack on American consumerism that is even more meaningful today than it was in 1979. Likeable characters and and intelligent, well-plotted script, this film mixes in just the right doses of humor, action, horror and tragedy, placing it heads and tails above nearly anything you will find on the shelves today. The Star Wars of horror films! The only reason this DVD received 4 stars and not 5 is because of the lame job Anchor Bay did with it. Yes, it's in widescreen and the image transfer looks pretty good. Ok, but those things should be standard by now. Everyone who is a fan of this film already knows that there are a lot more scenes that were featured in the European release that quite easily could have been included here as extras. Instead, we get two! There is no director's commentary, and if ANY film should have one, it's Dawn of the Dead! Last but certainly not least is the terrible sound reproduction. Why haven't they remasted this soundtrack into Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS?? The score is fantastic and deserved much better. If anyone from Anchor Bay is reading this, PLEASE release a better version of this!!! By the way, AVOID at all costs the "alternate soundtrack" version of this movie. It takes out all the great weird elements of the soundtrack in favor of a more contemporary "mellower" souding score, leaving in it's place a weaker, paler version of the film.
Rating:
Summary: A Thinking Man's Horror Film
Review: Dawn Of The Dead is truly one of the most influencial movies to come out in the last twenty years. But for all the films (splatter, cannibal, zombie, whatever label you care to attach to) that this movie inspired or just plain ripped off (we're talking close to a hundred films, folks), not ONE film comes close to Romero's take of the reliance of society's commercialism and the ultimate downfall of our dependency for it. These issues usually don't pop up in horror films. It also has one of the best and influencial soundtracks ever utilized in a horror movie. A full score written for the movie by the soundtrack specialist group Goblin and tracks from the DeWolfe Music Library edited together as only George Romero can make a perfect match to what is on the screen. There are no punches pulled here. Unfortunately, Anchor Bay's 20 Anniversary Edition DVD is a letdown. The picture and sound quality is the best I've ever seen and heard, but it's a full frame picture with some information lost in the 1.66:1 letterboxing. The DVD supplements are truly disappointing. A theatrical trailer, a Monroeville Mall commercial spot, and a few alternate scenes used from Dario Argento's European version (another story in itself). Ironically, these scenes are presented in the correct 1.85:1 matting. Weird. At the very least there should have been an audio commentary from George Romero, makeup effects artist/actor Tom Savini, or even from a film historian, say Tim Lucas; this would do the film justice. As it is, I'm still giving this DVD a four star rating; it's too important a movie to be ignored. I think it would do some so called "horror movie directors" some good to revisit this classic film. Frankly, it puts a lot of today's horror movies to shame.
Rating:
Summary: DAWN OF THE DEAD
Review: DAWN OF THE DEAD is George Romero's sequel to his horror classic NGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, and it is just as good as the first film. This time, we follow three men and a pregnant woman who lock themselves up inside an abandoned shopping mall to get away from the living dead that have risen from there graves and taken over half the world population. We all know that you can kill one of the living dead by shooting it in the head or chopping the head off, and if a human is bitten by one of the living dead they will eventually turn into the living dead. The survivors in the shopping mall are able to take what they need (food, clothing, personal items, etc.) in order to make it for as long as they can without going outside of the mall. Soon, a gang of bikers and rebels find out that some people are hiding out in the mall and they decide to break in and take what they can't get. Now, the living dead find there way into the mall and a showdown takes place between the survivors, the bikers and rebels, and the living dead. This film has horror, drama, suspense, and some humor thrown in for good measure!
Rating:
Summary: the Cult 1979 Horror masterpiece.
Review: This is the sequel to Night of the Living Dead ( 1968), it starts off in Pennsylvania ( the same town) and years since the Zombie House inncident occured, the Zombies return for revenge. This time, The Zombies are taking over the entire state of Pennslyvania while a group of SWAT team members hide out in America's Biggest Mall for shelter and a place to get lots of weapons to defend against the flesh eating Ghouls. It's a impressive work of Horror and art at the same time, it shows what Society has created and that it could be destroyed. It's got plenty of splatter to please you horror fans and it's done by Tom Savini's unique special effects makeup. Recommendations: Night of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, The Evil Dead, Scanners, and Scream.
Rating:
Summary: Gross, but entertaining
Review: Everyone loves zombie movies. But this movie was just disgusting. Far from Romero's best. Pales in comparison to Night of the Living Dead. Much more funny than scary. There are many instances when this movie just gets silly. However, he silliness is counter-acted by extreme gore. This movie is disgusting and is NOT for the squeamish. If you get sick easily, avoid this movie. One example: Perfect camera angle of a person's stomach getting torn open and entrails being pulled out. If just reading that makes you sick, DONT watch the movie. I enjoyed it, being a horror fan, but i felt the gore was more than a little overblown. Stick with the original NotLD or the remake for a scary zombie movie. If you're in the mood for siliness and over-the-top gore, then go with this one.
Rating:
Summary: A Rare Sequel That Surpasses It's Predecessor.
Review: 11 long years after his highly successful directorial debut "Night of the Living Dead" (1968), cinematic horror maestro George Romero unleashed its first sequel, "Dawn of the Dead", one of those rare continuations that not only equals its predecessor, but even manages to surpass it. The film basically picks up where "Night" left off. By now the plague of man-eating zombies has all but engulfed the nation and a small band of rebels have managed to fortify themselves inside a Pennsylvanian shopping mall. However, they are not alone in the mall as they only occupy a small upstairs storage room unknown to the multitude of zombies shuffling through the myriad of department stores below them. That's all I'm going to say about this movie because its such a great film and I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't yet had a chance to view it. I will say this however, "Dawn of the Dead" is certainly not for the sqeamish and those who do not particularly care for horror films. The amount of gore in the film is often very excessive and the atmosphere maintained in the film is one that is highly unsettling. True fans of the genre who have not seen this film yet, though, should make a point to see it as soon as possible. If there are any questions or doubts going through your mind as to this film's level of actual "horror", let me just say this. Personally, I do not scare easily and very rarely do I ever see a film that actually frightens me or makes me feel uneasy. However, to date, I have had atleast 2 or 3 nightmares brought about as a result from having viewed Romero's "Dead" trilogy. Both "Night" and "Dawn" are very well made and scary motion pictures, while the third entry, "Day of the Dead", even though not a bad film, lacks the crucial elements that made the first two films the horror classics they have become. A possible fourth entry in Romero's series of Zombie films has been hinted at for years, but George has stated that it will probably never come to be. His fans can only wait and hope.
Rating:
Summary: A macabre masterpiece
Review: This film works as either a commentary on the society of today or an outright apocalyptic mind-blower. The reality of the situation is heightened by the opening TV station sequence and it works because it literally throws the viewer into the midst of chaos. Good direction and although most of the actors "lay it on a bit thick" it works. You can't help but start thinking about what YOU would do in these unbelievable situations.
|
