Day of the Dead (1985)

Director:

George A. Romero

Writer:

George A. Romero (written by)

Release Date:

19 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The Dead have waited. The day has come.

Plot:

A small group of military officers and scientists dwell in an underground bunker as the world above is overrun by zombies.

Plot Keywords:

Military | Scientist | Bunker | Florida | Death

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Lori Cardille	...	Sarah
Terry Alexander	...	John
Joseph Pilato	...	Capt. Rhodes (as Joe Pilato)
Jarlath Conroy	...	William McDermott
Anthony Dileo Jr.	...	Pvt. Miguel Salazar (as Antonè DiLeo)
Richard Liberty	...	Logan
Sherman Howard	...	Bub (as Howard Sherman)
Gary Howard Klar	...	Pvt. Steel (as G. Howard Klar)
Ralph Marrero	...	Pvt. Rickles
John Amplas	...	Dr. Ted Fisher
Phillip G. Kellams	...	Pvt. Miller
Taso N. Stavrakis	...	Pvt. Torrez
Gregory Nicotero	...	Pvt. Johnson
Don Brockett	...	Featured Zombie (chief)
William Cameron	...	Featured Zombie
Deborah Carter	...	Featured Zombie
Winnie Flynn	...	Featured Zombie
Debra Gordon	...	Featured Zombie (1st pulled out of mine)
Jeff Hogan	...	Featured Zombie
Barbara Holmes	...	Featured Zombie
David Kindlon	...	Featured Zombie
Bruce Kirkpatrick	...	Featured Zombie
William Andrew Laczko	...	Featured Zombie
Susan Martinelli	...	Featured Zombie
Kim Maxwell	...	Featured Zombie
Barbara Russell	...	Featured Zombie (who kills Miller)
Gene A. Saraceni	...	Featured Zombie
John D. Schwartz	...	Featured Zombie (as John Schwartz)
Mark Tierno	...	Featured Zombie (2nd pulled out of mine)
Mike Trcic	...	Eviscerated Zombie (as Michael Trcic)
John Vulich	...	Featured Zombie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J.R. Bookwalter	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Mark Dodson	...	Zombies (voice) (uncredited)
Donald Farmer	...	Underground zombie (uncredited)
Peter Iasillo Jr.	...	Elevator zombie (Tip O'Neil zombie) (uncredited)
Daniel Krell	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Ed Lammi	...	Zombie with Cast Arm (uncredited)
Al Magliochetti	...	Bathrobe zombie / Sunglasses zombie (uncredited)
Robert Martin	...	Zombie (uncredited)
George A. Romero	...	Zombie with scarf (uncredited)
Vincent D. Survinski	...	Elevator Zombie (uncredited)

Directed by
George A. Romero

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
George A. Romero		written by

Produced by
David Ball	....	co-producer
Salah M. Hassanein	....	executive producer
Ed Lammi	....	associate producer
Richard P. Rubinstein	....	producer

Original Music by
John Harrison

Cinematography by
Michael Gornick		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pasquale Buba

Casting by
Christine Forrest		(as Christine Forrest Romero)
Gaylen Ross

Production Design by
Cletus Anderson

Art Direction by
Bruce Alan Miller		(as Bruce Miller)

Set Decoration by
Jan Pascale

Costume Design by
Barbara Anderson

Makeup Department
Barry Anderson	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Linda Arrigoni	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Terri Basilone	....	hair stylist (as Terry Basilone)
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects
Barry Burghtaller	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Everett Burrell	....	special makeup effects artist
Dean Gates	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Rick Gonzales	....	makeup effects assistant
Jeannee Josefczyk	....	makeup artist (as Jeanne Josefczyk)
David Kindlon	....	special makeup effects
Mary Lefore	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist
Terry Prince	....	zombie background mask creator
Bonnie Priore	....	makeup artist
Tom Savini	....	special makeup effects
David E. Smith	....	masks: background zombies (as David Smith)
Mike Trcic	....	special makeup effects
Natalka Voslakov	....	makeup artist
John Vulich	....	special makeup effects
Michael Deak	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Zilla Clinton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Harrison	....	first assistant director
Annie Loeffler	....	second assistant director (as Ann Loeffler)
Katarina Wittich	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Norman Beck	....	head carpenter
Dan Gaittens	....	carpenter
Eileen Garrigan	....	head scenic artist
Marty Garrigan	....	set dresser (as Martin Garrigan)
Jay Hart	....	assistant art director
Gary Kosko	....	set draftsman
Randy Montgomery	....	assistant scenic artist
Celeste Parrendo	....	painter
Michael Reid	....	carpenter
Kevin Ritter	....	property master

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Ash	....	foley artist
James Beshears	....	sound editor (as Jim Beshears)
Tony Bush	....	dolby mastering
David B. Cohn	....	supervising sound editor (as David Cohn)
Stuart Deutsch	....	boom operator
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recordist
Trevor Jolly	....	sound editor
Howard Neiman	....	sound editor
Patrick O'Sullivan	....	supervising sound editor
Lauren Palmer	....	adr editor
Rolf Pardula	....	sound mixer
David Pettuch	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Stensvold	....	sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
Howard Jones	....	scenic special effects
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects
Mark Mann	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist
Jim Danforth	....	matte photographer

Stunts
Taso N. Stavrakis	....	stunt coordinator
Jim O'Rear	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Bennett Beal	....	electrician
Ernest R. Dickerson	....	camera operator: second unit
Richard Golomb	....	still photographer
Susan Golomb	....	still photographer
John Janusek	....	electrician
Barry Kessler	....	grip
Simon Manses	....	assistant camera
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	key grip (as Nick Mastandrea)
Frank Perl	....	assistant camera
Frank Prinzi	....	assistant camera: Florida
Kurt Rimmel	....	best boy
G. Frederic Roth	....	gaffer
Richard M. Sieg	....	dolly grip
John Snyder	....	generator operator: Florida
Nick Tallo	....	grip

Casting Department
Gary Brotz	....	extras casting: Florida
Felice Lammi	....	additional casting
Bill McNulty	....	casting associate: New York
Holly Wagner	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Pikke Allen	....	wardrobe assistant
Cathy Anderson	....	wardrobe assistant
Kathy Borland	....	wardrobe assistant
Martha Bromelmeier	....	wardrobe assistant
Candy Callery	....	wardrobe assistant
Tony French	....	wardrobe assistant
Donna Gregory	....	wardrobe assistant
Howard Kaplan	....	assistant costume designer
Susan Kistler	....	wardrobe assistant
Margaret McCubbin	....	wardrobe assistant
Denise Smith	....	wardrobe assistant
Eileen Sieff Stroup	....	assistant costume designer
Karyn Wagner	....	wardrobe (as Karin Wagner)
Natalie Wilvers	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
John Stuart Bick	....	assistant editor (as John Bick)
Kristine Bulakowski	....	assistant editor
Steven Farkas	....	assistant editor
Dan Korintus	....	assistant editor
Tom San Martin	....	negative matcher
Arnold Shuster	....	negative matcher (as Arnie Shuster)
Bob Wolfrum	....	negative matcher

Music Department
John Harrison	....	musician: keyboard
John Sutton	....	music producer
John Sutton	....	soundtrack producer
Jim Blazer	....	musician: keyboards (uncredited)
Delilah	....	singer (uncredited)
Michael Fisher	....	musician: percussions (uncredited)
Don Garvin	....	music sound designer (uncredited)
Grant Geissman	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Modern Man	....	music performers (uncredited)
Talmadge Pearsall	....	musician: keyboard (uncredited)
Sputzy Sparacino	....	musician: voice & guitar (uncredited)
Gary Wallo	....	musician: percussions (uncredited)
Carl Wurtz	....	musician: emulator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
P.D. Levy	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Jessica Abrams	....	assistant auditor
Mark Alington	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Bruce Bahrenburg	....	unit publicist
Jeffrey Barker	....	production assistant
Theresa Bedekovich	....	stand-in
Miranda Beeson	....	assistant to producer
Bruce Bellows	....	stand-in: Florida
Jim Bozsan	....	production assistant
Teresa Bozsan	....	production secretary
Jim Brewelhide	....	location manager
Melanie Buroff	....	production secretary: Florida
Mike Butera	....	production assistant
Robert Cagney	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Tina Carbonell	....	production controller
Charles S. Carroll	....	auditor
Deborah Carter	....	production assistant
Leslie Chapman	....	production coordinator
Nora Cline	....	production assistant
Bill Dickhaut	....	location manager
Bill Dickhaut	....	location scout
Thom Downing	....	production assistant
Peter Fernandez	....	cleaner English dialog version
Richard Fick	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Barbara Frazzini	....	production assistant
Barbara Homziuk	....	production secretary
Ellen Hopkins	....	production assistant
Michael Johnson	....	production assistant
Dan Korintus	....	production assistant
William W. Laxson	....	production assistant (as William Laxson)
Sonia Lopes	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Penny Mateer	....	production assistant
Ellen Moon	....	stand-in: Florida
David Mott	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Craig Myers	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Gregory Nicotero	....	assistant: Tom Savini
Frederick Peters	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Harvey Plastrik	....	opticals
Alexander Xavier Ponce-Bonano	....	consultant
Dianna Slowey	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Joanne Small	....	script supervisor
Nancy Suzich	....	production assistant
Eliza Townsend	....	production assistant
Joe Violante	....	dailies (as Joseph Violante)
James Wetzel	....	stand-in
John Wolcutt	....	weapons
Laura Wortzel	....	production assistant: Florida unit

Thanks
Lester Rosenkrantz	....	special thanks
Frank Rubinstein	....	special thanks
Irvin Shapiro	....	special thanks
R.C. Staab	....	special thanks
Norman Stern	....	special thanks
Vincent D. Survinski	....	special thanks (as Vince Survinski)
Mary Ann Volvonas	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dead Films Inc.
• Laurel Entertainment Inc.
• Laurel-Day Inc.

Distributors

• United Film Distribution Company (UFDC) (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Creswin Distribution (198?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Esplanade Filmverleih (1987) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• CMV Laservision (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Trilogy of the Dead)
• Eden Video (Italy) (VHS)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (DVD) (re-release)
• Entertainment in Video (UK) (VHS)
• Force Video (Australia) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Media Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Treasures (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• X-Rated Kultvideo (Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Computer Opticals  opticals
• England & Company  public relations
• Florida Motion Picture and Television Bureau, The  special thanks
• Geldberg & Abrams  special thanks
• JDC America Inc (I)  camera equipment provided by
• K.M.G. Maun Hurdman  special thanks
• Laurel Communications  Dolby transfer
• Linque Producers Services  production service: Florida
• N.Y.C. Stunt League  stunt co-ordination
• Numenorean Music  score album released by (limited edition) (uncredited)
• Page America Inc.  special thanks
• Page Avjet Corporation  special thanks
• Pennsylvania Bureau of Motion Picture & Television Development  special thanks (as Pennsylvania Film Bureau)
• Performance Lighting Rentals Inc.  grip and lighting equipment
• Pollock, Bloom & Dexom  special thanks
• Rogal Company  insurance
• Rubber Dubbers  foley studio
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording (as Todd-Ao)
• Walmfilm Industrial Facility  special thanks

Also Known As:

George A. Romero's Day of the Dead (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

102 min | Argentina:101 min | Norway:97 min | Australia:97 min | Canada:96 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (video re-rating) (1997) | UK:18 (original rating) (cut) | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) (cut) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (video rating) (1998) | Canada:(Banned) (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (uncut version) | Canada:R (Ontario) (cut) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Chile:14 (uncut DVD version) | Canada:14A (Ontario) (Re-rated 2008) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Norway:(Banned) (original rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

Dead Films Inc.

Trivia:

Paul Gagne (Sound Designer of Maurice Sendak's 'Where the Wild Things Are (1973)' (1988 version)), Robert Martin, Mark Steensland, appear as Rickles' Zombie attackers in the mine.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the movie, when Sarah had a nightmare, the October calendar as the day matching with the year 1985. But at the end of the movie, her November calendar no longer matches with that year.

Quotes:

[first lines]
McDermott: Nothing, nothing at all.
Sarah: Send again.
McDermott: I've been sending up and down the coast from Sarasota to the Everglades and still getting back the same dead air. There's nothing! There's nobody or at least nobody with a radio.
Sarah: All right then let's set down, we'll use the bullhorn.
McDermott: Set down? Wait a minute, that's not in our contract!
Sarah: It's the biggest city within 150 miles and we're going to give it every chance.
McDermott: Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Sarah: Set down, John!
John: I'll set us down. But I won't leave my seat and I'll keep the engine running. Now the first sign of trouble, I'm going up. If you ain't on board when that happens, you're likely to have a lousy afternoon.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

Soundtrack:

The World Inside Your Eyes

Incredibly under-rated

This is one of the most under-rated films ever. It was practically doomed to cult-status from the word go. Basically, George Romero wrote a script and took it to a company to get it funded. They like the script and offered George 7 million dollars on the condition he would make the film R rated. George however refused to compromise so they only gave him half that, 3.5 million dollars (next to nothing for a movie) to film an Unrated film -this was because an Unrated movie wouldn't make too much money back. This led to the script being completely re-written so it could be made on the budget. Most of the elements from the original Day were worked into the recent Land of the Dead. Unfortunately, not many cinemas were willing to screen Unrated films as they were too much hassle and not many people would go to see them. Even more unfortunately, 1985 saw many big R rated horror films being released which attracted all the attention away from Day. Many critics and fans complain about this movie, calling it the worst in the series. This is far from the truth. Most people who don't like this movie judge it purely on technical details such as the standard of the acting or the music. Considering the budget, everything in this film is amazing. I personally thought the music completely worked in the film too and some of it was incredibly effective. And the make-up and special effects were incredible, even by today's standards. This film has the best zombie make-up ever, period. For people who don't mind B-movie standard acting, or few locations and other features of low budget movies, you should definitely give this film a try. It's continues with the social messages of society we see in all of Romero's movies. This time it's a mix of how the military basically take control and cock stuff up and (in the style of Lord of the Flies) with no policing, people turn into monsters. Along with the bleak view looking at how easily our society fell apart. The opening of this movie is incredible and very atmospheric. This film also features the greatest zombie ever: Bub. He's friendly, and uber-cool. Trained by scientist Dr. Logan to not eat people. Believe it or not, this film is the closest a movie has ever been to making me cry (if you've seen it I'm talking about when Bub discovers a certain someone's body in the freezer). I don't know what that says about me but whatever. This movie is also the only film I have seen which managed to make me jump with me watching it on the small screen (very, very start with the arms coming through the wall). The film plays off it's sense of claustrophobia well to make it what is probably the scariest in the Dead series (though that still isn't saying much). By the way, Gorillaz, an amazing band seem to love this movie as they have sampled sound clips on several of their tracks including "M1 A1" and "Hip Albatross". They've done the same thing with the original Dawn of the Dead too. Too anyone who has seen 28 Days Later..., 28 Days Later... is a Day of the Dead rip-off! I'll go into that when I get round to reviewing 28 Days Later..., for now, just take my word for it. Not that 28 Days Later... is bad by any means though, but Day of the Dead is still way better. Finally, Day of the Dead actually tries something new with the genre. It would have been so easy for Mr. Romero to simply show a few survivors in a bunker hiding from zombies for most of the movie; instead he mixed in the ideas of experimenting on and training the zombies. He's a magnificent director. In short this movie surpasses it's predecessors "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead" and both films set the bar incredibly high. It has the best story, make-up, atmosphere, character development, is scariest and is generally the best of the 3. It's also better than it's sequel "Land of the Dead".