Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Added Updated How We Rate
- Directed by
- George A. Romero
- Written by
- George A. Romero
- Produced by
- Richard P. Rubinstein, Claudio Argento, Alfredo Cuomo
Why it’s HorroRated
Romero's masterpiece is a siege thriller, a black comedy and a social cartoon all at once, and every part works. The mall gives the survivors a fantasy of endless shopping that slowly curdles, and the jabs at consumer instincts land harder every decade. Ken Foree is a magnetic hero, Savini's effects are gleefully grisly, and the long, patient runtime lets the dread and the jokes breathe. Every zombie film since lives in its shadow; this is the essential one.
Synopsis
Shopping-mall paradise becomes a fortress in George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978), the second film in his series of the living dead and a sharp satire of American consumer culture. Two SWAT officers, played by Ken Foree and Scott H. Reiniger, team up with a news helicopter pilot and his producer girlfriend, David Emge and Gaylen Ross, as the outbreak spreads, with gory makeup effects by Tom Savini.
Filed under
Where to watch Dawn of the Dead (1978)
- Rent or buy
- Prime Video
Streaming in the US changes often. Listings from JustWatch via TMDB, checked November 10, 2026.See every option
Quick facts
- Release date
- September 2, 1978
- Runtime
- 2 hours 7 mins
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- Content rating
- NR
- Entry type
- Movie
Content notes
- Graphic gore
- Gun violence
- Strong language
Tags
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