Actors: Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Richard Liberty, Joseph Pilato
Directors: George A. Romero
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: September 17, 2013
Run Time: 101 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars
I have always loved “Day of the Dead” but it is a very hard act to follow! “Dawn of the Dead” is easily one of the best horror films ever. But “Day” still has a ton of life in it (get the pun?!) and still holds up today even after almost 30 years. With TV shows like “The Walking Dead” and films like “World War Z”, zombies have never been hotter, so this is a great time to revisit this classic. You also get to see “The Walking Dead” Director/Co-Executive Producer/Special Effects Make-Up Artist Greg Nicotero start off in the business with his first acting role. “Scream Factory, which is part Shout Factory, is finally giving this film the release that it deserves with this Collector’s Edition Blu-ray. This film has never looked so good and shines with this release. If you own Starz/Anchor Bay rather bland 2007 release of this film, it is definitely worth the upgrade. No question!
Official Premise: The concluding part of George A. Romero’s cult horror trilogy opens with the undead roaming the planet freely. The living have been forced underground, where they make their base in a hidden missile depot, helping with the experiments of scientist Doctor Logan (Liberty), who hopes to domesticate the zombies. However, the military faction of the human survivors favour a more direct approach, and with food stocks becoming ever more depleted, they decide to take action. What folllows is the final showdown between the forces of the living and the armies of the dead.
Scream Factory gave this film a lot of love with a brand new high-def transfer…and it looks stunning. I have the older 2007 Blu-ray and the comparison is really amazing. Top that with a solid DTS-HD Master Audio track and this release is kicking on all cylinders. There is also some fantastic special features including two brand new extras. “World’s End: The Legacy of “Day of the Dead” is a brand new documentary, which is easily worth the purchase of the disc alone. “Underground: A Look into the ‘Day of the Dead’ Mines” is another new feature looking into the film’s shooting location. There are two audio commentary tracks, the first with writer/director George A. Romero, Special Make-up Effects artist Tom Savini, Production Designer Cletus Anderson and actress Lori Cardille. The second is with filmmaker Roger Avary. There is some great behind-the-scenes footage coming straight from Tom Savini’s personal archives. Lastly there are Photo Galleries, Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots included.