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Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1978
Running Times: 113 mins 40 sec (Netherlands video -
European Cut) 115 mins (France)
118 mins (West Germany) 119 mins
(Italy) 120 mins (Italy video)
120 mins 8 seconds (UK video - Entertainment in Video)
120 mins 14 seconds (UK video - Intervision)
125 minutes 25 seconds (UK - theatrical)
128 mins (USA) 133 minutes 36 seconds
(West Germany video - Director's Cut) 140 mins
(Director's Cut)
Format: Technicolor 35mm
Ratio: 1.66:1 (negative ratio)
1.85:1 (intended ratio)
Sound: mono
CREDITS
PRODUCTION
Production Company: Laurel Group
Producer: Richard
P. Rubinstein
Assistant Producer: Donna Siegal
Associate Producers: Claudio
Argento, Alfredo Cuomo
Production Manager: Zilla
Clinton
Unit Manager: Jay Stover
SCRIPT
Script: George A. Romero,
Dario Argento
(uncredited)
Dialogue Adaptation (Italian Edition): Alberto Piferi
Script Consultant: Dario
Argento
DIRECTION
Director: George A. Romero
Assistant Director: Christine Forrest
PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Michael
Gornick
Lighting: Carl Augenstein
Assistant Camera: Tom Dubensky
Grips: Bradley Drumheller, Clayton Mckinnon, Dan Bertha, Daniel Silk,
Ken Nagin, Lenny Lies, Daniel Silk
Key Grips: Cliff Forrest, Nick Mastandrea
Slate: Diane Donati
Stills: Katherine Kolbert
Technicolor Advisor: Otto Paoloni, Joey Violante
Equipment: F&B Ceco (New York)
EDITING
Editor: George A. Romero
Editor / Post Production Supervisor (Italian Version): Franco Fraticelli
(uncredited)
Assistant Editor: Kenneth Davidow
Assistant Editor (Italian Edition): Piero Bozza
MUSIC
Music: Goblin (Agostino
Marangolo, Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli, Claudio Simonetti, Antonio
Marangolo)
Additional Music: Dario
Argento
Music For Director's Cut: George A. Romero
Music Re-Recording (Italian Version): Giorgio Agazzi
Music Recorded At: Cinevox Record (Rome)
SOUND
Sound: Tony Buba
Boom: Robert Williams
Re-Recording Mixer: Richard Dior; Trans / Audio Inc
Sound Re-Recording (Italian Version): Fausto Ancillai
Sound Transfers: Aquarius Sound
Dubbing (Italian Version): CD (Cooperativa Doppiatori)
Dubbing Director (Italian Version): Sergio Graziani
Recording (Italian Version): International Recording
COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Hair: Hairtique
Costume Designer: Josie Caruso
Wardrobe: Michèle Martin
Fur Coats: Lupovitz Furs
Costumes: Brooks Van Horn (Maiers, Pittsburgh)
SPECIAL MAKE UP
Make Up and Cosmetic Special Effects: Tom
Savini
1st Make Up Assistants: Nancy Allen, Jeannie Jeffries
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Explosive Effects: Don Berry, Gary Zeller
Optical Effects: Exceptional Opticals
Optical Consultant: Arthur J. Canestro
DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Set Decorator: Josie Caruso, Barbara Lifsher
Graphics: Joseph Eberle
Title Designers: James Chai, Jean Bertl, Jose V. Gallardo, Karen Levy
Titles (Italian Version): Studio Mafera
Home Furnishings: Wickes Furniture
OTHER CREW
Continuity: John Rice
Business Manager: Vince Survinski
Helicopter Pilot: Barth Bartholomae
Helicopter Services: Royale Helicopter Inc
Mall Liaison: Bill Wagner
Mall Security: Jim Barger
Production Accountant: Charles Forman, Wechler Meyers Wolsh
Production Assistants: Dan Lupovitz, Diane Westerman, Ed Letteri, Leslie
Augenstein, Margarida Delgado, Sharon Ceccatti
Publicity: Renee Furst
Publicity Assistant: Francine Davidoff
Weapons Co-Ordinator: Clayton Hill
Weapons: The Plastic Factory
Distribution Consultant: Ben Barenholtz
Insurance: Rogal & Company
Film Shipping: C&L Shipping
Production Services: The Latent Image Inc; The Ultimate Mirror Ltd;
Laurel Tape & Film Inc
Hi-Fi Equipment: The Listening Post Inc
Produced With the Co-Operation Of: Robert Cox; Marvin Lieber; Miguel
Lisenberg; Oxford Development Co; Pennsylvania National Guard (1st Battalion,
10th Field Artillery); Pittsburgh Housing Authority; Pittsburth Explorers
Club; Resource Investment Inc; Alvin Rogal; Frank Rubinstein; Irvin
Shapiro; Max Toberoff; Susan Vermazen
LOCATIONS
Locations: Oxford Development's Monroeville Mall, Monroeville, Pennsylvania,
USA; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
STUNTS
Stunts: Tom Savini, Taso Stavrakis
Truck Stunt Drivers: Leonard DeStefans, John Konter, Carl Scott
CASTING
Casting: John Amplas
Casting Assistants: Ellen Hopkins, Michael Lies
CAST
David Emge (Stephen Andrews)
Ken Foree (Peter Washington)
Scott H. Reiniger (Roger DeMarco)
Gaylen Ross (Francine Parker)
David Crawford (Dr Foster)
David Early (Mr Berman)
Richard France (Dr Milliard Rausch, Scientist)
Howard Smith (TV commentator)
Daniel Dietrich (Givens)
Fred Baker (commander)
Jim Baffico (Wooley)
Rod Stouffer (young officer on roof)
Jese Del Gre (old priest)
Clayton McKinnon, John Rice (officers in apartment project)
Ted Bank, Randy Kovitz, Patrick McCloskey, Joseph Pilato (officers at
police dock)
Rudy Ricci (motorcycle raider (radio operator))
Tom Savini (motorcycle raider (blades))
Taso Stavrakos (motorcycle raider (sledgehammer))
Pasquale Buba, Tony Buba, Dave Hawkins, Tom Kapusta, Marty Schiff, Joe
Shelby, Nick Tallo, Larry Vaira, Butchie (motorcycle raiders)
Sharon Ceccatti (zombie nurse)
Pam Chatfield, Bill Christopher, Jay Stover (lead zombies)
Clayton Hill (zombie with M-16)
John Amplas (Puerto Rican on roof / zombie whose arm is pulled off /
zombie thrown over balcony - uncredited)
Fred Baker (commander - uncredited)
Christine Forrest (TV producer - uncredited)
John Harrison (screwdriver zombie - uncredited)
Jeannie Jefferies (blonde zombie - uncredited)
Jim Krut (helicopter zombie - uncredited)
Lenny Lies (machete zombie - uncredited)
George A. Romero
(TV director - uncredited)
Sukey Raphael, Roy Frumkes (zombies)
PLOT SUMMARY
The world is in chaos as the dead continue to rise from their graves
and devour the living. As civilisation crumbles, two SWAT officers,
a police helicopter pilot and his pregnant girlfriend secure themselves
in a massive shopping mall and try to create a new life for themselves
as the undead mass outside and a gang of bikers rides in looking for
kicks...
CAPSULE REVIEW
Romero's over-rated follow up to Night
of the Living Dead (1968) doesn't deserve the reputation
it enjoys - it's a one-note film (an attack on consumerism) that starts
well, drags in the middle then tails off into nothing special. The gore
effects (by Tom Savini)
are plentiful and messy if none too convincing. Excellent performances
from the four leads at least make it watchable. (Full
Review)
AVAILABILITY
France
Theatrical Distributor: René Chateau
Germany
Theatrical Distributor: Neue Constantin-Film
Video Distributor: White Line Pictures (Director's Cut)
Italy
Theatrical Distributor: Titanus Distribuzione
Video Distributor: Playtime
Netherlands
Video Distributor: CK Video (European Cut)
UK
Theatrical Distributor: Target International Films
Video Distributor: Intervision Video Ltd (A-A 0358) (December 1981);
Entertainment in Video (1989); BMG
USA
Theatrical Distributor: United Film Distribution Company
Video Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment; HBO Video (1989 - 128 minute
version); Republic Pictures (1993 - 128 minute version, marketed as
a "restored Director's Cut"); Warner Home Video (1991)
Laserdisc Distributor: HBO; Image Entertainment (ID6683HB) (1989); Republic
Pictures Home Video (LV25831) (1993)
CENSORSHIP HISTORY
Australia
Rating: R (uncut version)
Denmark
Rating: 16
Finland
Rating: K-18 (director's cut)
France
Rating: -16
Germany
Rating: banned; 18 (heavily cut)
Italy
Video Rating: 14
Netherlands
Rating: 16
Norway
Rating: banned
UK
Rating: 18
The UK theatrical release was cut by the BBFC, who initially demanded
over 10 minutes of cuts to the 199 minute European Cut. The distributors,
Target, decided to resubmit the film, but this time they offered the
128 minute US cut and James Ferman, then head of the BBFC, felt that
in this version, there was clearer rationale for all the violence and
called for just 3 minutes of cuts. The Entertainment in Video release
was subjected to a further 12 seconds of cuts. The cuts were:
- A shot of a head exploding during the SWAT team's raid on the tenement
building.
- A zombie biting a woman's shoulder, also from the tenement building
scene.
- A shot of the zombie eating an arm in the basement.
- Roger using a screwdriver to kill a zombie in the shopping mall.
- Roger shooting a zombie hanging from the back of the car.
- A through-the-rifle-sights shot of a zombie being shot in the head.
- Tom Savini's character using a machete on the zombie that has knocked
him of his motorcycle.
- Savini again, this time using a knife on a zombie's neck.
- Two close-ups of teh death of the biker on teh blood pressure machine
- A whopping 19 shots removed from a scene where a biker has his intestines
removed
- Part of the sequence in which Stephen is killed in the elevator
When this already heavily cut version was submitted again, this time
for release on video by Entertainment in Video in teh mid-80s, a few
more cuts were made to the following scenes:
- A few frames were trimmed from the shooting of a female zombie in
the tenement building.
- A male zombie biting a woman's arm from the same sequence.
- A few frames were snipped from a shot of a female zombie being shot
in the shopping mall.
- The close-up of blood spattering over Roger's face in the truck
was removed.
- Several shots of zombies being killed during the operation to retrieve
the trucks.
- A close-up of a zombie jabbing its fingers into the wound on Roger's
leg and the subsequent killing of that same zombie.
- A shot of a zombie being shot in the head as the bikers begin their
invasion of the mall.
A television broadcast, supposedly of the "Director's Cut",
removed the sequence where Peter shoots the zombie children in the heliport
offices, also missing from US R-rated versions.
USA
Rating: unrated; R
The R rated version eliminated the sequence where Peter shoots the zombie
children in the heliport offices.
TIMELINE
1977
November
Day Unknown: Shooting begins
1978
February
Day Unknown: Shooting ends
September
2: Italy - theatrical release (Milan)
7: Italy - theatrical release (Rome)
1979
April
10: USA - theatrical release
August
2: Wet Germany - theatrical release
1980
June
29: UK - theatrical release
1983
May
18: France - theatrical release
1997
February
2: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)
2000
February
20: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)
POSTER TAGS
When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk
the earth.
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Dawn of the Living Dead
In de greep van de zombies - Dutch title
Swit umarlych - Polish title
Zombi - Italian title
Zombie - German title
Zombie - Das Original - German title
Zombie - Dawn of the Dead - German title
Zombie - Le crépuscule des morts-vivants - French
title
Zombies - UK title
Zombies - Dawn of the Dead - UK title
Zombies im Kaufhaus - German video title
LINKS
SEQUEL TO
Night of the
Living Dead (1968)
SEQUEL
Day of the Dead
(1985)
REMAKE
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
SEE ALSO
The Aftermath (1982)
Alone in the
T-Shirt Zone (1986)
Angst (2000)
Bad Taste (1987)
Children of the
Living Dead (2001)
Chopping Mall (1986)
Combat Shock (1986)
Coven (1997)
The Crazies (1973)
The Dead Hate the Living (1999)
Demoni (1985)
Evolution (2001)
Free Enterprise (1998)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Inferno dei morti-viventi (1981)
Night of the Comet
(1984)
Night Shadows (1984)
Il silenzio dei prosciutti (1994)
The Stuff (1985)
Trancers (1985)
Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992)
Weird Science (1985)
The Wizard of
Speed and Time (1988)
Zombi 2 (1979)
FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
100 Years of Horror (1996)
The American Nightmare (2000)
Document of the Dead (1989)
Long Live the
New Flesh: The Films of David Cronenberg (1987)
Il mondo
dell'orrore di Dario Argento (1985)
Terror in the Aisles
(1984)
REFERENCES
PERIODICALS
Cinefantastique vol.8 no.1 (Winter 1978)
pp.32-33 (USA)
illustrated production notes (Coming: Dawn of the Dead by David Bartholomew)
Cinefantastique vol.8 no.4 (Summer 1979)
pp.21-22
review (by Mark Lambert)
The Dark Side no.47 (July 1995) pp.23-25
(UK)
illustrated article (by Brad Stevens)
Empire no.126 (December 1999) p.160 (UK)
DVD review (by Adam Smith)
Empire no.168 (June 2003) p.143 (UK)
DVD review
Fangoria no.185 (August 1999) p.57 (USA)
DVD review (by Michael Gingold)
Film and Philosophy vol.3 (1996) pp.138-144
(USA)
article (From Night to Day - Nihilism and the Walking Dead by John A.
Marmysz)
Film Bulletin vol.48 no.3/4 (May / June
1979) p.credits c (USA)
review (by Bartholomew)
Film Directions vol.4 no.15 (1981) pp.29-30
(UK)
review (by Leslie Stannage)
Film Review May 1997 p.60 (UK)
illustrated short article (Film Fax: Your Questions Answered by James
Cameron Wilson)
Films and Filming vol.26 no.9 (June 1980)
pp.26-27 (UK)
illustrated review (by Eric Braun)
Films in Review vol.30 no.5 (May 1979)
pp.309-310 (USA)
review (by Tom Rogers)
Films in Review no.36 no.12 (December
1985) pp.600-601 (USA)
article (The Movie's the Thing (Good Acting in Horror Films) by Jeff
Smith
Films in Review vol.41 no.10 (October
1990) pp.469-476 (USA)
illustrated article (Document of the Dead by Roy Frumkes)
Flesh and Blood no.9 p.59 (UK)
credits, review
Hollywood Reporter vol.255 no.25 (21
February 1979) p.15 (USA)
review (by Donald Wisely)
The Listener vol.104 no.2668 (3 July
1980) p.30 (UK)
review (by Gavin Millar)
Monthly Film Bulletin vol.47 no.553 (February
1980) p.33 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review (by Richard Combs)
Movietone News no.62-63 (29 December
1979) pp.33-34 (USA)
review (by Robert C. Cunbow)
Rivista del Cinematografo vol.8 no.1
(Winter 1978) p.465 (Italy)
credits
Screen International no.232 (15 March
1980) p.14 (UK)
review (by Marjorie Bilbow)
Sight and Sound vol.3 no.4 (April 1993)
pp.30-31 (UK)
illustrated article (No particular place to go by Steve Beard)
Spectator vol.22 no.2 (Autumn 2002) pp.69-77
(USA)
illustrated article (Reviving the dead in Southwestern PA: Zombie capitalism
by Shannon Mader)
Starburst No.18 (1980) pp.10-12 (UK)
illustrated review (by John Brosnan)
Starburst no.68 (April 1984) p.46 (UK)
credits
Take One vol.7 no.6 (May 1979) pp.17-18
(Canada)
illustrated article (Cinema of Apocalypse by Ed Lowry and Louis Black)
Total Film no.108 (November 2005) pp.90-94,
96-98, 100 (UK)
illustrated article (''The 50 Greatest Horror Movies of All Time'' by
Jonathan Crocker, Jonathan Dean, Mark Dinning, Kevin Harley, Philip
Kemp, Matthew Leyland, Andy Lowe, Nev Pierce, Mark Salisbury, Neil Smith
and Ceri Thomas, edited by Jamie Graham)
Variety 18 April 1979 p.22 (USA)
credits, review (by Sege)
Video Watchdog no.54 (1999) pp.22-34
(USA)
illustrated DVD and video review
NEWSPAPERS
New York Times 20 April 1979 Section
III p.14 (USA)
review (by Janet Maslin)
BOOKS
Art of Darkness pp. 290; 299
credits; video data
Grande Illusions by Tom Savini
illustrated article
Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies
1991 - 1992 p.91
credits, short review
Creature Features Strikes Back p.95
credits, short review
KEYWORDS
zombies; end of the world; helicopters; swat; police; bikers; shopping
malls; television; scientists; sequels
Last Updated:
1 January, 2009
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