Day of the Dead (1985)

Director:

George A. Romero

Writer:

George A. Romero (written by)

Release Date:

19 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The Dead have waited. The day has come.

Plot:

A small group of military officers and scientists dwell in an underground bunker as the world above is overrun by zombies.

Plot Keywords:

Military | Scientist | Bunker | Florida | Death

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Lori Cardille	...	Sarah
Terry Alexander	...	John
Joseph Pilato	...	Capt. Rhodes (as Joe Pilato)
Jarlath Conroy	...	William McDermott
Anthony Dileo Jr.	...	Pvt. Miguel Salazar (as Antonè DiLeo)
Richard Liberty	...	Logan
Sherman Howard	...	Bub (as Howard Sherman)
Gary Howard Klar	...	Pvt. Steel (as G. Howard Klar)
Ralph Marrero	...	Pvt. Rickles
John Amplas	...	Dr. Ted Fisher
Phillip G. Kellams	...	Pvt. Miller
Taso N. Stavrakis	...	Pvt. Torrez
Gregory Nicotero	...	Pvt. Johnson
Don Brockett	...	Featured Zombie (chief)
William Cameron	...	Featured Zombie
Deborah Carter	...	Featured Zombie
Winnie Flynn	...	Featured Zombie
Debra Gordon	...	Featured Zombie (1st pulled out of mine)
Jeff Hogan	...	Featured Zombie
Barbara Holmes	...	Featured Zombie
David Kindlon	...	Featured Zombie
Bruce Kirkpatrick	...	Featured Zombie
William Andrew Laczko	...	Featured Zombie
Susan Martinelli	...	Featured Zombie
Kim Maxwell	...	Featured Zombie
Barbara Russell	...	Featured Zombie (who kills Miller)
Gene A. Saraceni	...	Featured Zombie
John D. Schwartz	...	Featured Zombie (as John Schwartz)
Mark Tierno	...	Featured Zombie (2nd pulled out of mine)
Mike Trcic	...	Eviscerated Zombie (as Michael Trcic)
John Vulich	...	Featured Zombie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J.R. Bookwalter	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Mark Dodson	...	Zombies (voice) (uncredited)
Donald Farmer	...	Underground zombie (uncredited)
Peter Iasillo Jr.	...	Elevator zombie (Tip O'Neil zombie) (uncredited)
Daniel Krell	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Ed Lammi	...	Zombie with Cast Arm (uncredited)
Al Magliochetti	...	Bathrobe zombie / Sunglasses zombie (uncredited)
Robert Martin	...	Zombie (uncredited)
George A. Romero	...	Zombie with scarf (uncredited)
Vincent D. Survinski	...	Elevator Zombie (uncredited)

Directed by
George A. Romero

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
George A. Romero		written by

Produced by
David Ball	....	co-producer
Salah M. Hassanein	....	executive producer
Ed Lammi	....	associate producer
Richard P. Rubinstein	....	producer

Original Music by
John Harrison

Cinematography by
Michael Gornick		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pasquale Buba

Casting by
Christine Forrest		(as Christine Forrest Romero)
Gaylen Ross

Production Design by
Cletus Anderson

Art Direction by
Bruce Alan Miller		(as Bruce Miller)

Set Decoration by
Jan Pascale

Costume Design by
Barbara Anderson

Makeup Department
Barry Anderson	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Linda Arrigoni	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Terri Basilone	....	hair stylist (as Terry Basilone)
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects
Barry Burghtaller	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Everett Burrell	....	special makeup effects artist
Dean Gates	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Rick Gonzales	....	makeup effects assistant
Jeannee Josefczyk	....	makeup artist (as Jeanne Josefczyk)
David Kindlon	....	special makeup effects
Mary Lefore	....	special makeup effects assistant: Florida
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist
Terry Prince	....	zombie background mask creator
Bonnie Priore	....	makeup artist
Tom Savini	....	special makeup effects
David E. Smith	....	masks: background zombies (as David Smith)
Mike Trcic	....	special makeup effects
Natalka Voslakov	....	makeup artist
John Vulich	....	special makeup effects
Michael Deak	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Zilla Clinton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Harrison	....	first assistant director
Annie Loeffler	....	second assistant director (as Ann Loeffler)
Katarina Wittich	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Norman Beck	....	head carpenter
Dan Gaittens	....	carpenter
Eileen Garrigan	....	head scenic artist
Marty Garrigan	....	set dresser (as Martin Garrigan)
Jay Hart	....	assistant art director
Gary Kosko	....	set draftsman
Randy Montgomery	....	assistant scenic artist
Celeste Parrendo	....	painter
Michael Reid	....	carpenter
Kevin Ritter	....	property master

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Ash	....	foley artist
James Beshears	....	sound editor (as Jim Beshears)
Tony Bush	....	dolby mastering
David B. Cohn	....	supervising sound editor (as David Cohn)
Stuart Deutsch	....	boom operator
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recordist
Trevor Jolly	....	sound editor
Howard Neiman	....	sound editor
Patrick O'Sullivan	....	supervising sound editor
Lauren Palmer	....	adr editor
Rolf Pardula	....	sound mixer
David Pettuch	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Stensvold	....	sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
Howard Jones	....	scenic special effects
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects
Mark Mann	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist
Jim Danforth	....	matte photographer

Stunts
Taso N. Stavrakis	....	stunt coordinator
Jim O'Rear	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Bennett Beal	....	electrician
Ernest R. Dickerson	....	camera operator: second unit
Richard Golomb	....	still photographer
Susan Golomb	....	still photographer
John Janusek	....	electrician
Barry Kessler	....	grip
Simon Manses	....	assistant camera
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	key grip (as Nick Mastandrea)
Frank Perl	....	assistant camera
Frank Prinzi	....	assistant camera: Florida
Kurt Rimmel	....	best boy
G. Frederic Roth	....	gaffer
Richard M. Sieg	....	dolly grip
John Snyder	....	generator operator: Florida
Nick Tallo	....	grip

Casting Department
Gary Brotz	....	extras casting: Florida
Felice Lammi	....	additional casting
Bill McNulty	....	casting associate: New York
Holly Wagner	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Pikke Allen	....	wardrobe assistant
Cathy Anderson	....	wardrobe assistant
Kathy Borland	....	wardrobe assistant
Martha Bromelmeier	....	wardrobe assistant
Candy Callery	....	wardrobe assistant
Tony French	....	wardrobe assistant
Donna Gregory	....	wardrobe assistant
Howard Kaplan	....	assistant costume designer
Susan Kistler	....	wardrobe assistant
Margaret McCubbin	....	wardrobe assistant
Denise Smith	....	wardrobe assistant
Eileen Sieff Stroup	....	assistant costume designer
Karyn Wagner	....	wardrobe (as Karin Wagner)
Natalie Wilvers	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
John Stuart Bick	....	assistant editor (as John Bick)
Kristine Bulakowski	....	assistant editor
Steven Farkas	....	assistant editor
Dan Korintus	....	assistant editor
Tom San Martin	....	negative matcher
Arnold Shuster	....	negative matcher (as Arnie Shuster)
Bob Wolfrum	....	negative matcher

Music Department
John Harrison	....	musician: keyboard
John Sutton	....	music producer
John Sutton	....	soundtrack producer
Jim Blazer	....	musician: keyboards (uncredited)
Delilah	....	singer (uncredited)
Michael Fisher	....	musician: percussions (uncredited)
Don Garvin	....	music sound designer (uncredited)
Grant Geissman	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Modern Man	....	music performers (uncredited)
Talmadge Pearsall	....	musician: keyboard (uncredited)
Sputzy Sparacino	....	musician: voice & guitar (uncredited)
Gary Wallo	....	musician: percussions (uncredited)
Carl Wurtz	....	musician: emulator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
P.D. Levy	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Jessica Abrams	....	assistant auditor
Mark Alington	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Bruce Bahrenburg	....	unit publicist
Jeffrey Barker	....	production assistant
Theresa Bedekovich	....	stand-in
Miranda Beeson	....	assistant to producer
Bruce Bellows	....	stand-in: Florida
Jim Bozsan	....	production assistant
Teresa Bozsan	....	production secretary
Jim Brewelhide	....	location manager
Melanie Buroff	....	production secretary: Florida
Mike Butera	....	production assistant
Robert Cagney	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Tina Carbonell	....	production controller
Charles S. Carroll	....	auditor
Deborah Carter	....	production assistant
Leslie Chapman	....	production coordinator
Nora Cline	....	production assistant
Bill Dickhaut	....	location manager
Bill Dickhaut	....	location scout
Thom Downing	....	production assistant
Peter Fernandez	....	cleaner English dialog version
Richard Fick	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Barbara Frazzini	....	production assistant
Barbara Homziuk	....	production secretary
Ellen Hopkins	....	production assistant
Michael Johnson	....	production assistant
Dan Korintus	....	production assistant
William W. Laxson	....	production assistant (as William Laxson)
Sonia Lopes	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Penny Mateer	....	production assistant
Ellen Moon	....	stand-in: Florida
David Mott	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Craig Myers	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Gregory Nicotero	....	assistant: Tom Savini
Frederick Peters	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Harvey Plastrik	....	opticals
Alexander Xavier Ponce-Bonano	....	consultant
Dianna Slowey	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Joanne Small	....	script supervisor
Nancy Suzich	....	production assistant
Eliza Townsend	....	production assistant
Joe Violante	....	dailies (as Joseph Violante)
James Wetzel	....	stand-in
John Wolcutt	....	weapons
Laura Wortzel	....	production assistant: Florida unit

Thanks
Lester Rosenkrantz	....	special thanks
Frank Rubinstein	....	special thanks
Irvin Shapiro	....	special thanks
R.C. Staab	....	special thanks
Norman Stern	....	special thanks
Vincent D. Survinski	....	special thanks (as Vince Survinski)
Mary Ann Volvonas	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dead Films Inc.
• Laurel Entertainment Inc.
• Laurel-Day Inc.

Distributors

• United Film Distribution Company (UFDC) (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Creswin Distribution (198?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Esplanade Filmverleih (1987) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• CMV Laservision (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Trilogy of the Dead)
• Eden Video (Italy) (VHS)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (DVD) (re-release)
• Entertainment in Video (UK) (VHS)
• Force Video (Australia) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Media Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Treasures (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• X-Rated Kultvideo (Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Computer Opticals  opticals
• England & Company  public relations
• Florida Motion Picture and Television Bureau, The  special thanks
• Geldberg & Abrams  special thanks
• JDC America Inc (I)  camera equipment provided by
• K.M.G. Maun Hurdman  special thanks
• Laurel Communications  Dolby transfer
• Linque Producers Services  production service: Florida
• N.Y.C. Stunt League  stunt co-ordination
• Numenorean Music  score album released by (limited edition) (uncredited)
• Page America Inc.  special thanks
• Page Avjet Corporation  special thanks
• Pennsylvania Bureau of Motion Picture & Television Development  special thanks (as Pennsylvania Film Bureau)
• Performance Lighting Rentals Inc.  grip and lighting equipment
• Pollock, Bloom & Dexom  special thanks
• Rogal Company  insurance
• Rubber Dubbers  foley studio
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording (as Todd-Ao)
• Walmfilm Industrial Facility  special thanks

Also Known As:

George A. Romero's Day of the Dead (USA) (complete title)
El día de los muertos (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Dzien umarlych (Poland) [pl]
Elävien kuolleiden päivä (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
I mera ton zontanon nekron (Greece) [el]
Il giorno degli zombi (Italy) [it]
Le jour des morts-vivants (France) [fr]
Zombi - Ölüm günü (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Zombie 2 (West Germany) (censored version) [de]
Zombie 2 - Das letzte Kapitel (West Germany) [de]

Runtime:

102 min | Argentina:101 min | Norway:97 min | Australia:97 min | Canada:96 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (video rating) (1986) (cut) | UK:18 (video re-rating) (1997) | UK:18 (original rating) (cut) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (video rating) (1998) | Canada:(Banned) (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (uncut version) | Canada:R (Ontario) (cut) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Chile:14 (uncut DVD version) | Canada:14A (Ontario) (Re-rated 2008) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Norway:(Banned) (original rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

Dead Films Inc.

Trivia:

Dr. Logan figures that the ratio of the undead to the human survivors is 400,000:1. When the film was made, in 1985, the population of the United States in our universe stood at about 240 million. If Dr. Logan is right, and the US population of this universe stood at roughly the same, and this film took place in 1985, there are 600 living human beings left in the USA. However, since the history of the universe in the "of the Dead" movies had radically diverged from real world history even before the ghouls emerged (notice the Venus probe in the first movie), the timeline of the "Dead" movies remains unclear (the Stephen King novel 'Salem's Lost appears in this film, even though in the real world it came out in 1975; note that the first film in this series came out in 1968; Diary of the Dead, set simultaneously with the events of Night of the Living Dead, features technology not available in 1968 in our world), and we do not know how long after the ghouls emerged that this film takes place, one cannot easily presume that this film takes place in 1985 or that the US population would have remained the same.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the movie, when Sarah had a nightmare, the October calendar as the day matching with the year 1985. But at the end of the movie, her November calendar no longer matches with that year.

Quotes:

[first lines]
McDermott: Nothing, nothing at all.
Sarah: Send again.
McDermott: I've been sending up and down the coast from Sarasota to the Everglades and still getting back the same dead air. There's nothing! There's nobody or at least nobody with a radio.
Sarah: All right then let's set down, we'll use the bullhorn.
McDermott: Set down? Wait a minute, that's not in our contract!
Sarah: It's the biggest city within 150 miles and we're going to give it every chance.
McDermott: Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Sarah: Set down, John!
John: I'll set us down. But I won't leave my seat and I'll keep the engine running. Now the first sign of trouble, I'm going up. If you ain't on board when that happens, you're likely to have a lousy afternoon.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Zombie Genocide (1993) (V)

Soundtrack:

Break Down

A long-time sufferer of the "Alien 3 Syndrome"

"Day of the Dead" is a film that is an unfortunate sufferer of the "Alien 3 Syndrome". And, no, I don't classify those that are affected by the syndrome to be disappointing final entries in a trilogy. To suffer from "Alien 3 Syndrome", you must follow two exceptional films, and the entry that has preceded you must be so exciting and action-packed that when you dare take a grimmer, more deliberately paced approach to your material, you will become universally reviled, with many people failing to notice that you have more than your fair share of merits on your own. In fact, "Day of the Dead" has a LOT of merits - even more than the film that its syndrome is based on. While it doesn't quite approach the greatness of "Dawn of the Dead", it is still an intelligent, first-rate horror effort and stands as one of the best genre films of the 80s.

In this final entry of George Romero's "Living Dead" trilogy, the walking dead supposedly outnumber the humans by a ratio of 400,000 to 1. Twelve people who have devoted themselves to studying and wiping out the zombies hole up together in an underground missile silo, and for all we know, these could be the last twelve living humans on the face of the planet. Most of these people don't capture our sympathy like the foursome who holed up in the shopping mall in "Dawn". Half of them are gung-ho soldiers who seem to take great pleasure in threatening the scientific team, and Romero spends much of the first half focusing on the bickering and intense conflicts between these people. In fact, for over an hour, the hordes of living dead get very little screen time, as the story focuses on the tension between the characters, and the efforts of an off-the-wall scientist to train a captured zombie named Bub to act human. Compared to its predecessors, this long section of the film may seem slow and talky, but it is always interesting and, for the most part, effectively performed by its unknown cast. Besides, it all eventually leads up to a corker of finale when the zombies finally invade the compound, and most of the humans become showcases for the brilliance of Tom Savini, who outdoes even himself in the gore F/X department.

While most of this material is very grim, "Day" ironically has the most hopeful, upbeat conclusion in the trilogy - which, alas, is its only major shortcoming. The quick transition to the final scene is so abrupt and unexpected that the audience feels cheated, leaving the impression that the production ran out of money before the whole climax could be filmed. Indeed, Romero has often expressed his unhappiness about being underfunded for this project, which prevented him from creating a truly definitive final chapter for the trilogy. But while "Day of the Dead" may not quite be the ultimate finish to one of the greatest trilogies of all time, it is still a very satisfying conclusion (at least until Romero gets funding for his long-rumoured "Twilight of the Dead"). It may not be popular among everyone, due to many unfair comparisons to its superior predecessors, but on its own, it is about as good as horror films get.