twist of fait accomplis

Dawn of the Dead, 1978 [ ADD ]
Director: George Romero
Availability: Easy/Medium (on OOP(?) DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment, a definitive edition is reportedly on the way next year; also easily available on video)

This is one of those "no-brainers" (which would disappoint the zombies involved, clearly). Dawn of the Dead is one of the most influential and important horror films of the last 30 years. Though Night of the Living Dead was a turning point in the horror genre, showing that a low-budget zombie gore film could be successful and remain true to the director's vision, but Dawn of the Dead may be the best horror film ever made. Or, at least, that's what I think.

With zombies spreading from major cities to small towns, a small group of people flee in a helicopter, looking to go somewhere, anywhere, to get away from the plague that is taking over the entire east coast. They wind up at a recently abandoned shopping mall and set up shop, finding that they can keep the zombies at bay and remain hidden with relative ease.

But, hey, this is a Romero zombie flick! Of course it's not that easy. What follows is a battle with zombies, renegade bikers, and the characters' own personality conflicts. And there's gore galore in this film: exploding heads, machetes, torn apart entrails, and any number of gunshots and decapitations. Savini handles the effects beautifully, making for a movie that has not only a strong script, but strong visuals.

If you've somehow missed seeing Dawn of the Dead, don't hesitate a second longer. There's a reason that this movie has the following it does: it's gory and smart at the same time, a truly rare combination in the horror genre.