Movie Chat - Dawn Of The Dead (remake vs. original)

[Tard]

Just back from the matinee show.

Not a 'bad' movie at all, quite enjoyable actuallly, BUT... I definitely noticed influences taken from 28 Days Later, which was likely the main reason to remake the most EXCELLENT zombie movie ever made! You know they couldn't outdo the original, but they gave DAWN a valiant shot.

First, The survivors again hold-up in a shopping mall. Difference here is that malls don't have gun shops in them anymore (as they often had in the 70's when Romero created the original), so ammo is a bit more precious. Next, the original was unconcerned with what DAWN would be rated, so the gore SFX were over-the-top & even by todays standards quite disturbing/inventive. The original was X-rated, which everybody thinks means "sex'. But a profitable movie can't be released today with an NC-17 classification (how did ORGASMO fare on opening weekend?). It's apparent the studio REALLY watched how far it went with gore & violence to catch an R-rating, which would still allow decent teen-demographic. Sure, there are a few decent exploding-head shots, and what I consider the BEST addition Romero gave to zombie-filmmaking: using amputee actors as undead with destroyed limbs.

Though I didn't notice anything in the credits which would have specified what film-type was used, believe DAWN was shot on DV rather than chemical processing. Believe that because 28-Days Later was shot on DV for several reasons (one being budgetary; they couldn't spend much time shooting vacant London streets), using DV allowed 28 Days to play with the currently-popular 'undercranking-effect'.

The 'undercranking-effect' is what gives a lotta action scenes that super-fast-crisp look, almost like it's shot with a fast strobe effect. Seen in short hyperkinetic shots in Gladiator, 28-Days Later, Saving Private Ryan, etc. And unlike the slow shambling (pothead-zombies) in the Romero quadrilogy, these zombies are the same hyperdrive (meth-zombies) seen in 28-Days Later.

And the same undercranking-effect is used a great deal in DAWN. Perhaps too often, as the effect works best in extreme close-ups, and with fraction-second editing. Ocassionally, the effect can be used with great success. BUT, when every single zombie-attack scene is shot in extreme closeup with accelerated editing, I'd get burned-out. Couldn't tell whom was attacking whom, their positions in the environment, or who got bit this time! Found I'd lose interest in the zombie-attacks & just wait to see who made it out alive unbitten.

Maybe more later...

[rocketmaster]

Sounds like you enjoyed your Birthday movie-going experience! I'll have to take your word on this one, because the only way I'd see this is if someone MADE me. I'm going against Fozzy's advice and seeing Secret Window tonight. Will report on whether it's a boring as he says! [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Tard]

I'm biased against this remake, as I enjoyed (still do) the original so much. Can't talk about the remake without constantly comparing it to the first....

[Tard]

OH, that was a non-spoiler post above, just first-thoughts hammered-out after getting back from the theatre. There are many changes from the original, but don't want to blab too many until the zombie-fans have a chance to watch it themselves.

NOT a spoiler! - I felt like grabbing the teens in the audience & backhanding them. Started getting up & leaving when the credits started. DIPSHITS! THE MOVIE WASN'T DONE YET!! Throughout the end-credits, the story continues & tells what happens to the survivors. But kids saw words on screen & scattered like a dandelion in the breeze.... [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

[rocketmaster]

Gigantic lines at the multi-plex tonight for that movie. Every showing sold out. Didn't see a sheep, I mean person, over 30 on line.

I think I'll post my "Secret Window" review under it's own topic so as not to lob a spoiler to someone unawares.

[kingfozzy]

Unfortunately the Dawn Of The Dead remake was the only flick I got to see this weekend. And yes Reved there were a few idiots in my showing that left as soon as the credits started rolling.

And you could say that this is all the stuff that Danny Boyle didn't show happening in 28 Days Later. [img]wink.gif[/img] I thought the funniest bit was where the mall people were telling the guy on the gun shop roof which zombie to shoot. "Burt Reynolds!! Rosie O'Donnell!!" hahaha

[Tard]

It's a good thing DotD didn't overdo the comedy though, it would have lost any suspense & turned into Army Of Darkness cotton-candy.

[Tard]

It was a good thing, in this case, they didn't make too much of a joke about the crippled zombie flapping about in the fountain, but that woulda brought the PC-card into the picture. "Don't laugh! He's 'living-disabled'!" Or more likely, a gripe about how the zombie would portray Grand-Mal seizures in a comedic manner.

[Tard]

I was much more intrigued by a preview before DotD than anything shown IN DotD...

Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow

It as an incredible teaser. Like a sepia-toned 30's Max Fleischer superhero version of Roger Rabbit. Nevermind DotD, I'm drooling for the next 4-months to fly past so I can see this CG-environment on the big screen!

[kingfozzy]

I agree Reved, Sky Captain looks amazing, although I didn't get a trailer for that before DOTD. Seem's to me I remember hearing that the whole world of Sky Captain was CGI?!