The official Dawn of the Dead 1979/2004 thread

[Guest Crazy Dan]

Well I just got back from it. And I thought it was a very solid movie. I loved the intensity of it. And I think the "fast" zombie allows to make sense of the notion of humanity being over ran. I mean, after watching this movie, how did the slow clumsy zombies of the originals ever take over? I mean why didn't evryone just take aim and fire... and when they get too close for comfort, you book, but I drigress.

 

Very good movie whcih did not hurt the zombie genre at all. And it is a worthy revision of the original. The first time movie director, Zach Sayer??, did very good job here. The quick edits really add to the caos that a zombie outbreak would certainly bring. They did a good job casting here. Michael, Ana, and Kenneth were the characters I liked the most. The acting here was an improvement from the original. You really are hoping that they somehow surrive (even though we all know the answer to that question).

 

Good makeup, gore, and blood. Throw in a little humor at the expense of celebrity impersonator zombies, and makes for a good time. One of the better horror movies to come out, well since 28 Days Later, that I have paid my $$$ for. Fans of the zombie genre should check this one out.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Michael seemed like a wuss to start, but got better as the movie went along. And the theatre busted out laughing when the fat lady went nuts.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Question for the people that complained that the movie wasn't scary: name the last really scary horror movie? I haven't been scared (or even really jumped) in a horror flick in like 20 years (no exaggeration, seeing the Exorcist as a 9 year old was the last time that I remember being frightened because of a horror movie).

 

I thought it was wicked entertaining. The opening sequence (everything that precluded the opening credits) was on-point. There were enough funny moments to let everyone know that they weren't taking it too seriously. Sarah Polley is a little hottie (but looked a bit too young for the role that I think they intended her to portray). I'll definitely check it out on DVD when it's released, and would probably go check out a sequel.

 

nl5 gives it a definite thumbs up.

[dubq 0]

I agree, nl5, when was the last time a movie was actually scary? To an adult, even? I'm more in the hunt for something that is intense or entertaining, as I know nothing's really going to make me be too affraid to sleep with the lights off.

[2GOLD 0]

I'd at least like some unsettling images and not be laughing my ass off with the entire theater at the scenes.

 

I've seen quite a few films that gave me that unsettling feeling but this movie didn't even come close to making me feel like that. "Dawn of the Dead" the original wasn't scary but it did have some "awww man, that's just not right!" feelings while this one just didn't bring that to the table.

 

At least with "Shaun of the Dead" I'll know I'm walking into a comedy.

 

Christ, "Resident Evil" had a few moments of unsettling or surprise. The surprises in this one were just tainted or laughable. I mean, the zombie baby looked sorta like that damn thing from "Total Recall" only with a "HUG ME" pose.

 

It was silly and entertaining but not what I want from a zombie movie. I want some zombies shredding flesh, I want to watch a human ripped apart by the undead, I want to see some zombies EATING a human. Sadly, I blame the MPAA for this but RE had some of those elements which gave it the unsettling feel.

 

Scared, not since I was 8 and that was the damn "Thriller" video (wait, zombies DANCE?!?! NOOOO, ARRRRHHHH!). But unsettled, I've seen a few films that present that feeling.

 

"Dawn" was a decent film for what it was, but it wasn't a horror or a thriller. It was an over the top action comedy which I'm fine with. It served it's purpose of making me laugh and keeping me happy.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Movies that scared me as a kid/teen were A Nightmare On Elm Street, and The Hills Have Eyes...very creepy movie.

[Ripper 0]

I'd at least like some unsettling images and not be laughing my ass off with the entire theater at the scenes.

 

I've seen quite a few films that gave me that unsettling feeling but this movie didn't even come close to making me feel like that. "Dawn of the Dead" the original wasn't scary but it did have some "awww man, that's just not right!" feelings while this one just didn't bring that to the table.

 

At least with "Shaun of the Dead" I'll know I'm walking into a comedy.

 

Christ, "Resident Evil" had a few moments of unsettling or surprise. The surprises in this one were just tainted or laughable. I mean, the zombie baby looked sorta like that damn thing from "Total Recall" only with a "HUG ME" pose.

 

It was silly and entertaining but not what I want from a zombie movie. I want some zombies shredding flesh, I want to watch a human ripped apart by the undead, I want to see some zombies EATING a human. Sadly, I blame the MPAA for this but RE had some of those elements which gave it the unsettling feel.

 

Scared, not since I was 8 and that was the damn "Thriller" video (wait, zombies DANCE?!?! NOOOO, ARRRRHHHH!). But unsettled, I've seen a few films that present that feeling.

 

"Dawn" was a decent film for what it was, but it wasn't a horror or a thriller. It was an over the top action comedy which I'm fine with. It served it's purpose of making me laugh and keeping me happy.

Luda(or whatever her name was) having that baby wasn't an unsettling scene?

[justsoyouknow 0]

I walked out of the theatre and asked my friends "Were they trying to make that more hilarious than scary?". I busted up laughing several times in this movie, especially when the fat lady started chasing everyone around, when the hick (Tucker) couldn't aim the chainsaw too well, and every time they said "Luda"...just because I kept imagining Ludacris pregnant.

 

Quick question: Possible spoiler...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Didn't Tucker get overrun by zombies down in the sewer? How was he alive to use the chainsaw towards the end? Makes no sense to me..

[Guest Choken One]

there were two old guys...

 

The other old guy had the chainsaw at the end.

[2GOLD 0]

I'd at least like some unsettling images and not be laughing my ass off with the entire theater at the scenes.

 

I've seen quite a few films that gave me that unsettling feeling but this movie didn't even come close to making me feel like that. "Dawn of the Dead" the original wasn't scary but it did have some "awww man, that's just not right!" feelings while this one just didn't bring that to the table.

 

At least with "Shaun of the Dead" I'll know I'm walking into a comedy.

 

Christ, "Resident Evil" had a few moments of unsettling or surprise. The surprises in this one were just tainted or laughable. I mean, the zombie baby looked sorta like that damn thing from "Total Recall" only with a "HUG ME" pose.

 

It was silly and entertaining but not what I want from a zombie movie. I want some zombies shredding flesh, I want to watch a human ripped apart by the undead, I want to see some zombies EATING a human. Sadly, I blame the MPAA for this but RE had some of those elements which gave it the unsettling feel.

 

Scared, not since I was 8 and that was the damn "Thriller" video (wait, zombies DANCE?!?! NOOOO, ARRRRHHHH!). But unsettled, I've seen a few films that present that feeling.

 

"Dawn" was a decent film for what it was, but it wasn't a horror or a thriller. It was an over the top action comedy which I'm fine with. It served it's purpose of making me laugh and keeping me happy.

Luda(or whatever her name was) having that baby wasn't an unsettling scene?

 

Child birth doesn't unsettle me.

[DangerousDamon 0]

I'd at least like some unsettling images and not be laughing my ass off with the entire theater at the scenes.

 

I've seen quite a few films that gave me that unsettling feeling but this movie didn't even come close to making me feel like that. "Dawn of the Dead" the original wasn't scary but it did have some "awww man, that's just not right!" feelings while this one just didn't bring that to the table.

 

At least with "Shaun of the Dead" I'll know I'm walking into a comedy.

 

Christ, "Resident Evil" had a few moments of unsettling or surprise. The surprises in this one were just tainted or laughable. I mean, the zombie baby looked sorta like that damn thing from "Total Recall" only with a "HUG ME" pose.

 

It was silly and entertaining but not what I want from a zombie movie. I want some zombies shredding flesh, I want to watch a human ripped apart by the undead, I want to see some zombies EATING a human. Sadly, I blame the MPAA for this but RE had some of those elements which gave it the unsettling feel.

 

Scared, not since I was 8 and that was the damn "Thriller" video (wait, zombies DANCE?!?! NOOOO, ARRRRHHHH!). But unsettled, I've seen a few films that present that feeling.

 

"Dawn" was a decent film for what it was, but it wasn't a horror or a thriller. It was an over the top action comedy which I'm fine with. It served it's purpose of making me laugh and keeping me happy.

Luda(or whatever her name was) having that baby wasn't an unsettling scene?

 

Child birth doesn't unsettle me.

Damn! I can watch a person getting hit by a train or getting shot in the head. But I can't watch a child birth.

[Youth N Asia 0]

The chainsaw bit seemed pointless. Just a way to kill off two more meaningless charcters that had death written all over them. And to crash the bus and get Steven too.

[Guest wrestlingbs]

Just a thought: the rules of the zombie genre are getting broken more and more often. We have fast zombies now, and in the next Resident Evil game we have 'zombies' welding weapons.

 

The evolution of the undead.

[dubq 0]

Just a thought: the rules of the zombie genre are getting broken more and more often. We have fast zombies now, and in the next Resident Evil game we have 'zombies' welding weapons.

 

The evolution of the undead.

I think that it's counter-productive to have "rules" in any sort of horror movie. Otherwise, we're watching the same shit over and over and over again.

[dubq 0]

The chainsaw bit seemed pointless. Just a way to kill off two more meaningless charcters that had death written all over them. And to crash the bus and get Steven too.

Killing off two characters, leading to the turning and death of another character and creating doubt for the escape plan. Yeah, so pointless.

[nl5xsk1 0]

While I hate to use this word while talking about a zombie movie with a bunch of strangers on a message board, but I thought that the chainsaw scene added some realism (to an extent). Having worked with chainsaws before, I can say that it'd be pretty difficult to keep a steady hand with it while being standing in a fast moving passenger van. And I'm willing to guess that I have a little more strength than the guy that was actually wielding it at the time.

[2GOLD 0]

The chainsaw bit seemed pointless. Just a way to kill off two more meaningless charcters that had death written all over them. And to crash the bus and get Steven too.

Killing off two characters, leading to the turning and death of another character and creating doubt for the escape plan. Yeah, so pointless.

 

I had doubts for their stupid escape plan when they announced they were going to an island in the middle of Lake Michigan.

 

If any of them really thought that was a good idea, they needed to be slapped.

 

I think Polley just wanted to die and decided she wanted to take them all with her.

[Ripper 0]

I'd at least like some unsettling images and not be laughing my ass off with the entire theater at the scenes.

 

I've seen quite a few films that gave me that unsettling feeling but this movie didn't even come close to making me feel like that. "Dawn of the Dead" the original wasn't scary but it did have some "awww man, that's just not right!" feelings while this one just didn't bring that to the table.

 

At least with "Shaun of the Dead" I'll know I'm walking into a comedy.

 

Christ, "Resident Evil" had a few moments of unsettling or surprise. The surprises in this one were just tainted or laughable. I mean, the zombie baby looked sorta like that damn thing from "Total Recall" only with a "HUG ME" pose.

 

It was silly and entertaining but not what I want from a zombie movie. I want some zombies shredding flesh, I want to watch a human ripped apart by the undead, I want to see some zombies EATING a human. Sadly, I blame the MPAA for this but RE had some of those elements which gave it the unsettling feel.

 

Scared, not since I was 8 and that was the damn "Thriller" video (wait, zombies DANCE?!?! NOOOO, ARRRRHHHH!). But unsettled, I've seen a few films that present that feeling.

 

"Dawn" was a decent film for what it was, but it wasn't a horror or a thriller. It was an over the top action comedy which I'm fine with. It served it's purpose of making me laugh and keeping me happy.

Luda(or whatever her name was) having that baby wasn't an unsettling scene?

 

Child birth doesn't unsettle me.

What about dead zombie womn child birth with blood spewing out at the father like the baby was shooting at the father with a supersoaker?

[nl5xsk1 0]

I had doubts for their stupid escape plan when they announced they were going to an island in the middle of Lake Michigan.

 

If any of them really thought that was a good idea, they needed to be slapped.

 

In theory, though, it's actually not a bad idea. As far as they knew, it was an outbreak that was only spreadable by bite. If they could go to a place that no one there had the disease, they'd be all set. Without anyone there to bite them, they'd be safe (for the most part) from the disease.

[Stephen Joseph 0]

You'd think with all their weapons that there'd be less zombies to deal with there too and they could handle it

[2GOLD 0]

I had doubts for their stupid escape plan when they announced they were going to an island in the middle of Lake Michigan.

 

If any of them really thought that was a good idea, they needed to be slapped.

 

In theory, though, it's actually not a bad idea. As far as they knew, it was an outbreak that was only spreadable by bite. If they could go to a place that no one there had the disease, they'd be all set. Without anyone there to bite them, they'd be safe (for the most part) from the disease.

 

Ok, this would make sense if the island was in the middle of the ocean and deserted.

 

Did they think they would find an empty island in the middle of Lake Michigan??

 

I mean, come on. If someone told you the brillant plan of, "we'll go to an island we know had people and just assume that even though everyone else on the planet is getting munched on that this island in the middle of LAKE MICHIGAN is fine" that you would have said "Sure!"

 

In the middle of the ocean, seems logical and worth a shot.

In the middle of Lake Michigan? Better off in a mall that the dead can't get into.

 

I think setting the film in Wisconsin really hurt it there.

[Vyce 0]

I believe Sara Polley's line in the movie was that they were going to try the islands because there were less people there. Not "no people at all", but "less people", and thus less chance of being overrun by zombies / greater chance of isolated survivers. Plus being on an island, as opposed to stranded in the city with tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of the things, they probably figure they'd stand a better chance of survival.

 

Although I agree about the mall. I said as much earlier. Theoretically, they had enough food and supplies there; all they'd need to do is remain vigilant (to ensure that the zomibies remained safely outside), and they could have survived long enough for the zombies to all rot away past the point where they were a threat.

[Guest ICE-MAN]

I believe Sara Polley's line in the movie was that they were going to try the islands because there were less people there. Not "no people at all", but "less people", and thus less chance of being overrun by zombies / greater chance of isolated survivers. Plus being on an island, as opposed to stranded in the city with tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of the things, they probably figure they'd stand a better chance of survival.

 

Although I agree about the mall. I said as much earlier. Theoretically, they had enough food and supplies there; all they'd need to do is remain vigilant (to ensure that the zomibies remained safely outside), and they could have survived long enough for the zombies to all rot away past the point where they were a threat.

I know that all the island stuff was talked about beforehand but what sent it all in motion was trying to get food to Andy and saving Nicole and the dog. They had to leave and go to the island then because the zombies were in the mall after this.

 

It was a good idea just blame Nicole for having to put in motion before they wanted to.

 

[Guest wrestlingbs]

It was a good idea just blame Nicole for having to put in motion before they wanted to.

 

Yeah, Nicole get's an award for biggest bonehead move in a zombie movie, up there with, "We should take the infected guy with us!" and "Zombies! let's all turn on each other!"

[Vyce 0]

You can't give full culpability to Nicole - if Steve hadn't left his post at the door, they would have made it back into the mall without the building being breached by the undead.

 

I don't think Nicole was so much stupid as just severely emotionally disturbed. Remember, her entire family had died, which I suppose forced her to connect so strongly towards the dog.

 

Still though, as much as I love my pooch - if he gets lost in a swarm of undead cannibals, he's gonna have to take care of his own ass.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Nicole was cute...so I'll give her a pass. I was just waiting for zombie mutt to come back and bite her on the ass though.

[Guest ICE-MAN]

You can't give full culpability to Nicole - if Steve hadn't left his post at the door, they would have made it back into the mall without the building being breached by the undead.

 

I don't think Nicole was so much stupid as just severely emotionally disturbed. Remember, her entire family had died, which I suppose forced her to connect so strongly towards the dog.

 

Still though, as much as I love my pooch - if he gets lost in a swarm of undead cannibals, he's gonna have to take care of his own ass.

Yeah I can see why she bonded so quickly with the dog but I believe the dog would have been ok since he walked through the zombies and they didn't notice him. So I don't think ZombieAndy would eat him.

 

But I did get kinda quezzy when they lowered the dog.I thought for sure the Zombies were going to tear it to pieces.

 

And I thought Nicole was cute too. Dumb as a bag of hammers but cute.

 

 

And It would be cool to see her in the Zombie make-up.

[dubq 0]

Nicole was cute...so I'll give her a pass. I was just waiting for zombie mutt to come back and bite her on the ass though.

Feh, the cuteness is cancelled out by how annoyingly whiny she is. I'd take Kim/Monica over that..

[Youth N Asia 0]

With the exception of the dog she wasn't in the movie long enough to be that annoying. And you can't count her dad getting zomped...it was her friggin dad!

[Anya 0]

I really liked the news footage and scenes of all the chaos outside, especially in the beginning. That stuff is just freaky in movies. The whole idea of the end of the world and how people would react and what the news would be like is so fascinating and scary to think about. I wish there had been more in it.