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Day of the Dead (1985) - George Romero


Night, Dawn, and Day are really amazing movies. They truly are. George Romero is a mediocre filmmaker but he was always a visionary. This world created by Romero goes far beyond any other film franchise. I had come across an info-graphic chart showing the connections from this film to others in it's universe and beyond. It's really interesting. It's grasp had spread all the way across the ocean into Italy and around again. This is less of a "third movie" as it is more of the third piece in this much larger picture. A terrifying post-apocalyptic world 


Society is in shambles. A small group of humans has survived and they are studying zombies. Some are scientists, doctors, and others are military personnel. They are surviving in an underground bunker. Things appear to be going well, considering. They make trips to the outside world and explore what is left. They drink, study, bitch, and moan freely. That is until things go awry, as they tend to do in these types of situations. Twelve must fight to survive in a world where the odds are 400,000 to 1. This is the final entry to the original trilogy of terror. 


This was my third time watching this. I felt that I understood it a lot more this time around. The first time I watched it, I hadn't fully paid attention. It came on cable and I only half paid-attention while making popcorn or something. This time I watched and noticed how much detail they actually worked into this. The effects are so good. So gory. If you are a fan of the bloody stuff then this is right up your dark alley. I also noticed how this is rudimentally the same story as the first, played out on a much larger scale with much more money and a far deeper storyline. 

Romero movies move at a slower pace. These aren't for the viewer that will tune out unless there is an explosion in the first few minuets. It's interesting to note how these movies stay afloat in out overly saturated society. Now, I have options like The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, or Z Nation. Then books and games and it goes on and on. No matter how many low-budget copycat films come out, they can't ever seem to touch the original Dead films or original Return movies. 


Some characters are outlandish and parts of it feel really flat. However, this movie gives us the most complete look at life after Z-day, so-to-speak. I feel that it gives us a far better glimpse into their society than Land of the Dead. It has a slow build with a great payout. I said it earlier, but I will say it again. The effects are so good. Tom Savini and George Romero must have been happy as pigs in shit while making this. It's like what they do. People get completely mutilated and they are done so during these incredibly brutal scenes.

I would recommend this movie to someone with a serious like for these movies. Dawn of the Dead may be a little more in line for the newbies. Day of the Dead is a great movie with tons of gore and a well written story. It's just a long movie that tends to be a little long-winded every now and then. 

Director: George Romero
Starring: Lori CardilleTerry AlexanderSherman Howard, and Joseph Pilato
Style: Zombie Apocalypse Survival
Country: USA
Studio: Laurel Entertainment Inc.

Did ya know...
Most of the zombie extras in this film were Pittsburgh residents who volunteered to help in the film.British band Gorillaz have sampled several audio clips from both Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985): portions of the music and some dialogue ("Hello? Is there anyone there?") from the latter feature in the track, "M1 A1", on their 2001 debut album; and some of Bub the zombie's grunts appear alongside sound-clips of the news reporters from Dawn of the Dead (1978) on one of their B-sides, "Hip Albatross". Furthermore, part of the score from Dawn of the Dead (1978) is used in the intro track on the 2005 album, 'Demon Days'. This album also features a track narrated by Dennis Hopper, who portrayed Kaufman in George A. Romero's sequel that year, Land of the Dead (2005).


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