A documentary about George A. Romero's films, with a behind scenes look at Dawn of the Dead.A documentary about George A. Romero's films, with a behind scenes look at Dawn of the Dead.A documentary about George A. Romero's films, with a behind scenes look at Dawn of the Dead.
George A. Romero
- Self
- (as George Romero)
Susan Tyrrell
- Narrator
- (voice)
Richard P. Rubinstein
- Self
- (as Richard Rubinstein)
Scott H. Reiniger
- Self
- (as Scott Reiniger)
Christine Forrest
- Self
- (as Christine Romero)
Gregory Lamberson
- Self
- (as Greg Lamberson)
Ben Barenholtz
- Self
- (uncredited)
- …
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhile editing the movie, the creators discovered that 10% of the negative from the original footage, including 66 shots, had disappeared. When the filmmakers didn't get a response from the New York school of visual arts, director Roy Frumkes resorted to contacting a psychic therapist (Nancy Orlen Weber) to see if she could help. Though she suspected most of the missing film had been maliciously destroyed, she did pick up on the fact one small roll of film had been misplaced at the Technicolor laboratory. It was not until years later a can of film resurfaced, where it had been stored under the wrong title was the film finally edited and put on the market.
- Quotes
Roy Frumkes: [about "Day of the dead] Is this the end?
George A. Romero: The zombies are developing, and I'm getting dumber by the minute.
- Crazy creditsFootage from the George Romero movies Night of the Living Dead, Martin, and Dawn of the Dead is played as the closing credits roll.
- Alternate versionsOriginally a 66 minute feature, it has since been expanded two times. First, in 1989, when an 84 minute version was released, featuring new interviews from the set of Two Evil Eyes. Then, in 2012, it was released as The Definitive Document of the Dead, with a 102 minute runtime, featuring new footage filmed through 2006.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Dead Will Walk (2004)
Featured review
An historically important documentary with some insights into the struggles faced by independent filmmakers
Given the avowed intentions of George Romero as an independent filmmaker, we can see his zombie epics as no mere tilting at windmills. Rather, Romero can be seen as a reflexive artist: his metaphorical depiction in these films of the constraints on attaining a fulfilling life run parallel to the difficulties he faced in the production process. This documentary charts the trajectory of Romero's career through a period in which access to the means of film production, he acknowledges, has become less possible for like minded independents trying to get a start in the film industry. These struggles are symptomatic of how globalisation has helped foster the libertarian survivalist mentality of "the player", dependent upon multi-skilling, movement and market "freedom" from government regulation and civility/citizenship (or loyalty to and/or lifetime employment by one studio/company). "Day of the Dead" depicts the destructive restlessness of soldiers and 1 mad scientist trapped in a bunker. With no government to sanction their role, they become increasingly mercenary/asocial. Rebellion against regulation is celebrated in the caricatures of BIG GOVERNMENT as Nazis or "the Evil Empire" in 2 of the biggest flagships for these changes; the Indiana Jones and "Star Wars" films produced by major studios. Their return of the "hero" cultivates reliance upon adaptive individual resources ("Han SOLO" indeed!) and changes in consciousness rather than social structures...the teachings of Anthony Robbins echo Yoda. Since the period in which this documentary was made, changes in media cross- ownership have led to films of popular computer and video games. It seems Romero has finally had to follow the trends by making "Resident Evil", if only to finance the concluding installment of his zombie series.
helpful•51
- lefty-11
- Feb 17, 1999
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Definitive Document of the Dead
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $35,000 (estimated)
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