Dawn of the Dead (1978)

            I can think of no better way to kick off the Halloween season than with a Romero film.  In 1968 George Romero ushered in a new era of terror.  Night of the Living Dead revolutionized the horror genre.  Not only did it introduce the modern zombie, it also managed to bring horror out of mysterious dungeons and haunted houses and into the real world, thereby influencing nearly every horror film that followed it.  Ten years later, Romero followed up his masterpiece with an indirect sequel, Dawn of the Dead.  While both films succeed in creating tension and invoking terror, Dawn of the Dead is, more than anything, a film about human nature.

            The film begins shortly after the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse.  The dead have started to walk and have developed a taste for human flesh.  Anyone with a pulse is now in danger of being bitten and joining the ranks of the living dead.  The opening scene finds us in a crowded television studio.  Everyone is panicking as a talk show host and a doctor argue over the air about the best way for people to deal with the undead.  It is here that we meet a pilot and his girlfriend who are planning to hijack the station’s helicopter in order to make their escape.  Not far away, a SWAT team invades an apartment building in an effort to enforce a mandatory evacuation of the premises.  As chaos ensues, two of the SWAT team members manage to hitch a ride on the stolen helicopter.  The group seeks refuge in an indoor shopping mall where they must fight off an ever-growing congregation of the living dead.

            From the very beginning of the movie, it becomes clear that Dawn of the Dead is far more than your average horror flick.  A good ten minutes goes by and there isn’t a single zombie to be found.  What we do see is what human beings are capable of in the midst of utter chaos.  We are shown a news anchor refusing to listen to reason, a producer more concerned with ratings than the safety of his subordinates, excessive and unwarranted police force, racism, and police officers taking pleasure in the killing of the innocent.  Romero is clearly stating that human nature is far more terrifying than any flesh-eating monster could ever be. 

            As soon as our heroes arrive at the mall, they start to speculate on the reason so many of the living dead seem to be gathering there.  They conclude that this was “an important place in their lives”.  This statement speaks volumes about Romero’s attitude toward consumerism in America.  Dawn of the Dead was released at a time when indoor shopping centers were a relatively new phenomenon and as we are shown dozens of mindless zombies wander aimlessly from shop to shop, we can’t help but admit that Romero’s film has been strangely prophetic.  As soon as the group gains control of the mall, they are left with nothing to do but wander aimlessly through stores themselves.  As they spend their mundane days trying on clothes and equipping their shelter with the finest name-brand furniture, they must ask themselves who the real zombies are.

            Social commentary and dark humor aside, Dawn of the Dead is still very much a horror film.  The gore is abundant and the body count is high, so don’t go writing it off if you’re concerned about it being to ”preachy”.  While the makeup effects are somewhat dated (the zombies appear bluish gray and the blood is a bright neon red), the film’s message hasn’t aged a day.  If you can’t get past the primitive, low-budget special effects, there is a remake out there you’ll probably enjoy.  The explosions are bigger and the zombies are faster, which is neat (I guess).  But if you’re truly interested in seeing some highbrow horror, check out George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead.  You won’t be disappointed.

-Jonah

Poster by Micah Moseby.