20. Dawn of the Dead (1978
Dir: George A. Romero
Cast: Ken Foree, Gaylen Ross, David Emge, Scott H. Reiniger
"When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth" one of the most memorable lines in any of horror master George A. Romero's films and probably a contributor to why this is the greatest zombie movie ever made.
After years of venturing with other ideas and concepts, George A. Romero was finally ready to make another zombie movie almost ten years after the release of the cult classic Night of the Living Dead. Filmed nights at the Monroeville Mall in Monroeville Pennsylvania, Romero working with a more flexible budgets, a good cast and blossoming makeup artist/actor Tom Savini made for monstrous movie magic. With great visuals, effects and a very human driven story this was an instant success in the late 70s.
He simply had a great idea setting a small group of people in a basically abandoned shopping mall, well at least there are no living inhabitants. Where at first are characters feel trapped and isolated, they soon take advantage of their surroundings. In a way it's like being a kid in a candy store having a whole mall to yourself only with the grim realization that good things can't last forever.
Romero's script is once again filled with comical bits of satire and reflections of modern America. We see how even after the masses have become rotting flesh eaters, they are still distracted by the mundane activities they participated in while alive. They wander around with shopping carts or repeatedly go up and down the escalator making for a very surreal vision of a world on the brim of destruction. This mood is only improved upon by an excellent soundtrack by Italian band Goblin working alongside Dario Argento.
But what makes Romero's zombie movies so enduring, especially this one, is that the characters thoughts, feelings and emotions are the driving force of the film. Where most crappy zombie movies like former Romero partner John Russo's produced Living Dead series was just a bunch of gross out humor and stupid horror sequences, Romero holds the experiences of his characters as the most important aspect of his work. This couldn't work out better as you really find yourself rooting for the main cast, hoping that they'll manage to make it in this disintegrating world.
Are four main protagonists are a likable bunch and especially memorable is the down right cool and calm attitude of the film's main male character Peter (played by cult actor/Kenan's dad on Kenan and Kel Ken Foree.) These characters deal with some pretty spooky moments as well including; holding off zombies, getting supplies, and fighting off a wave of marauding bikers to name a few. The film just builds and builds to a triumphant finish shooting itself into horror movie legend status.
Universally praised by critics and by waves of obsessed fans, Romero further built upon the zombie genre and basically made the perfect horror movie. I can't say enough about my admiration for Dawn of Dead so if you haven't seen it then you should check it out, you will not be disappointed.... Don't see the remake.
Fright Fact: Many effects were thought of right on the spot. Tom Savini created many effects (such as the arm in the blood pressure tester) with no preparations whatsoever
Horror Highlight Here's a delightful sequence where the dead mob on some bikers.
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