It is only fitting for me to start this initiative with the modern classic that shaped many of the horror movies that came after it - at least the good ones. Dawn of the Dead (1978) is George A. Romero's classic zombie tale of survival in the modern society of American commercialism. This film is possibly where Romero because an auteur. While he made history with Night of the Living Dead (1968) and found his own voice with Martin (1977), Dawn was a break-thru which had audience appeal even with an X rating. Also, while Night was the film that created modern horror as we think of it, you must remember that it was an experiment by a group of media professionals to see if working together they could make a full length film, so it was art by committee. Martin, Romero's excellent take on the modern vampire, on the other hand, was a Romero picture that clearly showed his style and flair, but it didn't find an audience till years later on home video. Dawn was Romero's first real success and the people found it in the theaters even without a big ad campaign or commercial support.
So what made Dawn of the Dead so special? It was gritty, dark and didn't shy away from the blood and gore, but at the same time it had realistic characters who we come to know and relate to. Also the film has a sense of satire that ran a bit deeper than one would expect from your average horror flick. Romero has gone on record many times about the rather clear message that the consumerist society that America was reveling in during the 1970s, would be our own downfall. Once our heroes get to the mall, they find us, the American public - zombies spending our hard earned money on things that in the end are useless. The film also pokes fun at the gung ho, military nature, especially in the hick confines of the middle of the country, that enjoy disasters and war so that they can be seen as macho saviors. On top of all that deep thought, the film still stays true to its action, scares and a healthy sense of humor.
Now that I have gotten off my soapbox of genre film history, let's talk about this edition of the film. I am sitting down with the 2007 Blu-ray from Starz/Anchor Bay. The first thing I noticed was that the commentary tracks and featurettes are the same as the Ultimate Edition DVD box set from Anchor Bay. I chose to watch the movie with the pop-up video style trivia. There were some good notes and even a few I hadn't heard before, but the text tended to go away too fast and I had to either rewind or pause in order to read some of the trivia. A few of these pop-ups are obviously in the wrong spots and one had a mistake that was rather obvious to fans about the handyman zombie that attacks Roger in Penny's. A huge plus is that this is definitely the clearest and cleanest transfer of the film that I have ever seen. It makes the picture and colors pop. The only downfall of all this clarity is that much of the film was shot handheld by Michael Gornick and because of that technique there are moments when the focus is blurry. High Def images make the out of focus shots more obvious. But overall the film still looks great.
So why do I love this movie so much? What I always fall in love with on George Romero's movies is the immense character development. His films tend to be rather lengthy, but that is because we need to know these people if we are going to care about them enough to follow them on an adventure. It is his glimpses into the humanity and realism of his characters that make them special. A great example of this comes very early in Dawn of the Dead. When our four heroes are getting ready to take off in their helicopter there are groups of other cops and emergency workers that are also getting ready to leave. One of them, a very quirky guy, is going from group to group asking if anyone has cigarettes. Fran and Roger say no, but the minute they are up in the air, we watch as they light up...and Peter takes this all in with a broad smile. Just like us, he is getting to know the rest of his party. Once we get on the road, the audience gets to see Roger, Peter and even Steven start to become friends as they work and live together. Another great moment is when Fran makes it clear to the guys that she does not intend to be a damsel in distress for them to protect. She wants to learn how to use a gun, fly the copter and be in on any decision making. Just like the consumerist zombies in the mall below her, Fran is a sign of the times. Welcome to the women of the 1970s and the feminist movement...like it or not. All of these moments makes them realistic people to me and make me care more than I would when watching normal horror films. I care about them and become invested in their survival. This is why Dawn, and all of Romero's best films, are important to me.
So have I blathered on long enough about this modern masterpiece that I love? And I could probably talk about it all day if you let me. I haven't even touched on the awesome score by Italian prog-rockers Goblin, the revolutionary special effects by maestro Tom Savini or the blistering commentary on the effects of media on society. The moral of the story is this: If you haven't seen the original Dawn of the Dead (not the mediocre 2004 remake), than you need to watch it now. Buy it, rent it, stream it...do whatever you have to do, but enjoy this Halloween season with the real reason that the world cares about zombies, not The Walking Dead, but the groundbreaking, 1978 classic, Dawn of the Dead!
I haven't seen the original so I should be shamed of myself. You do make it sound worth watching even though you know movies before 2000 and I don't get along. LOL. I'll give it try though. Thanks for posting the review.
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