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Post by frankenjohn on Nov 10, 2005 11:16:10 GMT -5
I can't belive no one has reviewed this film. Wow.
I'll start off this review with one line: "Dawn" is the greatest horror and action film ever made. You cannot disagree with that. If you do, I have no comments for you. It is pure genius, a film that works on many different levels all at once. A horror film, a thriller, an action movie, a comedy, not to mention social commentary. It is the most true unrealism ever presented through film.
Now, I have to say, this is the only film I can (and want) to watch standing up, even moving. "Why?," you ask. Well, "Dawn" is a movie that movies at such a breakneck speed that you can't just sit there and let it slip away. Even move with it to cath up to it. I'm not speaking metaphorically, kids. It is slow at times, but you're just standing there. Get it? Okay.
I must mention the acting in this movie. The four survivors act as if it really is happening. They act as if we would be acting during a zombie invasion. Ever wonder what you'd do if you had a mall to yourself? The question is answered. Wanted to ride a car and/or motorcycle in one too? Happens. Ever wanted to shoot someone? C'mon, we've all wanted to shoot something at one point in our lives. They perform all these actions pretty much exactly as things would happen with us.
Then there's the music. My favorite horror/thriller movie, frequent Argento collaberators "Goblin" make the score very interesting. It pretty much souns like a bleak horror movie crossed with Indiana Jones. Sounds fun, eh? It is.
In conclusion, this is a genius film that shall always be remembered (in my book, at lest) as one of cinema's finest moments. God bless you, Romero.
**** out of ****
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 11, 2005 13:00:35 GMT -5
"Dawn of the Dead" will always be the ultimate zombie movie.
**SPOILERS**
A news show in Pittsburgh begins reporting that the zombies are now beginning to win the battles against the living. Reporter Francine (Gaylen Ross) leaves the station with Steven (David Emge) in a station chopper. At the same time, a police squadron is called to an apartment complex in the ghetto for counts of cannibalism. After battling the zombies, two police officers, Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger, (Scott H. Reiniger) find the helicopter with the escaping Francine and Steven and leave with them. Finally making their way to Monroeville Mall, the four find that the complex has everything they need to survive. Barricading themselves inside, they live in peace, occasionally meeting the zombies. They eventually decide to give the mall to the zombies, as they seem to have called the structure home. A gang of bikers arrives, and they simply find the mall open for their taking. Fighting on the side of the zombies, they fight off the advancing hordes. Succeeding, now the zombies find that they are prime targets to attack, and ramble on after them. Finally able to survive, those that do look back on the mall with a wink of nostalgia.
The Good News: One of the main reasons why people love this movie is its non-stop gore. This is right up there with "Dead Alive" as one of the most violent movies of all time. We have untold decapitations, a screwdriver in the ear, two bodies torn apart in a long matter of time, more than ten different people have at least a piece of skin bitten off or ripped open, one is set on fire, and another one has the top of its head sliced off with a helicopter blade. I am literally talking about the tip of the iceberg here. This is merely some of the violence that happens to regular people from the zombies. That's not even close to the violence that the regular people inflict on the zombies. Most of them are massive gunshot wounds to the head, since it kills them. We see some very nice, gory-looking head kills in the movie. There are so many that the film would simply be R-rated only on head kills. It really is a treat for gore-hounds to see all the violence in the film, both to and from the zombies. I could go on and on about the gore in the film, but the film does contain so many other things. To me, the action in the film is just as good as the gore. The best scene has to be towards the end, when the bikers are in the mall facing the zombies. This includes not only a lot of gore, but a lot of action as well. The giant gunfight is one of the best scenes ever shot. The fact that the cops shoot off against the bikers, who have to worry about the zombies attacking them. To have it last as long as it did and never have it be a boring fight, that's a major accomplishment. That is also a very big deal; the film is over two hours long, and at no point is it a boring movie. To have a horror film do that is such a great feat. What really amazed me about the movie was its character development. It is one of the few films where we really do care about what happens to the people involved. There aren't as many people who we care about in modern horror films. They are supposed to be similar to the people from these kinds of films, but they don't have the same impact as the earlier films. Granted, they don't have as great of acting classes as modern stars, but the important thing is that the heroes come across as likable, which hardly any modern day film does. It is something that I sorely miss in horror films.
The Bad News: Everyone always says that this film is a very smart satirical film, and I never knew why. Personally, I don't care if it does or not, because it is such a great film that it carries a subliminal message doesn't concern me. I don't try to analyze the hidden meanings in films. I just watch it to enjoy the movie. If you feel like you want to watch the film a hundred times to see how many different scenes hold another meaning, go right ahead. It doesn't concern me to know, and I respect those that do, but I don't want to know that kind of thing. So what if it has hidden meanings? Doesn't bother me. I watch this film for its entertainment value, not how many different things Romero is poking fun at.
The Final Verdict: Even though there are those that say this film is loaded with social satire, I have no interest in finding it and simply watch this movie because it is so entertaining. Watch this film if you seek out gory, violent films of any kind, as it offers everything that they will enjoy. Seek caution if seeing gore disturbs you.
Rated NC-17: Extreme Graphic Violence
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Post by Quorthon on Nov 11, 2005 13:20:37 GMT -5
Good job guys. Nice reviews.
Slayrrr, too bad you overlook the social commentary--it's one of the things that brought this film to the attention to larger audiences than just the horror fanatics. It wasn't subliminal at all, but just as obvious as the commentary was in Shaun of the Dead.
Fantastic movie, one of the best.
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 11, 2005 13:25:05 GMT -5
There's commentary in Shaun of the Dead? Seriously.
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Post by Quorthon on Nov 11, 2005 13:39:02 GMT -5
Ha Ha! Yeah, and it's almost exactly the same as Dawn of the Dead '78. People have become zombies--slaves to their everyday routines. Wake up, go to work, go to the store, go home. Day in day out we trudge though life barely alive. Moving but braindead.
In Dawn, Romero equated the zombies to the consumer culture.
In Shaun, it was equated to loss of individuality and freedom in everyday life. Slaves to the grind are little more than social zombies.
It adds a level of depth and extra bit of fun to the movies.
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 11, 2005 13:40:16 GMT -5
I don't read into movies that deeply, so I guess I'm missing something. But that's my loss, not anybody else's.
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 12, 2005 19:04:25 GMT -5
Yeah man, sometimes looking a little deeper into a movie and picking up on stuff that the director is trying to convey, can make it that much more enjoyable. Sometimes it's not even anything really deep, just an in-joke or sight gag. Personally, I love picking up on stuff like that. It adds layers to the movie that not everyone else is getting.
There's a scene in THE HOWLING, for instance, where Dee Wallace is in a phone booth, and when she hangs up, the next customer goes in and first checks the coin slot for any change. Why is that funny? Because the character is played by famous director/producer of low budget flicks, Roger Corman, who is notoriously cheap. See? To the casual observer, it's cute that this guy checks for coins, but if you know who's playing that guy, it's a lot funnier.
Besides the social commentary, there's a ton of in-jokes & sight gags in SHAUN as well. Haven't seen DAWN in years, I'm talking since the mid-eighties. I really need to see that one again. Did love the remake though.
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 12, 2005 19:08:35 GMT -5
See, that's something I've missed, because I'm not looking for it. I know he's in it, but I didn't look into the movie that much to notice it. And I've seen the movie like twenty times.
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Post by Quorthon on Nov 14, 2005 10:14:33 GMT -5
I had no idea that Corman was in The Howling.
Guess it doesn't really surprise me since he and Dante worked together on Piranha...
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Post by frankenjohn on Nov 14, 2005 15:31:13 GMT -5
Corman, Dante, and Dick Miller have this...weird triangle going on. Like, Corman brought Dante to fame and when Miller (old Corman favorite) starred in "Piranah," him and Dante must've hit it off cause they had a long lasting film relationship and then when Dante did "Looney Toones" he had both Miller and Corman (directing BATMAN) together in almost the same scenes -- I need a drink!  |
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 14, 2005 15:37:15 GMT -5
WOW, that's freaky. But then, look at the work Miller has recieved because he's starred in these films. Its given him a lot of exposure that I, for one, never really knew about. I guess that's a good thing.
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Post by Quorthon on Nov 14, 2005 16:34:51 GMT -5
Corman, Dante, and Dick Miller have this...weird triangle going on. Like, Corman brought Dante to fame and when Miller (old Corman favorite) starred in "Piranah," him and Dante must've hit it off cause they had a long lasting film relationship and then when Dante did "Looney Toones" he had both Miller and Corman (directing BATMAN) together in almost the same scenes -- I need a drink! Is Dick Miller Mr. Futterman from Gremlins? Here's another one for you guys: Maniac Cop features a scene with a news reporter talking about the murders--and that reporter is played by Sam "Evil Dead/Darkman/Spider-Man" Raimi. On top of that, Sam Raimi's 1970's Oldsmobile Delta 88 appears in almost all of his films--as does Bruce Campbell. Bruce is the last "face" that Darkman uses at the close of the first movie. On top of that, and I've always liked this story: The Hills Have Eyes features in once scene (don't know which one, haven't seen it), a torn Jaws poster--Craven stating that Jaws is Pop Horror, HHE is the real thing. Evil Dead features in once scene (first cellar scene) a Hills Have Eyes poster that's torn. Raimi states that ED is the real thing and that Craven is Pop Horror. Evil Dead plays on a television in Nancy's bedroom in Nightmare on Elm Street (part one). What nerds we are! |
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Post by frankenjohn on Nov 15, 2005 14:37:51 GMT -5
Commenting on the above post:
Dick Miller was Mr. Futterman.
Knew about the "Darkman" thing. Not the others.
And you've got the Craven/Raimi poster thing all wrong. Raimi put that there because he liked HHE. Craven "payed him back" by showing ED on the TV.
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 15, 2005 15:13:43 GMT -5
Yeah, Frank got it right, Q. Raimi was the first one to homage an influence with the HHE poster. Craven was impressed and liked what Raimi did, so he put in the part about Evil Dead in NOES. In ED II, there's a shot of Freddy's glove in a basement shot because Craven used Evil Dead in NOES to thank Raimi for putting in the HHE poster. That's a weirder triangle IMO.
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Post by frankenjohn on Nov 15, 2005 15:21:46 GMT -5
Someone should read every post on this thread and 4x faster than the actual reading pace. Fun.
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