Steel's corpse being torn by zombies - missing scene?

[JDP]

I tried searching for this in the older posts, but I could not see anyone asking about this scene:

I recently watched Day of the Dead on El Rey Network, where they play movies uncut, but there was something that bothered me. All the gore was there alright, nothing left out, except one thing I seem to remember from watching this movie back in the 80s. If my memory is not failing me here, I seem to remember that after Steel/Steele (the character's name seems to be spelled differently by various reference sites) commits suicide the approaching zombies proceed to start tearing flesh from his corpse. This was not shown in the "uncut" version played by El Rey Network, only later on when the zombies are eating his (already torn) remains. Does anyone else remember seeing this scene where the zombies start tearing Steel/Steele's body apart? Was this found in some other cut of the movie than the more usual one that's shown by the cable channels?

[Moon Knight]

I've never heard of this scene, does it even exist? :confused:

[thxleo]

No such scene exists.

[JDP]

No such scene exists.

How many cuts/versions are there of this movie? I seem to remember Steel/Steele's corpse sitting with his back against the wall (just like we see him fall down after he shoots himself) and the zombies grabbing him and starting to tear him. The first time I saw this movie was on VHS around 1988/89 but I can't remember what version/cut it was.

[Neil]

I believe the only variation on this scene is his fingers getting bitten off? Hard to find a version with it included these days it seems!

[JDP]

I believe the only variation on this scene is his fingers getting bitten off? Hard to find a version with it included these days it seems!

That was in Rickles' death scene, though. And it is featured in the cut/version that is usually shown on cable channels.

[Neil]

That was in Rickles' death scene, though. And it is featured in the cut/version that is usually shown on cable channels.

Oh yeh! I was remembering the blood on his hand, which of course was from his bitten throat!

[thxleo]

How many cuts/versions are there of this movie? I seem to remember Steel/Steele's corpse sitting with his back against the wall (just like we see him fall down after he shoots himself) and the zombies grabbing him and starting to tear him. The first time I saw this movie was on VHS around 1988/89 but I can't remember what version/cut it was.

There's only 1 cut of DAY(unless you count censored versions) and there was never any footage shot of Gary Klar being torn apart.

[JDP]

There's only 1 cut of DAY(unless you count censored versions)

Dawn has multiple "cuts" due to how it has been edited to include or exclude some scenes from it. Obviously there must be more than one cut of Day since the running times listed for it vary. There was a 126 minute original cut that was then edited down to 105 minutes, then there's another one that's listed as being 102 minutes, then another one as being 100 minutes, and another one 96 minutes. I don't know if there's more.


and there was never any footage shot of Gary Klar being torn apart.

Has Romero made any statements that no such scene was shot?

[Neil]

Wasn't there talk once upon of time of there being Day footage but it was probably lost when their basement was flooded? Or am I imagining this?

[krisvds]

There are some photographs of cut footage from the opening scenes in the city. I never heard of Savini and crew doing a Steele feast scene though ...

[thxleo]

Dawn has multiple "cuts" due to how it has been edited to include or exclude some scenes from it. Obviously there must be more than one cut of Day since the running times listed for it vary. There was a 126 minute original cut that was then edited down to 105 minutes, then there's another one that's listed as being 102 minutes, then another one as being 100 minutes, and another one 96 minutes. I don't know if there's more.



Has Romero made any statements that no such scene was shot?

I've spent the last 4+ years writing an extensive making of book about DAY and I can tell you with 100% certainty that there is 1 cut of the film. In "The Zombies that ate Pittsburgh" Richard Rubinstein is quoted as saying the first edit of DAY came in at 126 minutes. I asked both Mike Gornick, who served as post production supervisor on the film as well the DP, and Pat Buba, who was the editor of the film about this and this topic is discussed in the book. Those extra minutes are what Buba referred to as "trims and outs" and they were flat out never part of a finished/exhibited cut of DAY. No one knows what became of those trims and outs. They could have been thrown out or even lost. No one has a clue. And different countries trimming out gore or whatnot doesn't count as a different cut of the film. It's simply censors butchering the film.

As for whether Romero has stated it or not, that means nothing. George's memory is horrendous and when I formally interviewed him for the book he could hardly remember a thing. He didn't even remember that he had a house in Florida when they shot the movie!

Like I said I've spent A LOT of time working on the book so I know more about this movie than most do. However, if it's more interesting to believe that there are multiple cuts of DAY with missing footage of Gary Klar being torn apart, please feel free to do so.

[JDP]

I've spent the last 4+ years writing an extensive making of book about DAY and I can tell you with 100% certainty that there is 1 cut of the film. In "The Zombies that ate Pittsburgh" Richard Rubinstein is quoted as saying the first edit of DAY came in at 126 minutes. I asked both Mike Gornick, who served as post production supervisor on the film as well the DP, and Pat Buba, who was the editor of the film about this and this topic is discussed in the book. Those extra minutes are what Buba referred to as "trims and outs" and they were flat out never part of a finished/exhibited cut of DAY. No one knows what became of those trims and outs. They could have been thrown out or even lost. No one has a clue. And different countries trimming out gore or whatnot doesn't count as a different cut of the film. It's simply censors butchering the film.

As for whether Romero has stated it or not, that means nothing. George's memory is horrendous and when I formally interviewed him for the book he could hardly remember a thing. He didn't even remember that he had a house in Florida when they shot the movie!

Like I said I've spent A LOT of time working on the book so I know more about this movie than most do. However, if it's more interesting to believe that there are multiple cuts of DAY with missing footage of Gary Klar being torn apart, please feel free to do so.

You might have a different definition of what a "cut" is. If you look at what people usually label a "cut" of a film, like all those different editions of Dawn that include or exclude some scenes, then obviously there's got to be more than one cut of Day as well. The running times are different.

Since you seem so sure that there is no scene with the zombies getting to Steel/Steele's corpse I thought you might have that info straight from the man himself, or perhaps from someone else (Savini, Klar, etc.) involved in the making of the film.

[thxleo]

You might have a different definition of what a "cut" is. If you look at what people usually label a "cut" of a film, like all those different editions of Dawn that include or exclude some scenes, then obviously there's got to be more than one cut of Day as well. The running times are different.

Since you seem so sure that there is no scene with the zombies getting to Steel/Steele's corpse I thought you might have that info straight from the man himself, or perhaps from someone else (Savini, Klar, etc.) involved in the making of the film.


Now I remember why I hardly visit this place anymore.

[krisvds]

When you interviewed Romero for your book did you have the impression he was suffering from something (Alzheimer, ...)? Not remembering where you used to live/own a house is pretty heavy. Side effects of his lifestyle back then? Whatever.

I'm just curious as I hope he will either write or direct again in the future. If his health allows him ....

[thxleo]

When you interviewed Romero for your book did you have the impression he was suffering from something (Alzheimer, ...)? Not remembering where you used to live/own a house is pretty heavy. Side effects of his lifestyle back then? Whatever.

I'm just curious as I hope he will either write or direct again in the future. If his health allows him ....

I have no idea if George suffers from anything like Alzheimer's or any other neurological disorder. I do know that George has suffered a couple of strokes in his life. He's also much older now and, frankly, he drinks a lot. His memory, for whatever reason, is really bad. There's a commentary, I believe for DAWN, where he's talking with his then wife, Christine, and he says that they were already married during the filming. Christine starts laughing and reminds him that they didn't get married until Knightriders. His memories are much clearer when it comes to talking about early stuff like NIGHT.

[krisvds]

Age is probably the main reason, but I feel there is a difference in remembering certain dates (birthdays and such) and places you actually lived for a while... Unless you moved so much from one place to another it becomes hard to keep track of. Then again liquour and god knows what else can do a lot of damage as well. Whatever...

What I always found baffling is the huge gap in quality where the writing of his last three '... of the dead' films are concerned. Say what you will about Land but as far as world and character building is concerned it's miles away from Diary and Survival, at least IMO. Budgets affected the look of these films, I'm sure, but writing is something else altogether.

Characters like Slack, charlie, Riley, Kaufman, ... felt a whole lot more like classic 'Romero' characters than any of the ones whose names I cant even think of in the last two.
It's a real shame as I do find things to like in the cynical, and often political humour in both Survival and Diary, it's just that they felt more rushed and phoned in. Less focused.
The tribalism idea he got running in Survival (yeah I know, Muldoooooooon and all that jazz) was really good but if the characters aren't, well, 'there' it just doesn't work.

Anyways: really looking forward to your book as Day is probably one of the best horrorfilms ever made. Preordered.

[thxleo]

Age is probably the main reason, but I feel there is a difference in remembering certain dates (birthdays and such) and places you actually lived for a while... Unless you moved so much from one place to another it becomes hard to keep track of. Then again liquour and god knows what else can do a lot of damage as well. Whatever...


Anyways: really looking forward to your book as Day is probably one of the best horrorfilms ever made. Preordered.

Thanks for the support, I appreciate it very much. Yeah, when I interviewed George he told me he thought he was still renting Zilla Clinton's parents home on Sanibel when they filmed the movie. But that was not the case.

[JDP]

Now I remember why I hardly visit this place anymore.

If you were trying to be "funny" with that comment, I am not amused. Maybe you should invest your time more profitably visiting sites like this one instead:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cut

Hint: check out definition 6 b for its noun form.

[Neil]

Richard Rubinstein is quoted as saying the first edit of DAY came in at 126 minutes.
Would be fascinating to know what else was in those 20 minutes! That's a LOT of additional footage!

[thxleo]

Would be fascinating to know what else was in those 20 minutes! That's a LOT of additional footage!

I thought so too, Neil. But having read the shooting script there was only 1 scene that really counts as a deleted scene, which was filmed. I discuss all of that in the book(some of the audio from that deleted scene ends up being heard in the film). Most of that extra footage is just that: longer/extended scenes.

And frankly who knows if Rubinstein was correct with that running time? Neither Gornick or Buba remembered it being that long. Gornick told me that Buba always did that with his first passes though, allowed the scenes to play out longer. It's a shame though that outtakes and missing footage is apparently lost forever. Really a shame.

[Neil]

I me thinking some material (footage) was lost when a basement was flooded? Is that Night I'm thinking of when Image Ten was flooded? Or was it Dawn/Day material too?

Or am I imagining the whole thing? :)

[thxleo]

I me thinking some material (footage) was lost when a basement was flooded? Is that Night I'm thinking of when Image Ten was flooded? Or was it Dawn/Day material too?

Or am I imagining the whole thing? :)

No, you're right the basement at 247 did flood years ago. However, there's some uncertainty about what was down there at the time.

[spookydaz]

I have a workprint / rough cut of Day and it's exactly the same as the VHS/ DVD's i have seen, the only difference I can notice was small soundtrack variations but specifically Harrison's guitar riff is missing from the scene as the zombies are walking from the mines into the corridor. Steele's Death is the same.

[Moon Knight]

I have a workprint / rough cut of Day and it's exactly the same as the VHS/ DVD's i have seen, the only difference I can notice was small soundtrack variations but specifically Harrison's guitar riff is missing from the scene as the zombies are walking from the mines into the corridor. Steele's Death is the same.

Always hated that guitar riff haha. Didn't fit the movie at all, but then again, I hate rock in horror movies.

[krisvds]

Always hated that guitar riff haha. Didn't fit the movie at all, but then again, I hate rock in horror movies.

I always felt that it worked well just because it was different from the rest of the soundtrack. Rock usually only works for me in (cheesy) itallo horror like Demons or Phenomena.

[thxleo]

I have a workprint / rough cut of Day and it's exactly the same as the VHS/ DVD's i have seen, the only difference I can notice was small soundtrack variations but specifically Harrison's guitar riff is missing from the scene as the zombies are walking from the mines into the corridor. Steele's Death is the same.

Thanks, Daz!

[Neil]

I do know that George has suffered a couple of strokes in his life.
I wasn't aware of this :( Are these over recent years or are we talking over tens of years? [If you don't mind me asking?]

[thxleo]

I wasn't aware of this :( Are these over recent years or are we talking over tens of years? [If you don't mind me asking?]

Neil,
I was told by someone who would know that he had one during the making of The Dark Half, stemming from feuds with actor Timothy Hutton. Apparently that one damaged his hearing. The other one was about 4 years ago now. But George is very resilient and always bounces back. Thank goodness. :)

[krisvds]

In my wildest dreams George is resilient enough to pull of a late career high similar to what Leone did with Once Upon A time In America. All we need is someone throwing loads of cash at him and George not phoning it in. Come on Twilight of the Dead.




/wakes up

[JDP]

I have a workprint / rough cut of Day and it's exactly the same as the VHS/ DVD's i have seen, the only difference I can notice was small soundtrack variations but specifically Harrison's guitar riff is missing from the scene as the zombies are walking from the mines into the corridor. Steele's Death is the same.

Is this the cut that is said to run for 105 minutes?