Five Great Films From The Master of Modern Zombie Movies

“Dawn Of The Dead” (1978)
Shot on a noticeably bigger budget and grander scale than “Night Of The Living Dead,” the sequel “Dawn Of The Dead” was Romero’s effort to reclaim the horror audience after several fine but overlooked films, and it still feels like his masterpiece, mixing gut-munching gore, social commentary, ensemble drama, and dark humor in one film. After the zombies continue to make their way through Pennsylvania, four people hole ... more 

“Dawn Of The Dead” (1978)
Shot on a noticeably bigger budget and grander scale than “Night Of The Living Dead,” the sequel “Dawn Of The Dead” was Romero’s effort to reclaim the horror audience after several fine but overlooked films, and it still feels like his masterpiece, mixing gut-munching gore, social commentary, ensemble drama, and dark humor in one film. After the zombies continue to make their way through Pennsylvania, four people hole up in a shopping mall, where they battle the ghouls for the right to loot to their heart’s content. While Tom Savini’s no-holds-barred gore effects made this one of the first major horror films to be released without a rating in 1978, the major shocks are confined to the first and last half hours, while what’s in the middle is tense, witty, and clever. While the 2004 remake stayed unexpectedly true to its source, if you want to see a “zombies in a shopping mall” movie, the original is still your very best bet. less