Title: Dawn of the Dead (1978)
BD-50 Dual-Layer Disc
Video: 1080p/AVC MPEG-4
Audio: 5.1 Linear PCM
Aspect Ratio: 1:85:1
Subtitles: English
Run time: 127 minutes
Studio: Starz Home Entertainment
Rating: Unrated
My take: (the breakdown)
Dawn of the Dead is often referred to as one of the best zombie movies after Night of the Living Dead and if we are talking about just zombie movies I will agree to that. The story focuses on four people: 2 Philadelphia SWAT members, 1 reporter, and the reporter's girlfriend. To escape the zombie onslaught they decide to hold up in an abandoned shopping mall. This will always be a horror classic for film so if you haven't seen it I suggest you see it. For a 31 year old movie it is decent, but I can't recommend more than a rental unless you're a zombie or Romero fan.
The video is about what you would expect from a movie from 1978. It is generally soft, washed out, and has some dirt speckles. However, fine detail on actor closeups is extremely well done and flesh tones (yes even the zombies) tend to be accurate. There are quite a few unresolved blacks during the darker scenes, but grain or noise doesn't get out of control. This is probably the best this movie is ever going to look on home video period.
The audio fails to impress across the board. The only plus to this PCM track is that dialogue is clear and understandable. However, every time there is a gunshot, and there's a lot, they sound like wimpy little toy pop guns. The LFE channel might as well have been on vacation because I forgot my sub was even there. There's hardly nothing going on in the surrounds except for maybe some distant zombie moaning. Again like the video this is probably the best it's going to get.
We get a weak supplemental package with this Blu-ray release. We get some making of features that add up to about an hour and a half or so, a 14 minute feature on other films by Romero, and a 12 minute tour of the mall. All of these features are unfortunately presented in 480.
Movie: 7.5/10
VQ: 6.5/10
AQ: 5/10
Supplements: 2/10
Final word: Purchase for fans
As always thanks for reading folks.