So the Dawn of the Dead "Complete Cut" (ie: XT Video's version) - 155 minutes

[Neil]

I have to ask, given even the director's cut is around 128 minutes, what other 27 minutes of footage is there to make the film upto a staggering 155 minutes? How can that much addditional dialog, biker scenes and zombies add up to that much? Wow!

[EvilNed]

I have to ask, given even the director's cut is around 128 minutes, what other 27 minutes of footage is there to make the film upto a staggering 155 minutes? How can that much addditional dialog, biker scenes and zombies add up to that much? Wow! https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=177418 If you look at the bottom, it says the Argento cut is missing around 26 minutes of footage from the Theatrical cut, but it's only 7 minutes shorter. That means there's around 19 minutes in the Argento cut that's not in the Theatrical cut. Furthermore, the Cannes cut is around 137 minutes and features a hefty dose of extended scenes from the Theatrical cut (and some new ones). If you take these 19 minutes from the Argento cut and add them ontop of the Cannes cut, which is around 137 minutes, you end up with 156 minutes.

[Neil]

Interesting... 27mins of additional footage to the Theatrical version just seems to much...

[EvilNed]

Interesting... 27mins of additional footage to the Theatrical version just seems to much... I think so too. I prefer the Theatrical cut. Even the Cannes cut is too much for me.

[shootemindehead]

Most of it is just tiny additions here and there too. Nobody is really missing much with the "extra" material. That being said the "Cannes" cut has always been my go-to. But, I have a version which I cut myself, that eliminates the chopper zombie (I'm with Argento on that) and the silly pie fight. I might make another couple of trims with the docks scene, cos this guy...whoa Nelly... cigaretteguy+copy.jpg

[EvilNed]

Most of it is just tiny additions here and there too. Nobody is really missing much with the "extra" material. That being said the "Cannes" cut has always been my go-to. But, I have a version which I cut myself, that eliminates the chopper zombie (I'm with Argento on that) and the silly pie fight. I might make another couple of trims with the docks scene, cos this guy...whoa Nelly... cigaretteguy+copy.jpg This is peak fan-culture.

[MinionZombie]

Most of it is just tiny additions here and there too. Nobody is really missing much with the "extra" material. That being said the "Cannes" cut has always been my go-to. But, I have a version which I cut myself, that eliminates the chopper zombie (I'm with Argento on that) and the silly pie fight. I might make another couple of trims with the docks scene, cos this guy...whoa Nelly... cigaretteguy+copy.jpg Agreed on the Cannes Cut being my favoured version, although I disagree on the chopper zombie and the pie fight (the latter of which is exactly what those yahoo raiding goons would get up to, causing the chaos that they do, flingin' firecrackers around, smashing things up, getting their blood pressure tested etc). I like the guy at the docks. I think he also fits in nicely with the rhythm of that scene. ... Ooh! Speaking of the docks scene, which we were discussing in another thread - regarding the radio operator - watching the film again last night it's quite clear the radio operator did kill himself. The exit wound is clearly seen at the top of his head (i.e. the man stuck a gun in his mouth, aiming upwards with the trigger guard facing away from his body, and blew his brains out), so therefore it's suicide and not murder by the guys raiding for supplies.

[shootemindehead]

Agreed on the Cannes Cut being my favoured version, although I disagree on the chopper zombie and the pie fight (the latter of which is exactly what those yahoo raiding goons would get up to, causing the chaos that they do, flingin' firecrackers around, smashing things up, getting their blood pressure tested etc). I've never liked either the chopper zombie or the pie scene. The problem with the former is the issue with how the prosthetic shifted on the stunt guy's head. It just looks laughable. I appreciate the effect and it was ingenious, as are most of Savini's special effects. But it just falls apart because that head is so terrible. The pie thing I just hate, even if it might be something that crew would do. Even more ridiculous is the Test Your Blood Pressure guy. I like the guy at the docks. I think he also fits in nicely with the rhythm of that scene. The acting in 'Dawn of the Dead' was never anything to write home about, but by god that fella takes the biscuit. "We'd be stuck...we'd be stuck...". LOL, you're fired. I still like seeing Joe Pilato in that Docks scene though. Pity he never had a better career. He had that "untrustworthy edgy bastard" thing down. ... Ooh! Speaking of the docks scene, which we were discussing in another thread - regarding the radio operator - watching the film again last night it's quite clear the radio operator did kill himself. The exit wound is clearly seen at the top of his head (i.e. the man stuck a gun in his mouth, aiming upwards with the trigger guard facing away from his body, and blew his brains out), so therefore it's suicide and not murder by the guys raiding for supplies. I don't remember this discussion. I always was under the impression that he'd opted out. Or do you mean "we" as in the site?

[MinionZombie]

I don't remember this discussion. I always was under the impression that he'd opted out. Or do you mean "we" as in the site? Yeah, the wider 'we', the HPOTD 'we', heh. It was in another thread and that came up as a point of argument ... in the filmmakers' forum IIRC. Just seeing the film again, and that scene, and in a glorious HD restoration, it was even clearer that the guy's exit wound was at the top of his head - you can see the hairline is interrupted by the exit wound. Watching the movie again, it reminded me of just how crazy Dawn is as a low budget film - the sheer amount of action and scale and spectacle on show. Even just the amount of coverage they got, is incredible. Just goes to show how Romero, Gornick et al were so talented to get so much out of so little money. Other genre filmmakers, working with larger budgets, never approached the sheer scale and coverage of what Romero & Co were able to pull off.

[shootemindehead]

I can't remember who said it, but I recall a quote something like "Romero made a 2 million Dollar picture look like 10, and Frankenheimer (Prophecy) made a 10 million dollar picture look like 2."

[MinionZombie]

I can't remember who said it, but I recall a quote something like "Romero made a 2 million Dollar picture look like 10, and Frankenheimer (Prophecy) made a 10 million dollar picture look like 2." Although, when digging through some of the extras, Mike Gornick says to Tom Savini (during the new mall tour video) that the actual budget they were working with was $425,000 ... so even lower than the apparent 'real' budget of about $750,000 (after the $1-1.5 million was confirmed as bogus). Considering that, it's even more amazing that they managed to get all that coverage and action on-screen and in-camera.

[EvilNed]

Watching the movie again, it reminded me of just how crazy Dawn is as a low budget film - the sheer amount of action and scale and spectacle on show. Even just the amount of coverage they got, is incredible. Just goes to show how Romero, Gornick et al were so talented to get so much out of so little money. Other genre filmmakers, working with larger budgets, never approached the sheer scale and coverage of what Romero & Co were able to pull off. It's spelled NON-UNION.

[Harleydude666]

Interesting... 27mins of additional footage to the Theatrical version just seems to much... Nah, I never watch the theatrical, the Extended cut for me. It really gives you the sense of dread of how long they spend in the mall. Plus the helicopter station is fleshed out more and makes sense

[MinionZombie]

It's spelled NON-UNION. Even still, it's a hell of a lot of coverage and action and locations to pull off. I mean literally just making your day and getting what you need in-the-can. Amazing.

[beat_truck]

I have the Dawn of the Dead "Extended Mall Hours" cut that runs at ~155 minutes. Personally, I like all the added / combined footage. I have the Ultimate Edition DVD set, too. I've watched the Director's Cut the most. I watched the Italian cut at least once, but am not a fan. Too much important stuff missing, and the soundtrack was weird and annoying from what I remember. I don't think I've watched the Theatrical Version since I had it on VHS.