Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Director:

George A. Romero

Writer:

George A. Romero (written by)

Release Date:

24 May 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

George A. Romero's classic 1978 gore-fest, Dawn of the Dead, is back.

Plot:

Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

Plot Keywords:

Mall | Sequel | Shopping Mall | Helicopter | Flesh Eating Zombies

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

David Emge	...	Stephen
Ken Foree	...	Peter
Scott H. Reiniger	...	Roger
Gaylen Ross	...	Francine
David Crawford	...	Dr. Foster
David Early	...	Mr. Berman
Richard France	...	Scientist
Howard Smith	...	TV Commentator
Daniel Dietrich	...	Givens
Fred Baker	...	Commander
James A. Baffico	...	Wooley (as Jim Baffico)
Rod Stouffer	...	Young Officer on Roof
Jese Del Gre	...	Old Priest
Clayton McKinnon	...	Officer in Project Apt.
John Rice	...	Officer in Project Apt.
Ted Bank	...	Officer at Police Dock
Randy Kovitz	...	Officer at Police Dock
Patrick McCloskey	...	Officer at Police Dock
Joseph Pilato	...	Officer at Police Dock (as Joe Pilato)
Pasquale Buba	...	Motorcycle Raider
Tony Buba	...	Motorcycle Raider
Butchie	...	Motorcycle Raider (as 'Butchie')
Dave Hawkins	...	Motorcycle Raider
Tom Kapusta	...	Motorcycle Raider
Rudy Ricci	...	Motorcycle Raider
Tom Savini	...	Motorcycle Raider
Marty Schiff	...	Motorcycle Raider
Joe Shelby	...	Motorcycle Raider
Taso N. Stavrakis	...	Motorcycle Raider (as Taso Stavrakos)
Nick Tallo	...	Motorcycle Raider
Larry Vaira	...	Motorcycle Raider
Sharon Ceccatti	...	Lead Zombie
Pam Chatfield	...	Lead Zombie
Mike Christopher	...	Lead Zombie
Clayton Hill	...	Lead Zombie
Jay Stover	...	Lead Zombie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Abeln	...	Redneck Rifleman That Misses (uncredited)
John Amplas	...	2nd Guy on Roof (uncredited)
Liz Augenstein	...	On Air Girl at WGON-TV (uncredited)
Joey Baffico	...	Zombie Who Sticks Fingernails Into Roger's Wounded Leg (uncredited)
Ben Barenholtz	...	Cowboy Hat Zombie Hit by Sledge (uncredited)
Dave Bartholomew	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Zilla Clinton	...	Blonde Biker Chick Riding Motorcycle (uncredited)
The Pagans Motorcycle Club	...	Various Bikers (uncredited)
John Cosgrove	...	Tall Bearded Zombie Clawing at Mall Door (uncredited)
Susan Cosgrove	...	Crosshairs Zombie #3 (uncredited)
Lee Cummings	...	Bathing Suit Zombie (uncredited)
Jim Edemensen	...	WGON-TV Cameraman (uncredited)
Chet Flippo	...	Cowboy Zombie (uncredited)
J. Clifford Forrest Jr.	...	Featured Elderly Zombie (uncredited)
Christine Forrest	...	TV Producer / Elf Zombie / Voice of Monroeville Mall Announcer (uncredited)
Cliff Forrest	...	Tony, Man at WGON - TV ('You all right?') (uncredited)
Ingeborg Forrest	...	Mall Zombie Wearing Blue Nightgown (uncredited)
Nancy Friedman	...	Bandana Girl Zombie (uncredited)
Roy Frumkes	...	1st Pie-In-Face Zombie (uncredited)
Ron Gibson	...	Landlord Zombie in Tenement Cellar (uncredited)
Michael Gornick	...	Voice of News Reporter on Radio (uncredited)
Barry Gress	...	Parking Lot Zombie Knocking Sign Over (uncredited)
John Harrison	...	Screwdriver Zombie (uncredited)
Chuck Hoffman	...	Bearded Zombie Outside Gun Store (uncredited)
Michael James	...	Bald Zombie in Bikers' Battle (uncredited)
Jeannie Jefferies	...	Blonde Zombie Who Attacks Roger in Truck (uncredited)
Susan Kilmartin	...	Yellow-Green Striped Shirt Zombie (uncredited)
Vic Kleinman	...	Charlie Parker - WGON-TV Typist who hands out notes to Francine (Francine's Ex-Husband) (uncredited)
Walt Kravo	...	Bearded Zombie Who Bites Moonbaby's Neck (uncredited)
Jim Krut	...	Helicopter Zombie (uncredited)
Tommy Lafitte	...	Miguel, The Zombie (uncredited)
Ralph Langer	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Robert Langer	...	Zombie Eating Bikers' Flesh (uncredited)
Maxine Lapiduss	...	Redhead Zombie Outside J.C. Penny (uncredited)
Ed Letteri	...	Long-Haired Man by Door at WGON-TV (uncredited)
Lenny Lies	...	Machete Zombie (uncredited)
Michael Lies	...	WGON-TV Sideburns Man Wearing Vest (uncredited)
Barbara Lifsher	...	Mary 'Chickie' / Blonde Biker Chick Driving Van (uncredited)
Frank Mamone	...	Biker (uncredited)
Nicholas Mastandrea	...	Mall Zombie Outside Gun Store (uncredited)
Molly McCloskey	...	Lovely Woman at WGON - TV ('My turn for the coat.') (uncredited)
Doug Mertz	...	Preppie Zombie - 2nd Pie-In Face (uncredited)
Robert V. Michelucci	...	Bearded Scope Zombie / Zombie Who Attacks Mousey (uncredited)
Bob Miller	...	Funeral Zombie Wearing Three-Piece Suit (uncredited)
Ken Nagin	...	Pendant Headband Biker - with Axe (uncredited)
Jack Pappalardo	...	Lead Zombie - Bach's Arco Pitcairn Pitcher (uncredited)
Jeff Paul	...	Biker Who Shoots Flyboy (uncredited)
John Paul	...	Bald Zombie - Airport Chart House (uncredited)
Donald Pollock	...	Zombie in Parking Lot (uncredited)
Sukey Raphael	...	Red Poncho Zombie - 3rd Pie-In Face (uncredited)
E. Butler Richards	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Russell L. Richards	...	Zombie (uncredited)
George A. Romero	...	TV Director / Nick - Biker in Santa Claus Suit (uncredited)
Donald Rubinstein	...	Roger's Zombie Attacker in Parking Lot (uncredited)
Katherine Rubinstein	...	Brunette Biker Chick Throwing Pies and Cakes (uncredited)
Donna Savini	...	Zombie Girl in Airport Chart House (uncredited)
Mike Savini	...	Zombie Boy in Airport Chart House (uncredited)
Frank A. Serrao	...	Fat Grey-Suited Zombie (uncredited)
Warner Shook	...	Security Guard Zombie Who Attacks Stephen in Mall Basement (uncredited)
Stephen M. Silverman	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Ralph Tallo	...	Stephen's Grey Suited Airport Zombie Attacker (hit by sledgehammer) (uncredited)
Bobbi Van Eman	...	Beautiful Curly Haired Female WGON-TV Technician Behind TV Station Employee (uncredited)
Sara Venable	...	Leotard Zombie Hit by Sledge (uncredited)
Vincent Vok	...	WGON - TV Station Employee (uncredited)
Billie Walters	...	Biker Chick (uncredited)
Vickie Walters	...	Biker Chick (uncredited)
Robert Williams	...	Soldier in Apartment Project (uncredited)
Laura Ziemba	...	Ice Skating Rink Zombie (uncredited)

Directed by
George A. Romero

Writing credits
George A. Romero		(written by)

Produced by
Claudio Argento	....	A Laurel Group Production in association with
Alfredo Cuomo	....	A Laurel Group Production in association with
Richard P. Rubinstein	....	producer
Donna Siegel	....	assistant producer

Original Music by
Dario Argento
Goblin		(as The Goblins)
Agostino Marangolo		(uncredited)
Massimo Morante		(uncredited)
Fabio Pignatelli		(uncredited)
Claudio Simonetti		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Michael Gornick		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George A. Romero
Dario Argento		(recut version) (uncredited)

Casting by
John Amplas

Set Decoration by
Josie Caruso
Barbara Lifsher

Costume Design by
Josie Caruso

Makeup Department
Nancy Allen	....	make up assistant
Ted Bank	....	second assistant makeup artist
Joseph A. Campayno	....	second assistant makeup artist (as Joe Campayno)
Jeannie Jefferies	....	make up assistant
John Amplas	....	second assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Randy Kovitz	....	second assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Joseph Pilato	....	second assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Joe Shelby	....	second assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Zilla Clinton	....	production manager
Jay Stover	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christine Forrest	....	assistant director

Art Department
Joseph Eberle	....	graphics

Sound Department
Tony Buba	....	sound recordist
Tony Buba	....	sound
Rick Dior	....	re-recording mixer (as Richard Dior)
Robert Williams	....	boom man

Special Effects by
Don Berry	....	explosive effects
Tom Savini	....	makeup & cosmetic special effects
Gary Zeller	....	explosive effects

Visual Effects by
Arthur J. Canestro	....	consultant

Stunts
Leonard DeStefans	....	stunt driver: truck
John Konter	....	stunt driver: truck
Tom Savini	....	stuntman
Carl Scott	....	stunt driver: truck
Taso N. Stavrakis	....	stuntman (as Taso Stavrakis)
Tom Savini	....	stunt double: Jeannie Jefferies (uncredited)
Tom Savini	....	stunt double: Larry Vaira (uncredited)
Marty Schiff	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Shelby	....	stunts (uncredited)
Taso N. Stavrakis	....	stunt double: Nancy Friedman (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Augenstein	....	lighting
Dan Bertha	....	grip
Bradley Drumheller	....	grip
Tom Dubensky	....	assistant cameraman
Cliff Forrest	....	key grip
Katherine Kolbert	....	still photography
Lenny Lies	....	grip
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	key grip (as Nick Mastandrea)
Clayton McKinnon	....	grip
Ken Nagin	....	grip
Daniel Silk	....	grip
Tom Wholey	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ellen Hopkins	....	casting assistant
Michael Lies	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michèle Martin	....	wardrobe (as Michele Martin)
Michael Lies	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Piero Bozza	....	assistant editor (Italian edition)
Kenneth Davidow	....	assistant editor
Otto Paoloni	....	advisor: Technicolor
Joe Violante	....	advisor: Technicolor (as Joey Violante)
John Dowdell	....	hd colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Dario Argento	....	composer: additional soundtrack
The Goblins	....	original sound track
Giorgio Agazzi	....	music recordist (uncredited)
Pierre Arvay	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Herbert Chappell	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
DeWolfe	....	music publisher (uncredited)
Don Harper	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Don Harper	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Paul Lemel	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Agostino Marangolo	....	musician: drums, percussions, piano (uncredited)
Antonio Marangolo	....	musician: saxophone (uncredited)
Phil May	....	musician: lead vocals (uncredited)
Massimo Morante	....	musician: guitar, bass, mandolin (uncredited)
Keith Papworth	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Simon Park	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Fabio Pignatelli	....	musician: bass and acoustic guitar (uncredited)
John Povey	....	musician: drums & percussions (uncredited)
Carlo Rustichelli	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Derek Scott	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Claudio Simonetti	....	musician: keyboards, organ and violin (uncredited)
Barry Stoller	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Dick Taylor	....	musician: lead guitar (uncredited)
Reg Tilsley	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Eric Towren	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Jack Trombey	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Cliff Twemlow	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Wally Waller	....	musician: bass guitar (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank A. Serrao	....	production driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Dario Argento	....	script consultant
Leslie Augenstein	....	production assistant
Ben Barenholtz	....	distribution consultant
Jim Barger	....	mall security
Barth Bartholomae	....	helicopter pilot
Billy 'Silver Dollar' Baxter	....	presenter (as Billy Baxter)
Jean Bertl	....	titles
Sharon Ceccatti	....	production assistant
James Chai	....	titles
Francine Davidoff	....	publicity assistant
Margarida Delgado	....	production assistant
Diane Donati	....	slate
Charles Forman	....	production accounting
Renée Furst	....	publicist (as Renee Furst)
Jose Gallardo	....	titles (as Jose V. Gallardo)
Clayton Hill	....	weapons coordinator
Ed Letteri	....	production assistant
Karen Levy	....	titles
Dan Lupovitz	....	production assistant
Alberto Piferi	....	additional dialogue: Italian edition
John Rice	....	continuity
Herbert R. Steinmann	....	presenter
Vincent D. Survinski	....	business manager (as Vince Survinski)
Bill Wagner	....	mall liaison
Diane Westerman	....	production assistant
John Amplas	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Donna Siegel	....	assistant: Mr. Rubinstein (uncredited)
Larry Vaira	....	biker wrangler (uncredited)

Thanks
Robert Cox	....	produced with the cooperation of
Marvin Lieber	....	produced with the cooperation of
Miguel Lisenberg	....	produced with the cooperation of
Alvin Rogal	....	produced with the cooperation of
Frank Rubinstein	....	produced with the cooperation of
Irvin Shapiro	....	produced with the cooperation of
Max Toberoff	....	produced with the cooperation of
Susan Vermazen	....	produced with the cooperation of

Production Companies

• Laurel Group (as a Laurel Group Production)

Distributors

• United Film Distribution Company (UFDC) (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astral Films (1979) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Ízaro Films (1979) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Éditions René Chateau (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• Thorn EMI Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI Video (1983) (USA) (video) (betamax)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Elite Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD) (139 Minute Director's/Cannes Festival Cut)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (1998) (Germany) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD) (128 Minute 20th Anniversary Hybrid Extended Version)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• BMG Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (Divimax Series - 127 Minute 'True' Theatrical/Director's Version)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Trilogy of the Dead) (Director's Cut and European Cut)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• MKR Group (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Video Treasures (1996) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Aquarius Sound  sound transfers
• Brooks Van Horne  costumes (as Brooks Van Horn)
• C & L Shipping  film shipping
• De Wolfe Music  production music (uncredited)
• Exceptional Opticals  optical effects
• F & B Ceco  equipment (as F & B Ceco/New York)
• Hairtique  hairstyles
• Latent Image, The  production services (as The Latent Image. Inc.)
• Laurel Tape & Film  production services (as Laurel Tape & Film. Inc.)
• Listening Post, The  hi-fi equipment (as The Listening Post. Inc.)
• Lupovitz Furs  fur coats
• Maiers  costumes (as Maiers. Pittsburgh)
• Oxford Development Co.  produced with the cooperation of
• Pennsylvania National Guard (1st Battalion. 10th Field Artillery)  produced with the cooperation of
• Pittsburgh Explorers Club  produced with the cooperation of
• Pittsburgh Housing Authority  produced with the cooperation of
• Production Coordinators  sets
• Resource Investments  produced with the cooperation of (as Resource Investments. Inc.)
• Rogal Company  insurance (as Rogal & Company)
• Royale Helicopter  helicopter services (as Royale Helicopter. Inc.)
• The Plastics Factory  weapons
• Trans / Audio  re-recording mixer (as Trans/Audio, Inc.)
• Ultimate Mirror, The  production services (as The Ultimate Mirror. Ltd.)
• Wechsher Meyers Wolsh  production accounting
• Wickes Furniture  home furnishings

Also Known As:

"George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead" - UK (closing credits title), USA (complete title)
"The Zombies" - Philippines (English title)

Runtime:

127 min | Germany:156 min (Ultimate Final Cut) | Italy:119 min (Dario Argento's European Version) | Spain:115 min | USA:128 min (DVD version) | USA:139 min (Extended Version)

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (German prints) | Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Chile:14 (video rating) | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | Denmark:16 | France:-16 (re-rating) | France:X (original rating) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 (DVD rating) | Norway:(Banned) (original rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) (uncut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:X (original rating) (rating surrendered) | USA:Unrated | West Germany:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (2004) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Italy:VM18 (DVD rating) | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (Original rating) | Brazil:18 | USA:NC-17 (uncut) | USA:NC-17 (director's cut) | USA:X (cut) | USA:X (director's cut) | USA:X (VHS/DVD rating) | USA:X (X-rated) | USA:X (original rating) | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:NC-17 (cinema release) | USA:NC-17 (VHS/DVD rating) | USA:NC-17 (certificate number not listed) | USA:NC-17 (Complete Box Set) | India:A

Filming Locations:

Harold W. Brown Memorial Field - 3926 Logans Farm Road, Monroeville, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Laurel Group

Trivia:

George A. Romero's favourite film in the "Dead" series. It was also his favourite audience experience when it was first released into cinemas.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Roger is supposedly putting gas in the helicopter, he actually has the nozzle stuck in a footstep used for climbing up and inspecting the engine. The step has a spring-loaded cover that swings inward. The gas nozzle is simply stuck inside the cover.

Quotes:

[about to whack a zombie in the head with a machete]
Blades:Say goodbye, creep!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cradle of Fear (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Sun High

One of the Greatest Sequels AND One of the Best Horror Films Ever

This review refers to the theatrical cut of the film.

When George A. Romero's no-budget horror movie Night of the Living Dead hit screens in 1968, the same year that had already given audiences the all time genre classic Rosemary's Baby, no one could have predicted the indelible effect it would have on the history of cinema. The film introduced audiences to a degree of graphic violence never before witnessed on American screens. However, it was the film's intense, omnipotent terror that forever scarred a generation of viewers.

Although the film enjoyed unprecedented mainstream success for an independent production, the filmmakers saw little of the movie's earnings. Romero's string of box office disappointments in the years to follow would diminish his clout in Hollywood, and as such he found it was an uphill battle to fund his ambitious sequel to the film. Then along came Italian horror maestro Dario Argento, hot off the heels of such international blockbusters as Deep Red and Suspiria. Argento helped secure funding for the film, in exchange for the rights to personally oversee the international cut of the film.

The collaboration would be a match made in horror movie heaven, for the end product would be Dawn of the Dead, one of the most acclaimed and enduringly popular horror movies of all time.

Dawn of the Dead's plot is so effectively simple, and now thoroughly familiar, that it almost goes without description. While the world approaches a still unexplained and ever growing zombie apocalypse, four individuals-two millitary men, a helicopter pilot, and his TV reporter girlfriend-barricade themselves in an abandoned suburban shopping mall. The mall provides fodder not only for the film's well known social commentary, but also for some truly thrilling-if not terrifying-setpieces.

With its graphic depictions of human evisceration, exploding heads, and gruesome flesh eating, Dawn of the Dead may well be the goriest American film of all time. The film is actually so violent and gruesome that it was released unrated in the United States for fear of being slapped with an X Rating. That didn't stop the film from being a huge hit at home and abroad. The film earned rave reviews from critics (most famously, from Roger Ebert, who called it `one of the best horror movies of all time'). It instantly became recognized not only as a genre classic, but also as one of the sharpest social satires of the decade, with its often hilarious commentary on an ever growing consumer culture embodied by the film's mall location.

Internationally, the film was even bigger. The movie was released in a special 117 minute cut overseas (the US theatrical version was 120 minutes) which was edited by Dario Argento and featured a more prominent presentation of the soundtrack by rock band Goblin as well as a much faster overall pace. Released in most countries as `Zombie: Dawn of the Dead' or `Zombies', it was so big in Italy that the following year Lucio Fulci, previously a director of `giallo' thrillers, helmed a gory semi-sequel. His `Zombie 2', released in the US as `Zombie', would become one of the most popular drive in hits of the 1970s, a massive international success that solidified the zombie/cannibal craze of the early 1980s and sparked Lucio Fulci's own reign as a horror movie icon.

Dawn of the Dead is a truly stunning example of the horror genre's ability to produce works that are as socially relevant as they are terrifying, films which break free of the constraints of conventional horror movie elements and in doing so establish themselves as being truly timeless. While I would still give Night of the Living Dead the slight edge between the two, Dawn of the Dead is still an extraordinary film in its own right as well as an almost superior sequel to another of the scariest movies ever made.