Ìý Before we all get hysterical about definitive cuts of "Dawn of the Dead", let's just appreciate that we can now see this near 140-minute version of the film. Some of us remember only too well the misery of the butchered 120-minute Entertainment in Video release of the 80s (although actual BBFC cuts were minimal). A more complete version came out on video in 1997 with only six seconds of cuts. These lost moments of gore have now been restored on this DVD, which also features a UK exclusive commentary.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Picture Colours are bright and strong in the transfer of a print that comes with minimal damage.
Sound There's nothing worse than a crude 5.1 mix that smears mono sounds around the speakers, so it's better that we at least get this fairly sturdy mono effort instead. It would be good though to see this film released in the UK with an upgraded sound mix along the lines of, say, the chillingly effective "Halloween" DVD.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary Stunt co-ordinator, make-up artist and actor in the movie, Tom Savini, is joined by his stunt partner, Taso Stavrakis, for a highly enjoyable and laid-back commentary.
Both sustain themselves with a cache of fags as they plough through the memories of making a film that got its epic qualities through no end of ingenuity in the face of a low budget.
Savini admits to having to resort to primitive make-up techniques, simply because back then he just didn't know any better. Buttons, fishing line, and toothpicks were just some of the common household items used to blow holes in zombies heads, and in one case get a head chopped off by a whirling helicopter blade.
The extras that played the zombies certainly remember Tom, as they're forever coming up to him and introducing themselves. Given that there were a few hundred, Tom understandably has problems recalling them all.
Laden with anecdotes and no shortage of good humour, this is a track fans will enjoy. If you've bought the "Trilogy of the Dead" boxset though, you should note that this is the same commentary you get with that set. The extra you get with this single disc is the six seconds of cuts restored to the film.
Additional Extra Features Photo gallery.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Region: 2
Chapters: 25
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 (mono)
Audio Tracks: English
Subtitles: None
Captions: None
Menus: Animated, with vast amounts of spewing blood, accompanied by blood-curdling screams.
Special Features Subtitles: None of the special features come with subtitles.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
