Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2629 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-03-27
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 101 minutes

Synopsis
The third chapter in the saga that director George Romero started in 1968 with NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD moves the story further along the timeline of the zombie apocalypse to a time when survivors are few and far between. At an underground Florida research station, Dr. Logan (Richard Liberty) conducts grotesque experiments on captured zombies to search for a way that the living and the living dead can cohabitate. Begrudgingly sharing the facility with the doctor is military man Rhodes (Joe Pilato) and his underlings. Scientist Sarah (Lori Cardille) and her fellow survivors seek refuge at the compound just in time to see a clash between Logan and Rhodes reach a critical turning point. DAY OF THE DEAD stands as the most controversial film in the series. While some feel that its confined, talky nature prevents it from achieving the constant white-knuckle thrills of the previous two films, others admire its strides toward figuring out what drives the zombies. Regardless, the third act features the most extreme and well-executed special effects in the series, with several gory sequences that will leave an undeniable impression on those who witness them.

Customer Reviews

Worthy sequel
Romero once again adds to the canon with healthy measures of bloody paranoia, claustrophia and violence permeating the efforts of a dwindling number of living humans to find temporary respite from the growing numbers of zombie dead.

Reviewers are often fond of looking for some subtext within these films. Dawn of the Dead had its obvious message about consumerism - are these dead people behaving any differently from when they were alive? Probably not.

Here we can see the message is the brutal control of the civilian and scientific populations by a harried and panicked military group in the aftermath of the end of the society. These people have literally burrowed underground into the dark to survive. The sole doctor resorts to barbaric experiments of dubious merit on the dead soldiers with a predictable response from their living colleagues.

However there is still a camaraderie-by-necessity among the civilians; a touch that adds some pleasantness to events which we know will surely snuff out humanity's flame.

Overall a worthy sequel that plays out well within the limited confines of a smallish underground complex. Day of the Dead scores highly for its generous servings of bloody gore! It's a damn fine zombie film and lets not forget it.

Underrated
Okay, so most hard core zombie lovers drool over Night of the Living Dead (its underlying racial undertones providing some thought-provoking moments). Then, this was followed by 1979's Dawn of the Dead, to which many people paralleled it with an attack on consumerism. Them in 1985, came Day and people said...what?

Any hidden themes are unclear. Some say it's an attack on genetic modification and god-playing scientists - maybe. But it, as the tagline suggests, is the darkest day in horror.

It's not as action-packed as Dawn, but for claustrophobic nature and tension, it really can't be beaten.

Watch it. Then watch it again. It's about the remains of human lives when they're forced together with people who they share nothing in common with. The undead take a backseat. Definitely my favourite in the saga.

Over remastered version disapoints
I LOVE Day Of The Dead. Not only is this one of my favourite zombie films, but it's one of my favourite films in general.

That said, let's get on to my gripes with this DVD. I bought this DVD after borrowing an older single disc version of this film from a friend.

I was unpleasantly surprised to find that the audio and image has been over cleaned up, which in my opinion diminishes the atmosphere throughout the movie. The sound is quieter in places whereas before it was raw and hard hitting. This is a tragic trend that I see happening to many old classic films that are being re-released on DVD today.

I now understand fully why older generations hold on to their old vinyls or VHS tapes because re releases can often disapoint if not post produced properly.

If you want to buy and watch this classic film, buy the 2001 single disc release DVD of this film. The quality of the 2001 release will more than make up for the lack of extras.

Oh, and it's cheaper, though becoming increasingly hard to get hold of. If you plan on buying the version I speak of, it's the 2001 DVD release. It's 'remastered,' in widescreen, and has a black and white cover with a close up of a zombie on the right side.

I'm going to now buy the version that I watched originally, and will attempt to sell on the double disc version that I still have.