Dawn of the Dead (1978) vs. Zombie (1979)
Which one of these titans is a better zombie movie?
13 votes. You may not vote on this poll
Dawn of the Dead is the easily the better film. However, and it feels like Savini slander, but Zombie only best it in gore.
And having a shark/zombie fight.
And having a shark/zombie fight.
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Dawn of the Dead is the easily the better film. However, and it feels like Savini slander
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How so? I mean, Tom himself said that he didn't like the watery, light red look to the fake blood on that movie, but Romero insisted on it anyway, so...
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Dawn of the Dead is probably my favourite horror movie, so I'm inclined to go with that. I'm sure others can articulate its strengths better than I can. MKS has gone on the record many times regarding his love and admiration of Flyboy, although I disagree with him that Flyboy is the best character. I don't even mind the lo-fi zombies, which I think work with the movie's pop comic look.
That being said, Zombie has better gore and more disgusting looking zombies, and I've warmed up to its trance-like island atmosphere over the years.
I'd like to think there's room to appreciate both visions.
That being said, Zombie has better gore and more disgusting looking zombies, and I've warmed up to its trance-like island atmosphere over the years.
I'd like to think there's room to appreciate both visions.
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Dawn of the Dead is probably my favourite horror movie, so I'm inclined to go with that. I'm sure others can articulate its strengths better than I can. MKS has gone on the record many times regarding his love and admiration of Flyboy, although I disagree with him that Flyboy is the best character. I don't even mind the lo-fi zombies, which I think work with the movie's pop comic look.
That being said, Zombie has better gore and more disgusting looking zombies, and I've warmed up to its trance-like island atmosphere over the years.
I'd like to think there's room to appreciate both visions.
That being said, Zombie has better gore and more disgusting looking zombies, and I've warmed up to its trance-like island atmosphere over the years.
I'd like to think there's room to appreciate both visions.
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I own DotD but haven't seen it straight through in probably 30 years so I can hardly really vote on this.
I'll just say that I think Zombi (which I also own) is a fun, fun flick that I have had some good experiences with and am always up for.
I'll just say that I think Zombi (which I also own) is a fun, fun flick that I have had some good experiences with and am always up for.
Dawn of the Dead is my favorite zombie film, so that one by a long shot. Zombie has some nice gore, but given that all the gore I really liked from it took up about five minutes of the film and that's what the film is largely reliant on, I found a decent chunk of it bland, specifically most of the first half.
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Dawn of the Dead is my favorite zombie film, so that one by a long shot. Zombie has some nice gore, but given that all the gore I really liked from it took up about five minutes of the film and that's what the film is largely reliant on, I found a decent chunk of it bland, specifically most of the first half.
Dawn Of The Dead has the best characters. You really care about every single one of them. Even the typical ass hole is not as bad as in most horror films, and he doesn't make the situation that much worse than it already is. It's my favorite out of the Dead trilogy.
Zombi 2 is scarier however. This has some of the grossest and most impressive zombie effects ever. The hopelessness feels more absolute and it makes the zombies a very ominous constant threat throughout.
Both are classics of the genre.
Zombi 2 is scarier however. This has some of the grossest and most impressive zombie effects ever. The hopelessness feels more absolute and it makes the zombies a very ominous constant threat throughout.
Both are classics of the genre.
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FWIW, I felt a lot like you did about Zombi but enjoyed it much more the second time, a couple/few years later.
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I actually watched Zombi 2 for the first time today. This thread inspired me to check it out this morning. If I get in the mood sometime in the future, I may return to it to see if my opinion changes. I've also seen Fulci's City of the Living Dead and had a similar reaction to that film though, so there's that.
I think The Beyond makes the best case for his style, and will eventually help you unlock the power of Fulci. So give that one a go, but maybe not right away.
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As much as I want to kick you out of the Horrorcram for not loving Fulci, the truth is that I had a similar reaction when I first watched Zombie. I was pretty cold on that initially, and gave it a few years until I watched anything by the maestro, at which point I started to gel to him.
I think The Beyond makes the best case for his style, and will eventually help you unlock the power of Fulci. So give that one a go, but maybe not right away.
I think The Beyond makes the best case for his style, and will eventually help you unlock the power of Fulci. So give that one a go, but maybe not right away.
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I have only seen Zombie once, over ten years ago, and I remember it as having a fairly dull first 2/3 and then ending really well. Well enough to absolve the slow build. I remember the last twenty minutes or so as being fairly harrowing and intense, two feelings I have never really gotten from Dawn of the Dead.
But Dawn of the Dead is obviously considered the standard bearer of zombie movies. Not by me, necessarily, but it is at the very least a really unique and undeniable influential film. Once I learned to embrace the mess that is DotD, the more I've learned to appreciate it over the years. The soggy pacing. The bad zombie make up. The tonal shifts. It all works as a whole, ultimately.
I'd probably give it to Dawn, but only by a hair.
But Dawn of the Dead is obviously considered the standard bearer of zombie movies. Not by me, necessarily, but it is at the very least a really unique and undeniable influential film. Once I learned to embrace the mess that is DotD, the more I've learned to appreciate it over the years. The soggy pacing. The bad zombie make up. The tonal shifts. It all works as a whole, ultimately.
I'd probably give it to Dawn, but only by a hair.
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I have only seen Zombie once, over ten years ago, and I remember it as having a fairly dull first 2/3 and then ending really well. Well enough to absolve the slow build. I remember the last twenty minutes or so as being fairly harrowing and intense, two feelings I have never really gotten from Dawn of the Dead.
But Dawn of the Dead is obviously considered the standard bearer of zombie movies. Not by me, necessarily, but it is at the very least a really unique and undeniable influential film. Once I learned to embrace the mess that is DotD, the more I've learned to appreciate it over the years. The soggy pacing. The bad zombie make up. The tonal shifts. It all works as a whole, ultimately.
I'd probably give it to Dawn, but only by a hair.
But Dawn of the Dead is obviously considered the standard bearer of zombie movies. Not by me, necessarily, but it is at the very least a really unique and undeniable influential film. Once I learned to embrace the mess that is DotD, the more I've learned to appreciate it over the years. The soggy pacing. The bad zombie make up. The tonal shifts. It all works as a whole, ultimately.
I'd probably give it to Dawn, but only by a hair.
Dawn has had the greatest growth for me. I’ve gone from merely finding it “okay,” taking great issue with Romero’s lack of technical skill, but am now a huge fan. Recognizing its link to Italian cinema and appreciating the scale and scope of his collapsing society made all the difference. Even his wonky tones felt more intentional in capturing the chaotic nature of such and event rather than a failure to know what to cut (Argento’s cut helped me appreciate them by how much I felt their absence, though I do think there’s an argument for that being the superior cut)
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