Dawn of the Dead (2004)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Zack Snyder

Writers (WGA):

George A. Romero (1978 screenplay)
James Gunn (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 March 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

When the undead rise, civilization will fall.

Plot:

A nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman, and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall.

Plot Keywords:

Mall | Nurse | Shopping Mall | Hospital | Policeman

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Sarah Polley	...	Ana
Ving Rhames	...	Kenneth
Jake Weber	...	Michael
Mekhi Phifer	...	Andre
Ty Burrell	...	Steve
Michael Kelly	...	CJ
Kevin Zegers	...	Terry
Michael Barry	...	Bart
Lindy Booth	...	Nicole
Jayne Eastwood	...	Norma
Boyd Banks	...	Tucker
Inna Korobkina	...	Luda
R.D. Reid	...	Glen
Kim Poirier	...	Monica
Matt Frewer	...	Frank
Justin Louis	...	Luis
Hannah Lochner	...	Vivian
Bruce Bohne	...	Andy
Ermes Blarasin	...	Bloated Woman
Sanjay Talwar	...	Doctor Rosen
Kim Roberts	...	Cora
Tim Post	...	Reviving Doctor
Matt Austin	...	EMS Technician
Philip DeWilde	...	EMS Technician
Colm Magner	...	Armed Neighbor
Luigia Zucaro	...	Naked Woman
Geoff Williams	...	Metro Bus Driver
Mike Realba	...	Maintenance Man
David Campbell	...	Squished Zombie
Philip Mackenzie	...	Thrashing Zombie (as Philip MacKenzie)
Laura DeCarteret	...	Washington Politician
Georgia Craig	...	Anchorwoman
Tino Monte	...	Istanbul Reporter
Chris Gillett	...	Older Anchorwoman
Derek Keurvorst	...	Scientist
Dan Duran	...	Confused Reporter
Neville Edwards	...	CDC Spokesman
Sandy Jobin-Bevans	...	CDC Reporter
Natalie Brown	...	CDC Reporter
Liz West	...	CDC Reporter
Blu	...	Chips the Dog
Scott H. Reiniger	...	The General (as Scott Reiniger)
Tom Savini	...	The County Sheriff
Ken Foree	...	The Televangelist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kim Kerns	...	Girl on Steve's Boat in video (uncredited)
Darren Marsman	...	Maintenance Man Zombie (uncredited)
Zack Snyder	...	Commando at White House (uncredited)

Directed by
Zack Snyder

Writing credits (WGA)
George A. Romero		(1978 screenplay)
James Gunn		(screenplay)

Produced by
Marc Abraham	....	producer
Armyan Bernstein	....	executive producer
Thomas A. Bliss	....	executive producer
Dennis E. Jones	....	executive producer
Michael D. Messina	....	co-producer
Eric Newman	....	producer
Richard P. Rubinstein	....	producer

Original Music by
Tyler Bates

Cinematography by
Matthew F. Leonetti

Film Editing by
Niven Howie

Casting by
Joseph Middleton

Production Design by
Andrew Neskoromny

Art Direction by
Arvinder Grewal

Set Decoration by
Steve Shewchuk

Costume Design by
Denise Cronenberg

Makeup Department
David LeRoy Anderson	....	prosthetic makeup designer (as David Anderson)
David LeRoy Anderson	....	special makeup effects artist
Lance Anderson	....	special makeup effects artist
Heidi Armstrong	....	special makeup effects artist (as Heidi Da Costa)
Patrick Baxter	....	prosthetics technician
Chris Bridges	....	animatronic designer
Barney Burman	....	prosthetic makeup department head
Mario Cacioppo	....	makeup department head (as Mario G. Cacioppo)
Evelyn Carr	....	key makeup artist: second unit
Sarah Craig	....	special makeup effects artist
Gabriel De Cunto	....	additional prosthetics
RaMona Fleetwood	....	hair stylist: reshoots
Cliona Furey	....	prosthetics hair stylist
Kyle Glencross	....	special makeup effects artist
Iantha Goldberg	....	special makeup effects artist
C.J. Goldman	....	special makeup effects artist
Patrick Gorny	....	special makeup effects artist
Mary-Lou Green-Benvenuti	....	prosthetics hair stylist
Toni G	....	prosthetic makeup department head (as Toni Garavaglia)
Carol Hartwick	....	key hair stylist
Kevin Hutchinson	....	special makeup effects artist
Stacey Iseman	....	special makeup effects artist
Kelly Kavanagh	....	special makeup effects artist
Diana Ladyshewsky	....	hair department head (as Diana Ladyshewski)
Burton J. LeBlanc	....	makeup artist (as Burton Leblanc)
Burton J. LeBlanc	....	special makeup effects artist (as Burton Leblanc)
Daniel Lee	....	special makeup effects artist (as Suk-Min Lee)
Jo-Ann MacNeil	....	key makeup artist
Carol Marinoff	....	prosthetics key hair stylist
Nicole Michaud	....	makeup effects coordinator: additional photography, AFX Studio
Michael S. Pack	....	prosthetic eyes and teeth (as Mike Pack)
Deborah Patino	....	prosthetics makeup artist
Wynona Price	....	makeup artist: Mr. Rhames
Beatrice Salazar	....	key hair stylist: second unit (as Beatriz Salazar)
Sean Sansom	....	special makeup effects artist
David Scott	....	special makeup effects artist
Shaun Smith	....	prosthetics foreman (as Shaun P. Smith)
Dave Snyder	....	prosthetics makeup artist (as David Snyder)
Adrian Stansfield	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Jason Leib	....	post-production supervisor
Michael MacDonald	....	unit production manager
Alan Collis	....	unit production manager: second unit (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adam Bocknek	....	trainee assistant director
Steve Buhai	....	second assistant director: re-shoots
Michael G. Burke	....	first assistant director: second unit
Raymond J. Duff	....	assistant director: second unit
Jennifer Haufler	....	trainee assistant director: second unit
Joel Hay	....	third assistant director
Cindy L. Irwin	....	daily assistant director
Jordana Lieberman	....	assistant director
Sara MacDonald	....	second assistant director: second unit
Peter D. Marshall	....	first assistant director
Conte Matal	....	first assistant director: re-shoots
Eric S. Potechin	....	second assistant director
Garfield Russell	....	third assistant director: second unit
Clay Staub	....	second unit director

Art Department
Rob Ballantyne	....	assistant art director
David Best	....	graphic designer
Rob Bonney	....	head carpenter
Theresa Buckley	....	property master: second unit
William Cheng	....	assistant art director
Chuck Courrieu	....	lead man: additional photography
Trevor Fischer	....	art department apprentice
Kelly Gilbert	....	construction administrator (as Kelly Gilbert Ursacki)
Kelly Gilbert	....	construction office manager
Jen Gillespie	....	clearance and placement coordinator
Jen Gillespie	....	third art director
James Halpenny	....	construction coordinator
Ron Hewitt	....	property master
Lisa Hipgrave	....	art department apprentice
Michael Huschka	....	assistant property master
Kim Karon	....	set designer
Mayumi Konishi	....	set designer
Tania McGowan	....	art department apprentice
Sean Moore	....	assistant art director
Timothy Peel	....	art department apprentice
Vince Peets	....	storyboard artist
Kaarin Piegaze	....	art department apprentice
Steph Poch	....	assistant property master: second unit
Jordu Schell	....	conceptual artist
Douglas Slater	....	art director: second unit

Sound Department
Sean Paul Armstrong	....	cable person
Sean Paul Armstrong	....	second boom operator
Benjamin Beardwood	....	sound editor
Andrew Bock	....	assistant sound editor
Alfonso Calvo	....	adr recordist
Robert Carr	....	sound recordist: predubs
Evan T. Chen	....	adr editor
Carmen Flores De Tanis	....	first assistant sound editor
Michael Dressel	....	foley editor
Frank Fleming	....	sound recordist
Jeff Gomillion	....	adr mixer
Gary A. Hecker	....	supervising foley artist
Scott Hecker	....	supervising sound editor (as Scott A. Hecker)
Frederick Howard	....	sound effects editor
Chris Jenkins	....	supervising sound mixer
Jason W. Jennings	....	sound effects editor (as Jason Jennings)
James Matheny	....	dialogue editor
Matthew McKenzie	....	adr recordist
Colin McLellan	....	adr recordist
Frank A. Montaño	....	supervising sound mixer
Eric A. Norris	....	sound effects editor
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist
Tony Shore	....	sound
Greg ten Bosch	....	assistant sound editor
John J. Thomson	....	production sound mixer
Jay Wilkinson	....	sound editor
Byron Wilson	....	adr supervisor
Alan Zielonko	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Tony Acosta Jr.	....	special effects technician
Damon Bishop	....	special effects makeup
Jason Board	....	special effects foreman
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects coordinator: Los Angeles
Damian Fisher	....	special effects technician
Cliona Furey	....	special effects hair
Chris Jones	....	special effects technician
Arthur Langevin	....	pyrotechnic supervisor
Drew Longland	....	special effects technician
Jim McGillivary	....	special effects foreman
Laird McMurray	....	special effects director
Shane Million	....	special effects technician
Lisa Pacitto	....	shop supervisor
Marcus Rait	....	special effects technician
David Reaume	....	special effects technician
Troy Rundle	....	special effects technician
Stani Veselinovic	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Barb Benoit	....	digital compositor
Dennis Berardi	....	visual effects supervisor: Mr. X, Inc.
Kristy Blackwell	....	digital environment supervisor
Mark Chong	....	technical supervisor
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals
Patrick Coffey	....	digital effects artist: zombie coach
Shawney Cohen	....	CG supervisor (as Sean Cohen)
Marc Cote	....	motion control operator
Rob Del Ciancio	....	digital compositor
Bonnie Dickson	....	assistant compositor: Mr. X Inc.
Michael Eaves	....	digital color timer: efilm
Jay Field	....	compositor
Shane Glading	....	technical supervisor
Marc-André Guindon	....	animator
Sharon Smith Holley	....	visual effects editor
Noel Hooper	....	digital compositor
Aazim Khan	....	digital artist
Denny Kurien	....	animator
Yannick Leblanc	....	motion control technical director
Kevin Lin	....	quality control coordinator, digital intermediate: Efilm/Panavision
Jef Lonn	....	digital compositor
Lisa Maher	....	visual effects producer: CIS Hollywood
Andrew Nguyen	....	matte painter
Vladimir Popovic	....	systems administrator
Matt Ralph	....	digital effects artist
Eric J. Robertson	....	visual effects producer
Shervin Shoghian	....	digital compositor: Mr. X Inc.
Mark Stepanek	....	additional 3D support
Derek Sunderland	....	CG artist
Hoa Tran	....	3D animator: Mr. X Inc.
Aaron Weintraub	....	visual effects supervisor: Mr. X, Inc.
Steve Wittmann	....	3D animator
Wojciech Zielinski	....	digital artist
Thomas Mathai	....	data manager (uncredited)

Stunts
Nick Alachiotis	....	stunts
Brittney Banks	....	utility stunts
Matt Birman	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Eric Bryson	....	stunts
Randy Butcher	....	stunts: various zombies & Jay Leno Zombie
Damon Caro	....	stunt coordinator: additional scenes
Damon Caro	....	zombie fight choreographer
Tommy Chang	....	stunts
Lauro Chartrand	....	stunts
Scotty Cook	....	stunt double
Shelley Cook	....	stunts
David Jacox	....	stunts
Brian Jagersky	....	stunts
Blair Johannes	....	stunts
Danny Lima	....	stunts
Brad Martin	....	stunts
Christopher McGuire	....	stunts (as Chris McGuire)
Duncan McLeod	....	stunts
Regan Moore	....	stunt performer
Layton Morrison	....	utility stunts
Billy Oliver	....	stunts
Edward A. Queffelec	....	stunts (as Ed Queffelec)
Ken Quinn	....	stunts
Branko Racki	....	stunts
Robert Racki	....	stunts
Rex Reddick	....	stunts
Alison Reid	....	stunts
Bryan Renfro	....	stunts
Kevin Rushton	....	utility stunts
Shayna Segal	....	stunt double
Robert C. Shannon	....	water safety supervisor
David Stinson	....	stunts (as Dave Stinson)
John Stoneham Jr.	....	fight coordinator
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Bryan Thomas	....	stunt performer
Roy T. Anderson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Cetrone	....	stunts: reshoots (uncredited)
Tim Connolly	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Copkov	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tig Fong	....	stunts (uncredited)
Curtis Hibbert	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hiro Koda	....	utility stunts (reshoots) (uncredited)
Henry Korhonen	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jon Kralt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Angelica Lisk	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steve Lucescu	....	stunts (uncredited)
Shawn C. Orr	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chad Sayn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Craig Snoyer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rebecca Stoneham	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Miroslaw Baszak	....	director of photography: second unit
Mark Beauchamp	....	second assistant camera
Nicole Blanchard	....	second assistant camera
Michael Carella	....	camera operator
Jeffrey Cassidy	....	video assist operator
Gilles Corbeil	....	Steadicam operator
Gilles Corbeil	....	camera operator: "a" camera
William Engel	....	grip
Carson T. Foster	....	grip: second unit
Michael Galbraith	....	gaffer
Russ Goozee	....	camera operator: second unit
Mark Hryma	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Mike Kirilenko	....	key grip
Ari Magder	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Clyde Miller	....	assistant camera: Wescam camera, aerial unit
Christopher Raucamp	....	first assistant camera
Ron Renzetti	....	dolly grip
Brent Robinson	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera
Brent Robinson	....	underwater camera operator
Ronald Schlueter	....	video assist
Shai Vera	....	grip
Paul Zoskey	....	24 frame video operator
Joseph Torres Jr.	....	first assistant camera: re-shoots (uncredited)

Animation Department
Brian Anderson	....	senior animator

Casting Department
Robin D. Cook	....	casting: Canada
Chad Darnell	....	extras casting: additional photography
Lauren Grey	....	casting associate
Nicole Hilliard-Forde	....	casting associate: Canada
Sara Kay	....	casting assistant: Toronto
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr voice casting
Jane Rogers	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank Alexander	....	costume supervisor
Ciara Brennan	....	costume breakdown artist
Ciara Brennan	....	costume dyer/breakdown
Natalie Bronfman	....	assistant costume designer
Christina Cattle	....	set costume supervisor: second unit
Tatjana Hutinec	....	costume breakdown artist
Trelawnie Mead	....	costume dyer/breakdown
Gamila Smith	....	costume designer: Los Angeles
Jasmina Vasileva	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Michael Eaves	....	color timer
Berenicci Hershorn	....	assistant film editor
William Hoy	....	additional editor
Jack Lewars	....	assistant color timer: Efilm
Curtis Lindersmith	....	digital intermediate editor
David McGroarty	....	assistant editor
Arthur Montreuil	....	color timer
Danny Rafic	....	assistant editor
Melissa Remenarich	....	first assistant editor (as Melissa Remenarich-Aperlo)
Jeff Schweikart	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Tree Adams	....	composer: additional music
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Robert Bayless	....	assistant music editor
Tom Calderaro	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Bruce Fowler	....	additional orchestrator
Rick Giovinazzo	....	orchestrator
Zigmund Gron	....	preview music editor
Darrell Hall	....	music editor
Larry Mah	....	digital score recordist
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Tim Rodier	....	music preparation
G. Marq Roswell	....	music supervisor
Adam Swart	....	music coordination and clearances

Transportation Department
Ron Annabelle	....	picture car captain: second unit
Dana Howes	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Ireland	....	picture car captain
Jennifer Mccormack	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Janine Anderton	....	production coordinator
Emily V. Austin-Bruns	....	assistant: Mr. Rubinstein
Tracey Averett	....	assistant: Mr. Newman
Lillian Awa	....	production assistant: re-shoots
Mark Barclay	....	assistant: Mr. Bliss
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	armorer
Stephanie Lee Berger	....	weapons handler
Jim Chizmar	....	water safety
Rachel Clarke	....	daily accounting clerk
Wesley Coller	....	assistant: Mr. Snyder
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer
Cathy Coulson	....	office production assistant: second unit
Patricia Cowmeadow	....	set supervisor
Meg Davies	....	assistant: Mr. Newman
Marty Dejczak	....	location manager
Melanie Donkers	....	office production assistant: second unit
Martin Earl	....	assistant location manager
Terry Edinger	....	production accountant
Lisa Jean Felski	....	post-production accountant
Scott Goldberg	....	production assistant
Terri Greening	....	accountant: re-shoot
Pamela Hackwell	....	contact lens technician
Andreas Hass	....	assistant production coordinator: second unit
Rebecca Hertz	....	producer: main titles
Sara Holmes	....	first assistant accountant
Steve Holt	....	on-set medic
Aaron Horton	....	office production assistant
Sandra Lynne Hyhkö	....	assistant production coordinator (as Sandy Hyhko)
Stephanie Keating	....	publicist
Ryan Keaveney	....	production assistant
Rohan Kelly	....	production assistant
Alex Kontsalakis	....	payroll accountant
Richard Kroll	....	researcher: stock footage
Heather Langenkamp	....	production crew (as Heather Langenkamp-Anderson)
Linda Lockett	....	assistant: Mr. Jones
Dave Lombardo	....	precussion specialist
Jessica Lukian	....	prosthetics crew
David McIlroy	....	location manager
Sarah McIntosh	....	second assistant accountant
Linda McKenney	....	production assistant
Brett Miller	....	location production assistant
Sandy Morrow	....	script supervisor: second unit
Noah Newman	....	production assistant
J.P. O'Donnell	....	craft service: second unit
Andre Paquin	....	third assistant accountant
Robin M. Reelis	....	production coordinator: second unit
Errol Reichow	....	location manager: re-shoots
Scott Reitz	....	technical advisor
Andrew Rosen	....	asset coordinator
Dug Rotstein	....	script supervisor
Stephen Schuster	....	title designer: Prologue
Steve Sheridan	....	accounting clerk
Dave Ian Smith	....	fire safety officer
Kyle A. Smith	....	production assistant
Erik Sudmals	....	second assistant accountant
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety
Douglas Thompson	....	production secretary
Dave Tommasini	....	helicopter pilot
Troy Waters	....	marine coordinator
Catherine Wheatley	....	assistant: Mr. Abraham (as Catherine Wheatley Vowles)
J. Wilfrid White	....	marine crew
Terrence B. Zinn	....	set production assistant: re-shoots
Chris Moulson	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Strike Entertainment
• New Amsterdam Entertainment
• Metropolitan Filmexport
• Toho-Towa

Distributors

• Universal Studios (2004) (worldwide) (all media)
• Universal Pictures (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Bontonfilm (2004) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (2004) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Toho-Towa (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Blitz (2004) (Croatia) (all media)
• Pinema (2004) (Turkey) (all media)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (HD-DVD)

Special Effects

• AFX Studios (special makeup effects)
• Mr. X (visual effects)
• Camera e-Motion (motion control)
• Realities Studio

Other Companies

• Air Power Video and Film Stock Library  stock footage
• BBC Worldwide  stock footage
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  special thanks
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Clairmont Camera  camera systems
• Corbis Motion  stock footage
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• EFilm  opticals
• Entertainment Partners Canada  special thanks
• Eyes Post Group  special thanks
• Fast Images  stock footage
• Four Seasons Aviation  special thanks (as Four Seasons Aviation Ltd.)
• Getty Images  stock footage
• ITN Archive  stock footage
• Independent Television News (ITN)  stock footage
• Journeyman Films Ltd.  stock footage
• Motion Picture Stunts International  stunts
• PS Production Services  special thanks
• Prologue Films  main and end titles
• Reelcraft Services  special thanks
• Reuters  stock footage (as Reuters Archive)
• Silverman Stock Footage  stock footage
• Third Millennium  stock footage
• Twentieth Century Fox Scoring Stage  music scored at (as Fox Scoring Stage)
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  post-production sound services (as Universal Studios Sound)
• Wescam USA  aerial camera systems (as Wescam)

Also Known As:

L'armée des morts (France)
L'aube des morts (Canada: French title)
Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead (USA) (long title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong horror violence and gore, language and sexuality.

Runtime:

101 min | 110 min (unrated director's cut)

Country:

USA | Canada | Japan | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | Malaysia:18SG | Sweden:15 | Germany:18 (also director's cut) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Hong Kong:III (director's cut) | Ireland:18 | Israel:16 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:R21 | Spain:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut)

Filming Locations:

Ashbridge's Bay, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Strike Entertainment

Trivia:

A UK MTV Host, Alex Zane, is featured during the zombies' rampage through the mall. After interviewing Zack Snyder he was invited to be in the film, thus as we see the zombies running past the camera once they've entered the mall, he is clad in a bright white checkered shirt.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Chips, the dog, is being lowered from the roof of the mall, to send Andy some food, he is secured with a red hook. The hook is latched in the first scene, but when Chips lands on the ground the latch is missing.

Quotes:

[C.J. is on the roof of Andy's Gun Works with a sniper rifle preparing to shoot a propane tank]
Nicole: [in the store with Kenneth, Michael and Terry] How will we know if he hits it?
[there's a huge explosion]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

Soundtrack:

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Why I gave Dawn a 10 (well, maybe it should have been a9).

I've been to thousands of movies in my lifetime and own hundreds of videos and DVDs, so I am a fan but not a bona fide film critic. This is my first online review.

My wife and I saw the original Dawn of the Dead 25 years ago at a midnight show and left wired enough to talk each other down till the morning. Perhaps a quarter of a century has inured us to the violence a bit since we just watched it again (rental video) last week prior to yesterday's venture to the local multiplex to see the remake/"reimagining" and were mostly unperturbed by the revisit.

For some reason, I was hooked on the new Dawn months ago from the teaser and, subsequently, the actual trailer. The Sparklehorse song in the former fit perfectly and the suburban shot followed by killer Vivian and closing with the burned projector film of the latter was intriguing in its own way. So I was primed to see the movie, usually a recipe for disaster since preview expectations are rarely fulfilled by the finished product. This time, however, they were.

The cast was uniformly believable and, more important, empathizable (at least with the good guys who got sorted out along the way). Even the playboy jerk had several relevant lines. Polley was a good, strong female lead (with another great rebuttal -- "No, I'm a * nurse" to a query about her medical skills) and Rhames a cheerable, if reluctant, hero. The camaraderie, such as it was, worked, and visceral me-first survival gave way more often to self-sacrifice.

So, what's not to like? The fundamental premise that a classic got remade? Doesn't wash. These are two different movies with the same name and similar premises but very different attitudes. (Better special effects didn't hurt, either, although this new version was oddly less disturbing sans zombies munching on dismembered body parts.) Speedy zombies (except for the "twitchers")? No problem; hey, they're hungry and, as always, persistent. My attention was held for the better part of two hours; the story was interesting; the outcome ambivalent; the characters arisen to the task at hand, becoming coldly rational to the divisions between life and death and zombiedom; the music weirdly appropriate; the black humor welcome respite. No, Dawn of the Dead isn't Citizen Kane nor is it a sacrilegious assault on the horror genre. It's solid filmmaking that's entertaining and thought-provoking. Otherwise, I suspect Romero would never have put his imprimatur on the remake.