Woodyanders Review of Document of the Dead

Document of the Dead (1980)

Very thorough and informative making of documentary

[8/10 · 13 June 2018]

I saw the 1989 cut of this doc, which offers a really engrossing and illuminating look at George Romero's creative process, with a noted emphasis on the shooting of "Dawn of the Dead" at the Monroe Shopping Mall. Romero himself comes across as a real amiable and easygoing guy who gives everyone on the cast and crew alike a chance to shine. Moreover, we find out that "Dawn" was shot from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. in the morning at the mall, Romero shot two endings for the film, Tom Savini came up with a few gore gags that weren't in the script (for example, the zombie janitor who gets killed with a screwdriver was Savini's idea), and production for the movie had to be shut down in December due to the Christmas holiday season. In addition, Romero's tight editing style, penchant for using lots of sound, and talent for precise compositions are addressed in detail. On top of this, there's a visit to the set of "Two Evil Eyes" in which a seemingly simple splatter set piece winds up taking all day to effectively pull off. Susan Tyrell handles her narrator duties with admirable earnestness. Essential viewing for fans of both "Dawn" and Romero alike.