| DAY OF THE DEAD |
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| Year: 1985 Starring: Joe Pilato, Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander Region 2 �14.99 - �19.99 Certificate: 18 Director: George A. Romero Running Time: 102 minutes Chapter Points: 13 Notes: The third film in the �Living Dead� trilogy. Recently re-released with different extras to version reviewed here |
| And so the zombie trilogy that has become so firmly placed in popular culture comes to a close with this third, and ultimately disappointing, conclusion. Set some years after the events of part two � �Dawn Of The Dead�, the living dead have taken over the Earth, until only a small band of survivors remain, holed up in an abandoned missile bunker. The suvivors in question are a mixture of scientists desperately trying to find ways of controlling the walking zombies, and the military, who are tired of all the research and want to get out there and putting the living dead back in the grave. This sets up the conflict that forms the basis of the film, with Joe Pilato (returning from a small role in �Dawn�) as the horribly sadistic General in charge of the military operation. The problems with this film lie in the way it is made. The storyline is interesting enough (are zombies intelligent and can they be tamed?) but the whole thing lacks the stark confinement and tension of �Night Of The Living Dead� and the unique, social satire of �Dawn� and leaves the viewer with the distinct impression of the film being �just another zombie movie�. From the opening ten minutes, it even looks like a made for TV movie, rather than the man who brought us two of the most important zombie films ever. It does have it�s moments of humour however, the loveable zombie Bub, and his �master� � an over enthusiastic scientist who it is later revealed has been using dead soldiers as �rewards� for the zombie specimens� good behaviour. Overall, if you have the other two �Dead� films, then you�ll naturally want to get this one, but be warned: it�s nothing special, particularly the ending, which simply rehashes the end of �Dawn� with a more clear cut future for the survivors. |
| EXTRA FEATURES Absolutely terrible. No effort has been made with this release (from Arrow films), there isn�t even a trailer (which reinforces the theory that this was a TV movie). Even the main menu looks naff. |
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