Cinema SmackDown! Dawn of the Dead (1978) vs. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
It's a rare occasion when a remake is compared favorably to the original, much less when some consider it to be superior to its predecessor. But this edition of "Cinema SmackDown!" features two such films. These colossal classics from different eras are both considered zombie masterpieces: the original for combining social commentary and horror, as well as groundbreaking gore effects, the other part of a new wave of zombie movies featuring fast-moving hordes of undead.
WIth that, here is the matchup of zombie apocalypses, George A. Romero's 1978 classic "Dawn of the Dead" and Zack Snyder's genre-redefining 2004 remake of the same name. Which one is superior? Let's find out:
Scares
1978: Romero's original evokes more of an ever-present sense of dread than outright leap-out-of-your-skin moments. There are a few exceptions to this, of course, but for the most part, even by the standards of its day, this horror classic isn't known for its terror. The gore is certainly horrific and shocking, but not necessarily intense.
2004: Snyder crafted a balls-to-the-wall horror film, amping up the intensity with out-of-nowhere hordes of relentless, brutal zombies who come out from behind every corner to dismember their victims.
Advantage: 2004
Zombies
1978: Ambling, shambling zombies, much more imposing in a group than individually. More befitting social commentary.
2004: Running, fast-moving, ferocious, hard-hitting zombies. Can be extremely dangerous in a group or individually. More effective for scares.
Advantage: Push
Survivors
1978: Newswoman Francine (Gaylen Ross), Stephen (David Emgee), Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott Reiniger) are the only survivors who make it to the mall. They hole up in the overrun mall and slowly scrub it of undead.
2004: Nurse Ana (Sarah Polley), police officer Kenneth (Ving Rhames), Michael (Jake Weber), Andre (Mekhi Pfeifer) and his pregnant wife Luda (Inna Korobkina) first break into the mall, but are joined by many others. They quickly form a hierarchy, squander supplies and form cliques.
Advantage: 2004
Social Commentary
1978: A scathing indictment of consumer culture, much is made of Romero's zombies gathering at the mall possibly because of some instinct to go where they were happiest: a soulless, cavernous consumer outlet, and how we consume ourselves as a society.
2004: Social commentary is mostly limited to references to the original film; the characters largely gather at the mall because of the riches (i.e. supplies) inside. While there are echoes of the original's message, they pale in comparison.
Advantage: 1978
Satire/Comedy
1978: A dark undercurrent of satire and even slapstick comedy permeates throughout, culminating an an almost Three Stooges-like climax where a roving gang of marauding bikers smash through the barricaded mall and mock the zombies, including smashing pies in their face.
2004: A few comedic moments of levity and dialogue-driven humor and a biting choice of musical selection (including Richard Cheese's lounge-singer version of "Down with the Sickness") but this "Dawn" is a bit more serious.
Advantage: 1978
Creepy kids
1978: Peter encounters two adorable zombie kids at a gas station and kills them.
2004: The zombified neighbor girl kills Ana's husband in the movie's terrifying opening scene; a zombie Luda births a creepy zombie baby.
Advantage: 2004
Gore
1978: Groundbreaking gore effects from Tom Savini: flesh is torn from bodies and devoured, zombies disembowel and pull guts out, devouring them hungrily.
2004: A combination of practical and CG gore; gunshot wounds explode, blood sprays, wounds gape.
Advantage: Push
Winner
In a shocking upset, the 2004 "Dawn" outlasts the original. To date Snyder's best work, "Dawn" is a tremendous horror film, a virtual rollercoaster ride with equal parts thrills and emotion. While Romero's original remains an all-time great, 2004 brings a fresh twist to the genre and helped spark the current zombie renaissance.
Previous Cinema Smackdowns
Kingpin vs. The Big Lebowski Batman (1966) vs. Batman (1989) vs. Batman Begins It’s a Wonderful Life vs. A Christmas Story Crash (1996) vs. Crash (2004) Arnold Schwarzenegger vs. Sylvester Stallone Vin Diesel vs. The Rock Footloose vs. Dirty Dancing