Day of the Dead (1985)
82%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins
Day of the Dead may arguably be the least haunting entry in George A. Romero’s undead trilogy, but it will give audiences’ plenty to chew on with its shocking gore and scathing view of society
Day of the Dead is a classic zombie movie that will have you on the edge of your seat. While it may not be as good as its predecessors, it still has plenty of gore and scares to keep you entertained. The film’s commentary on science and the military is thought-provoking, but let’s be real, we’re all here for the zombies. And boy, do they deliver. The special effects are impressive, and the zombies are truly terrifying. If you’re a fan of the genre, Day of the Dead is a must-watch. Just don’t watch it alone in the dark.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Fort Myers, Florida, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1985
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 3, 1985 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 19, 2003
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
Day of the Dead, horror, George A Romero, starring Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joseph Pilato, directed by George A Romero, written by George A Romero, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Keith Phipps, Peter Travers, Tom Charity, Nick Schager, Eric Henderson, Janet Maslin, Brian Eggert, Anton Bitel, Ángel Luis Inurria, C.H Newell, Zena Dixon, MPAA rating, zombie apocalypse, social commentary, special makeup effects, Tom Savini, one-dimensional characters, colonialism, 60s civil rights movement, dread, underdeveloped characters, bad acting, retarded plot, gore
Worldwide gross: $5,000,000
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $14,122,474
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,844
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,540,074
US/Canada gross: $5,000,000
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $14,122,474
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,511
US/Canada opening weekend: $1,700,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $4,801,641
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,108
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $9,885,732
Production budget ranking: 1,681
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,323,467
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$1,086,724
ROI to date (est.): -7%
ROI ranking: 1,433
Terence Alexander – John
Joseph Pilato – Rhodes
Jarlath Conroy – McDermott
Anthony DiLeo Jr. – Miguel
Richard Liberty – Logan
Director(s)
George A. Romero
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (7)
The years have been kind to Day Of The Dead, however…And though it’s still a disappointment in relation to its two predecessors, it has much to recommend it.
September 18, 2013 | Rating: 3/5
Keith Phipps
The Dissolve
TOP CRITIC
August 14, 2007 | Rating: 3/4
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
A fitting conclusion to a remarkably astute series, a landmark in the horror genre.
January 26, 2006
Tom Charity
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
The film’s frosty pessimism about mankind’s future does eventually get under your skin.
May 3, 2005 | Rating: B-
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
Day of the Dead is unquestionably the most controversial and debated entry in George A. Romero’s unrivaled zombie trilogy.
August 18, 2003
Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It… affords Mr. Romero the opportunity for intermittent philosophy and satire, without compromising his reputation as the grisliest guy around.
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Romero called Day of the Dead his favorite of his films. It’s certainly his most challenging.
February 12, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
George A. Romero’s zombie apocalypse trilogy closer is a grim, gory vision of humanity being torn apart.
December 18, 2021
Anton Bitel
Projected Figures
Less successful than its predecessors… Day of the Dead can work as an example of voyeuristic masochism. [Full Review in Spanish]
June 17, 2020
Ángel Luis Inurria
El Pais (Spain)
This excellent slice of horror from Romero deals with the head-butting elements of science and military in a world ravaged by the zombie virus.
May 3, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
C.H. Newell
Father Son Holy Gore
Overall, I recommend Day of the Dead to all, especially the zombie enthusiast.
August 30, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Zena Dixon
Real Queen of Horror
Demonstrates you don’t need to be bombed back into the stone age when you can reach that state by exercising your own stupidity. The subterranean setting is the tip-off: While the zombies evolve the humans devolve — almost literally — into cave men.
November 15, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)…
Plot
Zombies rule the world, except for a small group of scientists and military personnel who reside in an underground bunker in Florida. The scientists are using the undead in gruesome experiments; much to the chagrin of the military. Finally the military finds that their men have been used in the scientists’ experiments, and banish the scientists to the caves that house the Living Dead. Unfortunately, the zombies from above ground have made their way into the bunker.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels review for Day of the Dead.
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