Today, zombies are prevalent in just about every aspect of popular culture. However, whilst shows such as The Walking Dead cemented their place in the mainstream, this hasn’t always been the case. Indeed, whilst they’ve been a feature of genre cinema since Victor Halperin’s White Zombie in 1932, it was George A. Romero’s original trilogy of films which embedded the idea of the shuffling undead into our collective consciousness. Dawn of the Dead is his most memorable.
A mysterious epidemic is sweeping across the US. Stephen (David Emge) and Francine (Gaylen Ross), who work for a TV station, plan on stealing the traffic helicopter in order to flee. They rendezvous with his friend Roger (Scott H. Reiniger) and his fellow SWAT officer Peter (Ken Foree). The group eventually decide to make a shopping mall their safe haven, as it has everything they need. After barricading the entrances, they seem to have struck lucky; but all good things must come to an end.
Dawn of the Dead is arguably the greatest zombie film ever made. Whilst other movies may offer more shock value or greater tension, the sheer scale and scope of Romero’s vision is breathtaking. It basically gives the audience everything they could possibly wish for; gore, action, a biker gang and much, much more. Not only is Dawn of the Dead a cutting social satire it’s also gloriously realised horror cinema.
Details of the many marvellous special features available as part of the limited edition Blu-ray and 4K UHD releases can be found here:
Dawn of the Dead is released on limited edition Blu-ray and 4K UHD by Second Sight on 16 November.
