DAWN OF THE DEAD-ULTIMATE (DVD/4 DISC) DVD

Dawn of the Dead
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. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Cast Scott Reiniger as Roger Ken Foree as Peter David Emge as Stephen Gaylen Ross as Francine Tom Savini as Motorcycle Raider

Crew Claudio Argento - Associate Producer John Amplas - Casting Josie Caruso - Costume Designer Christine Forrest - First Assistant Director George A. Romero - Director Kenneth Davidow - Editor George A. Romero - Editor Carl Augenstein - Lighting Dario Argento - Composer (Music Score) Goblin - Composer (Music Score) Tom Savini - Makeup Tom Savini - Makeup Special Effects Josie Caruso - Production Designer Michael Cornick - Cinematographer Michael Gornick - Cinematographer Richard P. Rubinstein - Producer Donna Siegal - Producer Josie Caruso - Set Designer Tom Savini - Special Effects Tony Buba - Sound/Sound Designer Taso N. Stavrakis - Stunts George A. Romero - Screenwriter

Dawn of the Dead
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. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: DD2: Dolby Digital Stereo DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DD1: Dolby Digital Mono DTS: Digital Theater Systems (akin to 5.1) Additional Features: cc U.S. Theatrical Version: Widescreen presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs Audio commentary with writer/director George A. Romero, makeup effects creator Tom Savini, and assistant director Chris Romero (moderated by DVD producer Perry Martin) Theatrical trailers TV spots Radio spots Poster & advertising gallery George A. Romero bio Comic book preview Presented in 5.1 DTS Surround Sound, 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, 2.0 Dolby Surround, and original Mono Extended Version: Widescreen presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs Audio commentary with producer Richard P. Rubinstein (moderated by DVD producer Perry Martin) Monroeville Mall commercial Behind-the-scenes photo gallery Memorabilia gallery Production stills Presented in original Mono European Version: Widescreen presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs Audio commentary with actors David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, and Gaylen Ross International theatrical trailers U.K. TV spots International lobby card gallery International poster & advertising gallery International pressbook gallery Home video & soundtrack artwork Dario Argento bio Presented in 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, 2.0 Dolby Surround, and original Mono Documentaries: "The Dead Will Walk": An all-new documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew members Claudio Argento, Dario Argento, Pat Buba, Tony Buba, Zilla Clinton, David Crawford, David Early, David Emge, Ken Foree, Michael Gornick, John Harrison, Clayton Hill, Sharon Ceccatti-Hill, Jim Krut, Leonard Lies, Scott H. Reiniger, Chris Romero, George A. Romero, Gaylen Ross, Tom Savini, and Claudio Simonetti "Roy Frumkes' Document of the Dead": The original documentary filmed during the making of Dawn of the Dead by filmmaker Roy Frumkes On-set home movies with audio commentary from zombie extra Robert Langer Monroeville Mall tour with actor Ken Foree DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 4 DVD Sides: 4 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- Dawn of the Dead - U.S. Theatrical Version 1. Breakdown (Main Titles) [5:44] 2. Ghetto Holocaust [5:23] 3. Slaughter of the Living Dead [5:17] 4. Getting Out [4:23] 5. The Airport [5:18] 6. Running on Empty [1:04] 7. Refuge [4:48] 8. Mall of Monsters [4:49] 9. Shopping Spree [5:33] 10. Don't Open the Door [9:22] 11. Home, Hellish Home [3:10] 12. Pure Motorized Instinct [3:45] 13. Hauling Ass [10:18] 14. Guns, Glory and Gore [3:41] 15. No Backing Out [6:18] 16. Cleaning House [6:42] 17. When There's No More Room in Hell [6:11] 18. Life as Usual [7:29] 19. The Invaders [7:44] 20. Say Goodbye, Creeps! [7:06] 21. Feast of the Dead [3:52] 22. Friend No More [2:09] 23. Escape to Nowhere [4:44] 24. End Credits [1:56] Side #2 -- Dawn of the Dead - Extended Version 1. Breakdown (Main Titles) [5:44] 2. Ghetto Holocaust [5:23] 3. Slaughter of the Living Dead [5:17] 4. Getting Out [4:23] 5. The Airport [5:18] 6. Running on Empty [1:04] 7. Refuge [4:48] 8. Mall of Monsters [4:49] 9. Shopping Spree [5:33] 10. Don't Open the Door [9:22] 11. Home, Hellish Home [3:10] 12. Pure Motorized Instinct [3:45] 13. Hauling Ass [10:18] 14. Guns, Glory and Gore [3:41] 15. No Backing Out [6:18] 16. Cleaning House [6:42] 17. When There's No More Room in Hell [6:11] 18. Life as Usual [7:29] 19. The Invaders [7:44] 20. Say Goodbye, Creeps! [7:06] 21. Feast of the Dead [3:52] 22. Friend No More [2:09] 23. Escape to Nowhere [4:44] 24. End Credits [1:56] Side #3 -- Dawn of the Dead - European Version 1. Breakdown (Main Titles) [5:44] 2. Ghetto Holocaust [5:23] 3. Slaughter of the Living Dead [5:17] 4. Getting Out [4:23] 5. The Airport [5:18] 6. Running on Empty [1:04] 7. Refuge [4:48] 8. Mall of Monsters [4:49] 9. Shopping Spree [5:33] 10. Don't Open the Door [9:22] 11. Home, Hellish Home [3:10] 12. Pure Motorized Instinct [3:45] 13. Hauling Ass [10:18] 14. Guns, Glory and Gore [3:41] 15. No Backing Out [6:18] 16. Cleaning House [6:42] 17. When There's No More Room in Hell [6:11] 18. Life as Usual [7:29] 19. The Invaders [7:44] 20. Say Goodbye, Creeps! [7:06] 21. Feast of the Dead [3:52] 22. Friend No More [2:09] 23. Escape to Nowhere [4:44] 24. End Credits [1:56]