Zombi [DVD] [1978]

13 bucks for this is a steal. It's not Anchor Bay but still awesome.

(Flick) I will not bother to go here, since most of you have seen this film and most likely can read the characters lines better than they can. Its classic Romero, enough said. (VQ) This is the best, you will ever see DOTD on video. This Blu-ray exploits some of the cheesier aspects of the zombies makeup (or lack of) than any release but at the same time the colors have been corrected and look more balanced than ever before. Don't get me wrong this version can not be considered demo material but for a film on a 70's budget, it looks darn good! Encoded using the AVC MPEG-4 codec process at 1080P making this the clearest most detailed version ever. Blacks are dead (no-pun) on without crushing or grayish tones in darker colors. Facial features & hair show a considerable amount of detail with artifacts keep at a minimum. (AQ) The uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround track (48 kHz/16-bit/4.6 Mbps) on this disc highlights recording problems inherent to the source material. It's head & shoulders above the lossy Digital Dolby tracks included in the past. (Sups) Most of what you will find here has been ported over from " DOTD Ultimate Edition, but what was most upsetting was that " Document of The Dead " was not included, which should be seen at least once by every DOTD fan, So don't get rid of your Ultimate copy, just yet if Document is important to you.. The extras included are included in standard resolution which should not be happening since most of you are upgrading from standard Def & are paying to see HD. If by chance you are new to DOTD, just keep in mind that this was filmed on a shoe-string budget, but if you can get beyond the cheesy zombie makeup you will see what others before you have come to understand. " It doesn't take a 100 million dollars to make a great movie. A cohesive script & capable unknown actors can make a blockbuster ". Take it from a guy who has watched this more times than I care to make known.

While I haven't watched this DiviMAX version of the film, I will say that if you plan on shelling out $15 for a great horror film and you don't already own Dawn Of The Dead, then this is the film to buy. First of all, let me make sure you are aware of the distinction between this film and another film called Dawn Of The Dead. This one was made in 1978, the other in 2004. The 2004 version, while a good film in its own right (sorry purists, but it was a good movie), this version, made in 1978, cannot be compared to. George A. Romero has made, hands down, one of the creepiest film events in history with this movie. Not only does the world of the living dead give you the chills, but the groovy shopping mall that a handful of survivors take refuge in, is in itself a character - and you will find yourself being just as creeped out by the mall as you will the zombies. No doubt, gore fans will love this film and hey, if you like story and characters, DOTD '78 has plenty as well. From the dismal hopelessness conveyed in the photography to the poppy mall muzak soundtrack (available on Johnny Trunk Records), George Romero will give you the best scary movie night you've had in a long time. Okay, enough - go out and buy it! Don't show it to kids - unless you want them to grow up weird - like the rest of us who watched this film at too young an age.

Even though I have used the terms "Masterpiece" and "Incredible" with several of the movies, I've reviewed, I've done so because I believe so. And George A. Romero's Dawn Of The Dead is nothing short of either term. For plot: DOTD picks up where Night Of The Living Dead left off, months later. Humanity is beginning to see how much of a threat the zombies are to them and begin to lose the war for survival. Like Romero's other zombie films, this one has a hidden message about society of the time in satirical way. A major feature of this boxed set is you get the 1978 theatrical version of the film, The uncut version of the film, and the European cut of the film. Also there are Theatrical trailers, TV spots, raido spots, commentaries, a tour of the Monroeville mall, a 1978 commercial for the mall (this will seem familiar to Adult Swim fans, as it was recently parodied there), and several other features. It also features the first issue of the Dawn Of The Dead graphic novel adaption. Dawn Of The Dead is an impressive movie, and is not to be ignored. Please buy a copy of any version of the 1978 version (and maybe of the Zack Snyder's 2004 version) and watch it the second you get to a DVD player, it will reach you.

I am a longtime "Dawn"/ Romero film junkie. This is my favorite of the bunch- and it has never looked better. My only quibble is, and I've seen this to an extent on other Blu Rays and (especially) DVDs as well- - - the playback does suffer a minor bit from ghosting/ pixel artifacts. I know this is something in the way it's been compressed, and maybe that is a problem which can be fixed- frankly I wasn't expecting this problem on a full 1080 res disc, but I guess even now in the Blu age there will be hits and misses with transfers. Which is not to say this is not still a great disc- but it most certainly does not stack up to the Ultimate DVD set which came out some six years ago, and included everything from this theatrical cut to the European Argento cut (one of the strangest cuts of all time). Some day.