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Dawn of the Dead

  • 1978
  • Unrated
  • 2h 7m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
134K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,288
366
John Paul in Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Trailer for Dawn Of The Dead
Play trailer2:40
3 Videos
99+ Photos
B-HorrorDark ComedySplatter HorrorSupernatural HorrorSurvivalZombie HorrorHorrorThriller

During an escalating zombie epidemic, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter and his TV executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.During an escalating zombie epidemic, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter and his TV executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.During an escalating zombie epidemic, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter and his TV executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

  • Director
    • George A. Romero
  • Writer
    • George A. Romero
  • Stars
    • David Emge
    • Ken Foree
    • Scott H. Reiniger
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    134K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,288
    366
    • Director
      • George A. Romero
    • Writer
      • George A. Romero
    • Stars
      • David Emge
      • Ken Foree
      • Scott H. Reiniger
    • 819User reviews
    • 139Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos3

    Dawn of the Dead (1978)
    Trailer 2:40
    Dawn of the Dead (1978)
    Dawn of the Dead (1978)
    Trailer 1:01
    Dawn of the Dead (1978)
    Dawn of the Dead (1978)
    Trailer 1:01
    Dawn of the Dead (1978)
    Dawn of the Dead (1978)
    Trailer 3:44
    Dawn of the Dead (1978)

    Photos799

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    David Emge
    David Emge
    • Stephen
    Ken Foree
    Ken Foree
    • Peter
    Scott H. Reiniger
    Scott H. Reiniger
    • Roger
    Gaylen Ross
    Gaylen Ross
    • Francine
    David Crawford
    • Dr. Foster
    David Early
    • Mr. Berman
    Richard France
    Richard France
    • Scientist
    Howard Smith
    Howard Smith
    • TV Commentator
    Daniel Dietrich
    • Givens
    Fred Baker
    • Commander
    James A. Baffico
    • Wooley
    • (as Jim Baffico)
    Rod Stouffer
    • Young Officer on Roof
    Jese Del Gre
    • Old Priest
    Clayton McKinnon
    • Officer in Project Apt.
    John Rice
    John Rice
    • Officer in Project Apt.
    Ted Bank
    • Officer at Police Dock
    Randy Kovitz
    Randy Kovitz
    • Officer at Police Dock
    Patrick McCloskey
    • Officer at Police Dock
    • Director
      • George A. Romero
    • Writer
      • George A. Romero
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews819

    7.8134.1K
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    Featured reviews

    8Russ-60

    My comments on Dawn of the Dead

    Dawn of the Dead is a brilliant film. You gotta love those zombies. I loved the bit where one of the bikers arm got stuck in the blood pressure machine and the zombies ate him alive. If you're going to see it, make sure it is the Director's Cut.
    10Scars_Remain

    When There's No More Room in Hell, The Dead Will Go Shopping

    This movie has always been a big favorite of mine. I went through a zombie phase in high school and this is, hands down, the best zombie film ever made. With all the crap coming out today, it still stands out.

    Dawn is a great satire of materialistic modern society. All of the performances are spot on, George Romero's writing and direction is flawless as usual, and the gore is brilliant. What could be better than a bunch of zombies taking over a shopping mall? That's right, nothing.

    If you call yourself a horror fan and you haven't seen the original Dawn of the Dead, you need to get with the program immediately! No one messes with Romero, no one!
    9Shinwa

    Apocalypse in the Food Court

    Thoughtful if unsubtle epic follow-up to Night of the Living Dead was one of THE influential movies of the late 70's; pity, then, that the people it influenced paid more attention to the amped-up gore than to the sense of contained hysteria that makes what should be tough going (there are basically three scenes in this movie: zombies attack people, people attack zombies, people stand around talking) a uniquely involving and provocative self-analysis of the zombie film.

    The symbolism is, well, not delicate. Just in case we missed it the first time, the trope that the mall attracts the zombies "because it was an important place to them" is repeated for our rumination. But the overall sustained atmosphere, inside and outside of the banal environment of the shopping mall, is by far the film's salient contribution; even when there is no obvious action onscreen, there is the threat of an attack to come, and the clock is clearly ticking on the four protagonists during their idyll. Moreover, it takes the conspicuously familiar and catapults it into an apocalyptic situation, creating a powerful sense of displacement.

    The violence, which is primarily what draws people to or repels them from this movie, comes on strong, but quickly becomes monotonous (as it is, the vast majority of the violence in the movie is inflicted against the zombies rather than by them, though is none the less repulsive for that); the scariest part of the movie is how plausible it makes the concept of total disintegration of what we perceive as civilization. The soundtrack, highlighting pulsing, insistent synthesizer chords, contributes much to the onscreen tension, which the action choreography is exemplary. An unlikely masterpiece.
    10ivo-cobra8

    George A. Romero's masterpiece - the best zombie apocalyptic movie of all time my number 1 favorite

    Dawn of the Dead is George A. Romero's masterpiece - one of the best zombie apocalyptic movies of all time. It is 1978 classic this movie really started the zombie genre. It is been almost 40 years anniversary now since this movie come out. Night of the Living Dead was George A. Romero's first film that really introduced the zombie genre, but this to me really started the zombie praise. This in my opinion is one of the best zombie movies of all time.

    It is my number 1 favorite zombie movie I love this movie to death and it is one of my personal favorite horror films of all time. This movie is based on a Zombie apocalypse this group find's them self's with this pilot who takes them with the helicopter in the air and they find a shopping mall. There is a perfect place to go in to a "Zombie Apocalypse." So they go in to shopping mall and they have every single item in that shopping mall after disposal to use on the zombies.

    As you can tell it is a very fun movie but more important this movie inspires zombies. Without this movie there wouldn't have been The Walking Dead there wouldn't be 28 Days Later there wouldn't have been any of that. This movie is very important this days it was remade in 2004. It is a fun, fun ride I enjoy this film it is entertaining horror flick. Back in the 1978 that come out it was more scary than it is today. This is where I give this movie the most credit, just like... you have a great time watching people murdering zombies. This movie has a great action, great story, plot, great effects the real zombies. It has gore, blood, you se heads been blowing off. George A. Romero's wrote and direct brilliantly this movie. Tom Savini creates a great special effects for the zombies. Great make up, great blood squibs. The film is fast paced it is excellent brilliant. You see all those SWAT team sieging the building shooting the zombies and gunning the down violent gang. You see whole world comes to an end and people shooting zombies even kids are zombies in this movie.

    The group in the shopping mall has to deal not only with zombies and the disposing them, they also have to deal with poachers who break in to their home and start stealing items and letting zombies in the mall. Tom Savini was one of the motorcycle poachers who was stealing items in the mall. Gaylen Ross was a fantastic babe as Francine news reporter. David Emge as Stephen the pilot was excellent. Ken Foree as Peter a SWAT team member was the best in this movie. Scott H. Reiniger as Roger another SWAT team member was good in his role. They don't make movies like this today anymore. It's a R-rated movie and it is a perfect 10. Dawn of the Dead is one of the best zombie apocalyptic movies of all time, I highly recommend this film to any horror fan.
    Deviant-7

    Zombie mayhem reigns supreme!

    If only every horror movie was made with such determination as this one. A zombie classic, Dawn of the Dead succeeds in every aspect. It has enough violence and gore to gratify any horror fan, and then some! The weird thing is that the gore in this movie isn't unnecessary, it suits the purpose. In this sequel to the classic Night of the Living Dead, the zombies have taken over the land and have spread to immense numbers. A group of people escape the carnage in a helicopter, and take refuge in a huge mall where they can live off the supplies inside for years. They have to fend off the zombies trying to get in, as well as a sadistic group of bikers who want to loot the place. Great film, lots of gory action and flesh-munching. Make sure to check out the newly remastered director's cut for terrific picture and sound, and extra footage.

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    Related interests

    Bridget Hoffman in The Evil Dead (1981)
    B-Horror
    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
    Dark Comedy
    Shawnee Smith in Saw (2004)
    Splatter Horror
    Daveigh Chase in The Ring (2002)
    Supernatural Horror
    Society of the Snow (2023)
    Survival
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    Horror
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    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Tom Savini chose the gray color for the zombies' skin, since Night of the Living Dead (1968) was in B&W and the zombie skin-tone was not depicted. He later said it was a mistake, because many of them ended up looking quite blue on film.
    • Goofs
      When Roger runs out of a truck and back toward the mall, one particular zombie in a red-and-black striped shirt gets out of character and decides to tuck in his shirt.
    • Quotes

      Francine Parker: They're still here.

      Stephen: They're after us. They know we're still in here.

      Peter: They're after the place. They don't know why; they just remember. Remember that they want to be in here.

      Francine Parker: What the hell are they?

      Peter: They're us, that's all. There's no more room in hell.

      Stephen: What?

      Peter: Something my granddaddy used to tell us. You know Macumba? Voodoo. Granddad was a priest in Trinidad. Used to tell us, "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth."

    • Crazy credits
      George A. Romero appears on screen as a TV Station Director (the bearded man wearing a scarf and a blue shirt) as his name appears, listing him as "Editor", in the on-screen credits beneath him.
    • Alternate versions
      The original UK cinema version (aka Romero's 'theatrical print') was cut by 3 mins 46 secs by the BBFC to remove an exploding head and a screwdriver killing plus stabbings and scenes of disembowelment, and the 1989 video version lost a further 12 secs of gore and shooting plus a scene of a woman's neck being bitten during the housing project sequence. Some cuts were restored in the alternate 1997 Directors Cut video although 6 secs remained missing including the exploding head, neck bite and an additional edit to the shooting of the two zombie children (in response to the 1997 Dunblane massacre). All cuts were fully waived in 2003 from both the Directors Cut and the original theatrical versions. The later Blu-Ray release by Arrow was uncut as well.
    • Connections
      Edited into Heads Blow Up! (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Cosmogony Part 1
      (uncredited)

      Composed by Paul Lemel

      Published by De Wolfe Music Ltd.

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    FAQ24

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1979 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Italy
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • El l amanecer de los muertos viviente
    • Filming locations
      • Monroeville Mall - Business Route 22, Monroeville, Pennsylvania, USA(the shopping mall)
    • Production companies
      • Laurel Group
      • Dawn Associates
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $650,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $159,822
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 7m(127 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

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