Undoubtedly the zombie movie to end 'em all.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:37
Fresh:35
Rotten:2
Average Rating:8.4/10
Consensus: One of the most compelling and entertaining zombie films ever, Dawn of the Dead perfectly blends pure horror and gore with social commentary on bourgeois society.
Runtime: 6 hrs 25 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: Picking up where NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD left off, and still offering no explanation of why the dead are walking the earth, DAWN OF THE DEAD plunges headlong into one of the most violent and... Picking up where NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD left off, and still offering no explanation of why the dead are walking the earth, DAWN OF THE DEAD plunges headlong into one of the most violent and original horror films ever made. After securing an apartment building overcome with flesh-eating zombies, two Philadelphia area SWAT team members, Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott Reiniger), flee to a television station, where they escape in the station's helicopter with Francine (Gaylen Ross) and Stephen (David Emge), two station employees. Seeking refuge from the zombies and the ensuing hysteria, they land on top of a Pittsburgh area shopping mall, despite the fact that the undead seem to be flocking there. What begins as a stop for supplies becomes a longer stay as the four become embroiled in a futile war within the mall to keep their flesh to themselves and remain alive. The film's relentlessly disturbing and innovative gore effects are one reason to see DAWN OF THE DEAD, but those who can stomach the endless barrage of blood and gnarled zombie faces will be rewarded--and possibly surprised--by what the film says about human nature and life within a consumer-based culture. Any aficionado of horror is likely to place the film high on their list of revered cinema. [More]
Starring: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross
Starring: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross, Tom Savini, David Crawford, George A. Romero, David Early, Richard France
Director: George A. Romero
Director: George A. Romero
Screenwriter: George A. Romero
Producer: Richard P. Rubinstein
Composer: Goblin
Reviews for Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead abandons easy scare tactics in favor of a darkly satirical assault on bourgeois culture, traditional notions of masculinity, and rampant consumerism.
As a blend of horror, action, tension, and humour, it stands in a class of its own.
Hard to believe that they fired [Romero] from directing RESIDENT EVIL, after that entire franchise ripped off his movies to begin with
Widely considered that rare sequel which is better than the original.
This is both a fine straight-up horror and an archly sly comment on consumer society.
Romero's sensibility approaches the Swiftian in its wit, accuracy, excess, and profound misanthropy.
Grim, gruelling but beautifully shot, this is intelligent, sophisticated horror.
Dawn of the Dead’s most unsettling aspect is in how it shows us how little we’ve changed as a culture.
In a rare league of ingenious horror films that are utterly timeless...
It's a lot smarter than its appearance suggests, and Romero completely sucks you into a story that's wholly engrossing and epic in its apocalyptic ambitions and scope.
Upon a second viewing, Dawn of the Dead is still just as scary and just as relevant (more so than the remake).
Latest News for Dawn of the Dead
May 19, 2008:
Romero's Dawn of the Dead Rising in 3-D ![]()
Thanks to a process called "dimensionalization," George A. Romero's Dawn for the Dead will see re-release in 3-D. More...
March 13, 2008:
Top Ten Death Proof Exploitation Films: the films that wouldn’t die.
Exploitation films are B-grade gold for those who like it rough, sleazy and thrill-packed. More...
March 07, 2008:
Guide of the Dead - An RT Romero Retrospective
As Diary of the Dead hits cinemas, we sit down with George A. Romero to talk retrospectively about what has come from his zombie opus, the Dead series, and what the future has... More...
February 15, 2008:
George A. Romero on Diary of the Dead: The RT Interview
With sequel talk already on the horizon, RT chats up horror legend George A. Romero about zombie movies and the latest addition to his Living Dead series. More...
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