What I like about Dawn of the Dead (1978) is how Romero develops this epic or novel of the zombie apocalypse where he provides chapters of the saga for a news chopper pilot (who can't shoot for shit), his girlfriend (news station producer who is pregnant with his child and seems unsure if this relationship is certain to be long term), and the two SWAT officers who meet up at the ghetto apartment (deciding to abandon their job for some safe haven elsewhere), concluding with their refuge (Monroeville Mall), desecrated and undone by unruly, disreputable bikers looking to loot and tear shit up, giving the undead free reign of the place. We aren't just given a preamble before the four are in the chopper together heading for the mall, but Romero gives us insight into just how the urban plight of 70s cities is inundated with further complications thanks to the infiltration of the dead's uprising. How news is undercut by the inability of those in charge getting it out to the public, and becoming obsolete as it seems information regarding how to stop the hungry dead and find safety from them is not finding the proper channels. To believe and act accordingly is undermined by the shock and awe of the unprecedented situation: the walking dead is tough to fully comprehend and accept upon initial introduction.
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