Julie Walker

Last night I watched Dawn of the Dead(1978) and had a great time. I hadn't viewed the film in at least 5 years and it was great to revisit it. I used to watch it a ton of times on video as a kid and it was always a great ride. The editing, music, humor,action,characters,dialogue and pacing are all just perfection. I would highly advise skipping the extended and European versions and sticking with the real directors cut, which is the original U.S. theatrical version. Everything just works wonderfully in that version.


The night before that, I decided to view Sleepwalkers(1992) and that was also a fun time. I remember hating the film the first time I saw it as a kid when first released and thinking "This isn't scary at all,it's stupid!". However,it's obviously not a serious horror film and has a sense of fun and gleeful atmosphere to it, and is definitely best viewed with that attitude in mind rather than expecting something serious and scary. So i became a fan of the film since then once giving it a fair chance. The cameo from Stephen King, Tobe Hooper and Clive Barker is quite amusing. Then you also have brief cameo from John Landis and Joe Dante in another sequence and Mark Hamil uncredited shows up in the pre-credit scene. The camerawork is pretty stylish too such as the long take in the post credit sequence and decent editing and camera angles throughout creating a nice atmosphere.

LickTheABCs

While I agree, the Argento cut has Gaylen Ross's boobs. So it's a toss up.

Mondo Kane

No Chopper Zombie in the Argento cut either.

LickTheABCs

^ Yeah, that's a tough one to give up.

ZOMBIEDAVE

I like all versions of "Dawn". As pointed out they have their advantages an disadvatages.

It's my all-time favorite horror movie.

Gets me in the mood to have my "Dead" movie day soon.

Dick Laurent

Anyone comment on whether Nicole Kidman's The Invasion is worth seeing?

Trevor

I didn't like it much, but it wasn't horrible. Easily the worst of the four versions of the story IMO.

Giles

i think the zombie kids getting shot off isn't in Argento's cut either.

SethDLH

Just finished The Evil Dead for what has to be the 100th time (if not more haha) and I can't believe I'm still surprised by how great it is everytime I watch it. Normally when I think about The Evil Dead series I think of the more humorous side of it with ED2 and AOD but the original was damn creepy and well done.

Chad

Doesn't the theatrical cut also, but in a very dimly lit room?

ZOMBIEDAVE

I agree. It's the only version I don't own. And never will.........

Dick Laurent

Thanks. It was given to me on Blu-ray, so I may watch for the eye-candy.

...I also feel shame that my post got in the mix of an Argento discussion...

ZOMBIEDAVE

I think you're right. I haven't watched that version in a long time. I know he changed the music to Goblin.

ZOMBIEDAVE

I think you're right as well. My favorite movie and I can't remember all these things. I've got the BD so now I'm really in the mood to watch it soon.

ZOMBIEDAVE

I really love "Evil Dead". I remember the first time I saw it scared me to death. And not many movies do that to me.

SethDLH

That is my favorite part about Argento's cut. I love Goblin.

Agreed

Giles

Goblin is in both cuts but the soundmix boosts the music's volume up and center a bit more than in Romero's cut.

I'd also give a shout out to the underrated music score by John Harrison to the underrated sequel 'Day of the Dead'

SethDLH

I was racking my brain trying to think of the soundtrack to the theatrical cut of Dawn but couldn't come up with anything other then Goblin, thanks for confirming I'm not crazy. I did like how Argento boosted the music for his cut though.

Numes

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in addition to what you said, I don't think Romero used as much Goblin music as Argento did in his cut. Actually, I'm almost positive because Romero talks in the commentary how some of the scenes take on a different tone in the two cuts because he didn't use as much Goblin music.

Me too! I still get a bit nervous watching it, and that hardly ever happens to me. I think I've seen it 4-5 times now and some of the scenes just are uneasy even though I know what's going to happen.

ParadiseVendors

Just updated my blog with the latest sort of reviews. On page 12 in a word document, a little over 6,300 words. Means I should have 25 pages written by the end of the month, if I am able to keep up the movie watching pace I've been on so far, which seems a bit unlikely do to some work projects that are coming up.

check it out if you are bored... http://multiple-maniacs.blogspot.com

SethDLH

just sat out my 3 movies i'm definitely watching tomorrow (later today technically): Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Halloween 3, The Fog.

Julie Walker

Yes the theatrical cut takes place in a dimly lit room and looks more appropriate/realistic. Meanwhile the sequence was brightened up extensively in the Argento cut so that Gaylen's breasts were visible.

Also for those who think the Argento version is better. I have to wonder why? I've tried watching that version with an open mind and it just doesn't work at all. Just watch the opening sequence in the tv studio and the apartment raid for great evidence, of how severely different the use of audio and music can make or break a film.

Both scenes are very dramatically intense in the U.S. theatrical version. The music and audio all play an important role driving the scenes forward, and really shows how chaotic things are. However the music is not overbearing and sometimes the scenes play out with no music and just the sound of characters and the action going on around them. Then the music starts creeping up again, moving things forward, really driving the mood, then subsiding before the music wears out it's welcome. This really creates an amazing atmosphere and is just excellent use of music and audio in general.

Meanwhile they're not gripping or intense at all in the Argento version.The tv studio scene in the Argento cut has 'creepy' music playing constantly sometimes coming into the forground, or just hiding in the background but severely distracting us from the dialogue as it calls attention to itself. However the music is pretty simple and repetitive and just boring to listen to after a few seconds. It may work in little spurts,but not when it's the 'main' score for an entire sequence. There is more variety to the music and audio in general in the U.S. version that really sells the scene(making it gripping,intense,suspenseful), which comes off dull and lifeless in the Argento version.

The apartment raid is pretty horrifying in the Romero version and far less impactful in the Argento version. The reason is because of the music used for the sequence. The music in the Argento version is so out of place('fun' and 'funky' is the best description for the music) and so repetitive. That it being front and center throughout the scene really makes it annoying and not effective. Meanwhile, the same music used later in the mall scenes of the U.S. version, but not overused does work wonderfully and fits the mood Romero was aiming for, those particular sequences and, has me smiling when it comes on in those scenes. But the same music played over the apartment raid sequence just doesn't work and makes me cringe instead.

Less is more in this case. Just because you're a fan of the group and the music, doesn't mean it'll 'fit' in any scene of a movie played repetitively for long periods of time, blaring out of the speakers and drowning out the other audio.

A lot of obvious care and attention to detail was put into the Romero cut of the film, that is for sure. The same can not be said for the Argento cut which just doesn't work at all in my opinion. If Argento had made the film in his usual style, then his editing and music decisions may work. But it just doesn't work with the film Romero was making and using his own style.

So the Romero cut is the definitive version and a true horror/film masterpiece. But I can't say the same for the other two versions of the film. But viewing all three versions is a great lesson in editing and using audio/music and how it can drastically enhance or detract from a film.

LickTheABCs

^ nobody said anything about preferring Argento's cut over the Theatrical. We were just listing the differences...

Darkgod

now thats just crazy talk... I was int he selct few who thought the remake was decent... but that second debacle.... :shudders: was useless.

Trevor

Speaking of The Evil Dead, I love it, but it cost me what would have been my first kiss/girlfriend.

I was 16 or 17, working at McDonald's, and had been having some great flirting with this co-worker named Sara. Finally get the nerve to ask her out, and she quickly and happily agreed. We arrange a double date with some other co-workers and have a pretty good evening. We don't want it to end, so hit Blockbuster right before it closes to rent a film. I wasn't a huge film buff back then, but still a big horror fan and convinced everyone to rent this new horror film that I had heard everyone raving about, The Evil Dead. In retrospect, I was much too vocal in guaranteeing that we would all love it.

I lost her at the tree rape scene. She shifted away from me on the couch, all of them were deeply disturbed by the film, and I never got a second date.