Argento or Romero?

[Andy]

I Got the 4 disk ultimate edition boxset the other day, and watching through each version (like i do) i got thinking, which version do you guys all prefer between dario argento's european cut and the US theatrical cut which is romero's preference, and why do you prefer whichever? Please note the third option in this poll, if you havn't seen the european cut please vote for that as i want this to be a fair comparison between the two versions. Personally i like argento's european cut, its like watching a completely different film, i think the pacing works better and i prefer the sountrack.

[Doc]

Yet to see the Euro version. So whats the difference between it and U.S.? Besides being shorter and probably taking some scenes out.

[Mike70]

actually i prefer what is referred to as the "extended" cut. the one that is 139 (or is it 137) mins long. "great and when you're finished with the roll we'll drop it off at the drugstore." Yet to see the Euro version. So whats the difference between it and U.S.? Besides being shorter and probably taking some scenes out. the european version- some of the scenes are a bit longer and have more dialouge. the biggest thing that was cut would probably be the helicopter zombie scene. that is not in the european version at all.

[Philly_SWAT]

Personally i like argento's european cut, its like watching a completely different film, i think the pacing works better and i prefer the sountrack. I agree that it is like watching a totally different film, but imo a far inferior film. All of the subtle things that are part of Romero's genius are cut out by Argento, and I think that the Goblin is overwhelming when used to such a large degree. I can listen to the music cues form Dawn, and I can "see" in my mind exactly what was happening onscreen when that cue was used. With the Argento cut, as I recall, most of the music was the same few Goblin songs (which I love by the way) used over and over, and dubbed in SO LOUD that it almost drowns out the dialogue in some places.

[Dead Hoosier]

I guess I'll always like the US cut best, probably because it's the one I saw well over 100 times before seeing the others. I like the novelty value of the added scenes of the Euro cut, but some of them (especially the extended dock scene) I think we justifiably chopped. I also like the music with the US cut better, but again, through sheer repetition and because it's my favorite film of all time, it's bound to be that way.

[Andy]

Yet to see the Euro version. So whats the difference between it and U.S.? Besides being shorter and probably taking some scenes out. Its shorter and faster paced, with some scenes taken out and alot of scenes which are not in the US cut too, which admittedly are mostly dialogue. plus the complete goblin soundtrack.

[Legion2213]

I actually prefer the Cannes cut...probably due to it being the first one I owned on VHS. Philly SWAT: You are so right about the booming music in certain parts of the Argento cut...very annoying!

[capncnut]

Theatrical. I said it in the previous poll and I'll say it in this one.

[Yojimbo]

Like a few of the other responders, I prefer the Cannes Cut, though I do see why Romero made the changes that constitute the Theatrical Version. While I do like the Euro cut for the extended dialogue, I prefer the Theatrical primarily because it is edited better. As pointed out, the Euro Cut's utter reliance on the Goblin soundtrack is in my mind inferior to the library tracks used in Theatrical. For example, that scene when Wooley gets shot by Peter: In the Theatrical cut, the music stops at the moment Wooley gets it and does not resume until Roger et al are looking at the dead bodies on the floor of the "not that room" apartment. This pause in the soundtrack enhances the scene, unlike the Euro cut where the zombie theme keeps going and going and going.

[Andy]

People who said cannes, you have missed the point, i could of listed every version of dawn there is and asked you to pick your favourite but i didn't, i picked george romero's preffered cut (the theatrical) and dario argento's cut and asked you to do a straight comparison between the 2. The cannes cut or any other version dosn't come into that question at all

[major jay]

My favorite's Romero's cut. But the audio commentary on the European cut is awesome.

[axlish]

and i prefer the sountrack. ...

[georgefox]

theatrical because that was the first i saw when i was 12 last year

[DubiousComforts]

The theatrical cut... 1 billion percent, though I appreciate the other versions and being able to take in all the extra footage and music. I wish all the removed footage and outtakes were available for NIGHT as well.

[Doc]

Just say the Euro version. MAN Dario Argento went crazy with Zombi. I don't know if it's probably because I saw the U.S. version first, but it did not fit into the scenes IMO.