Dario Argento's World of Horror

Starring:Dario Argento, Patrick Bauchau, Michael Brandon, Flavio Bucci, Stefania Casini, David Emge, Mimsy Farmer, James Franciscus, David Hemmings, Karl Malden, Davide Marotta, Irene Miracle, Macha MÃ©ril, Daria Nicolodi, Donald Pleasence, Eva Renzi, Eva Robins, Tom Savini, Luciano Tovoli
Studio: Synapse Video
Product Type: DVD

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George Romero's 1978 follow-up to his classic Night of the Living Dead is quite terrifying and gory (those zombies do like the taste of living flesh). But in its own way, it is just as comically satiric as the first film in its take on contemporary values. This time, we follow the fortunes of four people who lock themselves inside a shopping mall to get away from the marauding dead and who then immerse themselves in unabashed consumerism, taking what they want from an array of clothing and jewelry shops, making gourmet meals, etc. It is Romero's take on Louis XVI in the modern world: keep the starving masses at bay and crank up the insulated indulgence. Still, this is a horror film when all is said and done, and even some of Romero's best visual jokes (a Hare Krishna turned blue-skinned zombie) can make you sweat. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The Greatest .......2007-07-04

A must have DVD'S
the best George Romero movie...
Ultimate edition is great !!!

Best Zombie Gift Ever.......2007-07-04

I purchased this collection for my husband and he loves it! The packaging is stunning as well.

George A. Romero's original Dawn of the Dead.......2007-07-03

Romero's ghastly sequel to his legendary "Night of the Living Dead" is equally brilliant and perhaps even more unsettling than the first installment. It is also spine-chillingly funny, making blunt comparisons between the dead-eyed, gore-loving zombies and vapid American consumers. (Next time you're at a mall, the impression will be hard to shake.) But for all its satirical wit, "Dead" also features riveting action sequences, culminating in the final showdown involving soldiers, bikers, and endless waves of the undead. Tom Savani's ghoulish effects are not for the faint of heart, so be sure you're in the mood for explicit slaughter.

The best, deepest, richest horror movie ever.......2007-06-23

I wasn't going to write about this movie, because I'm not sure that I really have anything to say about it that hasn't been said by 40 million other people. But as I was creating this site I noticed that nearly every horror review I wrote mentioned it in some way, and I thought I should make some comment on it. I also realized that I would then have to update the links on all those horror reviews. Drat!

The movie opens with chaos at a television station. A talk show is being interrupted as the cameramen and studio people shout at the man being interviewed. This scene, while cleverly delivering crucial exposition, also effectively conveys the panic and disorder overtaking society. There is just something that says "society is falling apart" about a television show, normally so scripted and controlled, devolving into chaos, and behind-the-camera people, whose entire profession depends on being quiet and staying off camera, shouting and disrupting a broadcast.

Even this scene abounds in small details that seem disturbingly true-to-life and while also helping to fill in the backdrop of the world this film is positing. The station manager is broadcasting the locations of rescue stations that he knows have closed, likely sending people to their deaths, because he wants to be seen as purveying hope. One of the cameramen says to Francine [Gaylen Ross] that she should go ahead and leave. He just stands there calmly, and one wonders: why has he given up on himself so easily?

The movie then switches to a housing project overrun with zombies. It begins to focus on a prejudiced cop who is beginning to lose his grip in the face of the rising zombie threat. This sequence is poignant in showing a man who is trying use his own prejudices about another racial group as a way of holding on to reality! Strange, unsettling, but also uncomfortably true-to-life.

You'll just have to get used to the fact that this is all happening accompanied by significant gore.

The four main characters soon assemble in their helicopter and take off. Their aerial perspective allows the film to serve up a lot of exposition about the general state of the country as the zombies take over. In this case we have a bunch of rural folk who seem to be treating the entire thing as some sort of hunting party, having a picnic, kids running around, passing around drinks, and occasionally stopping to shoot a zombie. They are soon joined by a bunch of jovial National Guard folks who essentially do the same. These scenes, including the ones in the television station and housing project, go very far to establish the different ways that the country is responding to the crisis. Compare this to Zack Snyder's 2004 remake, which stayed in the perspective of the main characters from the start and never wavered, thus losing the wider context of the world the main characters are struggling to survive in.

After a brief interlude at a fueling station, our quartet arrive at the shopping mall. Quickly realizing that they could hole up here for a nearly indefinite amount of time in relative safety, they decide to stay. There are a number of survival tableaus and schemes in which the characters essentially "shop," but what interests me most here is the character development.

As they fight zombies to furnish their home in the upper floors of the mall, certain tensions between the characters develop. Stephen [David Enmgee], the helicopter pilot, seems to be jealous that he isn't as cool as the other two guys, and wants to be able to use guns and be cool like them. Scotty [Scott Reiniger] eventually becomes a bit of a daredevil, wanting to show off his skills, which leads him to make some rash decisions that put himself and others in danger. Near the end he becomes more and more mentally unstable and unable to recognize how hyped-up and volatile he is. Meanwhile, Peter [Ken Foree] stays collected, while Francine [Gaylen Ross] slowly becomes more focused and able to handle and protect herself. Romero's zombie movies have always had the distinction of really taking the situation seriously, and providing a lot of attention to the psychological effects the zombie takeover would have on his characters, which make his films richer in both depth and emotional heft, as these characters all have flaws and weaknesses. Some of them overcome them, while some do not. To me, these characters and the way they develop are what set this film apart, and make it truly fascinating. Compare this with the characters in the 2004 remake and how it is shown that they deal with the reality of the collapse of society; they make a game of shooting the zombies that look like celebrities. Whereas the characters in Romero's original bring their neuroses with them into the mall, and he gets a lot of tension and resonance out of how these petty tendencies endure even in the face of the end of the world. The characters in the remake simply get used to their situation and try to pass time. The remake is a great thriller, but just doesn't have the resonance of the original.

A lot of people hate what they consider to be the slapstick comedy that occurs when the bikers invade the mall at the end-particularly the pie-in-the-face scene. It doesn't bother me. In fact, I thought it was a successful continuation of the theme, as it follows the line of degrees of obliviousness to the real threat. We, the audience, by that time, have learned not to underestimate the zombies, and I found it affecting to watch the foolish bikers do silly things like the pie in the face and the blood pressure machine, as it shows the downside to their casual and mocking attitude toward life, and how people with that attitude can really screw things up for others. It also provides a good contrast with the main characters, who may engage in small and petty interests, but in general work together and for a longer-term goal, as opposed to the bikers, who seem to unknowingly risk everything just for an immediate thrill. I find this moving and vital to the film, but I guess to many people a pie in the face can never be anything but slapstick.

The movie ends without much of a resolution-only that the characters must keep moving, trying to survive-but what has come before is so involving, moving, and true-to-life that what sticks in the mind afterward are the characters, their struggles, and the hopelessness that they have fought against, rather than the gore or exploding heads, and that goes a long way toward explaining why this movie is as enduring and resonant as it is.

AWSOME!!.......2007-06-18

This movie is sweet. Tons of Action, terror, gore,humor and a good political message. Gorge A remaro is a genius and you are not a true horror fan if this ones not in your colletion.

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A New Look At An Old Classic
The Best Zombie movie ever made!
get the 4 disc set of dawn of the dead instead!!!
Not as good as Romero's
A CLASSIC IS A CLASSIC !

Zombi - Dawn of the Dead
Starring: Ted Bank , Tony Buba , Sharon Ceccatti , Pan Chatfield , and Jim Christopher
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Zombi 2 (25th Anniversary Special Edition 2-Disc Set)
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The Return of the Living Dead

ASIN: B000AQ69UO
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Customer Reviews:

A New Look At An Old Classic.......2006-10-23

I remember sneaking into the theater for a midnight screening of Dawn of the Dead .For years the American Theatrical release was all there was to view .But I had heard that one of my favorite directors ,Dario Argento , had a different edit and soundtrack but the same basic movie for Europe .I can't decide on which version I like the best .I like that Zombi fleshes out the characters a little more and that the humor is toned down .The tension between the news and police characters is palpable at times .There are some extended scenes ,additional ones and even some shortened ones .They work .I didn't find myself saying the original was way better ,or how dare he re-edit this movie .Zombi has a more fatalistic feel to it than Dawn does .Even the soundtrack by Goblin gives off a more headlong down the hill feel to it .I have recommended this to people I know .

The Best Zombie movie ever made!.......2006-09-24

Directed by George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead) and presented by Dario Argento (Suspiria). This the European version by Argento called Zombi. Picking up where NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD left off, and still offering no explanation of why the dead are walking the earth, DAWN OF THE DEAD plunges headlong into one of the most violent and original horror films ever made. After securing an apartment building overcome with flesh-eating zombies, two Philadelphia area SWAT team members, Peter (Ken Foree) and Roger (Scott Reiniger), flee to a television station, where they escape in the station's helicopter with Francine (Gaylen Ross) and Stephen (David Emge), two station employees. Seeking refuge from the zombies and the ensuing hysteria, they land on top of a Pittsburgh area shopping mall, despite the fact that the undead seem to be flocking there. What begins as a stop for supplies becomes a longer stay as the four become embroiled in a futile war within the mall to keep their flesh to themselves and remain alive. The film's relentlessly disturbing and innovative gore effects are one reason to see DAWN OF THE DEAD, but those who can stomach the endless barrage of blood and gnarled zombie faces will be rewarded--and possibly surprised--by what the film says about human nature and life within a consumer-based culture. Any aficionado of horror is likely to place the film high on their list of revered cinema.

"This Version Is Way Better Than Romero's"

get the 4 disc set of dawn of the dead instead!!!.......2006-06-27

the disc is ok but get the 4 disc set of dawn of the dead and you'll get this same cut to choose from plus much more!!!!!

Not as good as Romero's.......2006-03-24

A great many people say that Argento's European version of Dawn of the Dead, titled "Zombi," is neither better nor worse than Romero's masterpiece; it's just another director's take. Some have even said, as Argento's version cuts out most of the dark humor and is shorter, that it's better. I could not disagree more. Before I begin let me make it abundantly clear that I think Argento is the best horror director out there, with Deep Red, Suspiria, and Tenebre easily ranking among the absolute greatest horror films ever made. So what's wrong with Argento's version of Dawn of the Dead? Glad you asked, dear reader. Argento, notoriously, does not like to work with actors. He also does not seem to care much about character development. This really shows in his version of Dawn of the Dead. Many of the scenes pertaining to character development are lacking in Argento's version. He takes many of the scenes pertaining to the taking of the mall, the clean up, and settling in - the shopping, dining, and attempting to live normally, etc., and only shows brief clips of them. Compared to Romero's version these clips seem highly random. As a result the story does not flow nearly as well as it does in Romero's version fo the film. There is little-to-no build up, and absolutely no character development. Roger isn't shown starting to loose it; he's just all-of-a-sudden crazy. The drama between flyboy and his girl isn't shown developing; he's just all-of-a-sudden emotionally destroyed. It's all pretty random and ludicrous. Many of the best scenes in Romero's version are here altogether missing: the crack about hicks loving it the way it is; the zombie getting the top of its head knocked off by the chopper blades; the much loved Muzak that pipes through the mall. In fact, a couple of times, the order Argento shows the scenes in is literally so random that it actually results in a few mistakes in the film. The soundtrack by The Goblins, which Argento uses more than Romero, does not always fit the film. Argento, for instance, spends way more time with the looters at the end of the film (almost a half hour out of two hours for the whole movie!), and he plays annoying heavy metal music almost throughout the entire scene. Here the scene of the bikers that attack the mall is long, drawn out, and anticlimatic. Aside from the fact that Argento's version simply does not flow well or build (I felt like I was watching a long trailer for Romero's director's cut), it also lacks much of the social commentary Romero's film has regarding consumerism. Further, Argento's version also utterly lacks the feeling of excitement that Romero's film creates. In Romero's version the four characters escape crisis, take the mall, go "hunting," clean up the mess, and then start settling down into the caricature of a normal existence when tragedy again strikes. The scenes of these characters rebuilding their lives in the mall are some of the best parts of the film, and are all but missing in Argento's choppy film. To conclude, in my book, Romero's version wins hands down. Argento's, surprisingly, is a mess compared to it. By the way, Lucio Fulci named his zombie masterpiece "Zombi 2" so that Europeans might think it was a sequel to Argento's release. Incidentally, Fulci's Zombi is also a much better film than Argento's Zombi. I am not saying, however, that Argento's version isn't worth watching. In fact, it's very instructional to watch both versions. It's amazing how many variables must come together to produce a good film; it goes far beyond merely having a good script, director, and actors. Watching these two versions makes it clear that one must also have good editors, and a good soundtrack as well, as the same footage, shown with a different soundtrack, can have a dramatically different feel. This is evidenced by comparing the American, dubbed versions of films with alternate soundtracks to the original foreign film (such as The Prodigal Son, for instance.) So watch them both, by all means. To me they are very different, as different as Schrader and Harlin's versions of the Exorcist prequel.

A CLASSIC IS A CLASSIC !.......2006-01-30

Dario Argento's european version of 'DAWN OF THE DEAD' released in Italy under the title 'ZOMBIE' is neither better or worse than George A. Romero's version. Dario's version is a bit darker & ofcourse the music by the legendary Goblin is excellent & is the biggest difference between the two versions but a classic is a classic so wich ever one you own really doesn't matter because at the end of the day you still own a classic zombie film. I still recommend the ultimate box set,then you have both versions & lots of other gitts & shiggles!

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Dario Argento's World of Horror (1986) d: Soavi, Michele
Welcome To Dario Argento's World Of Horror
An amazing Docu-
Well done documentary on a great director

Dario Argento's World of Horror
Starring: Dario Argento , Patrick Bauchau , Michael Brandon , Flavio Bucci , and Stefania Casini
Manufacturer: Synapse Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Dario Argento - An Eye for Horror

ASIN: 6305334684
Release Date: 1998-07-07

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Behind-the-scenes documentaries tend to be hit-or-miss affairs, often becoming so bogged down in arcane details that they wind up being a little tedious. Dario Argento's World of Horror, however, is a fascinating look at the master of the Italian horror film. There are plenty of how-to details concerning films such as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Tenebrae, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, and much of his other horror and giallowork through l985, as well as an examination of his involvement with George Romero's zombie classic Dawn of the Dead. There are also lengthy interview segments that plumb the depths of Argento's dark visions as he discusses his influences, from Hitchcock to American pulp writers like Chandler, Hammett and Woolrich. The director's visually stylish, thematically complex work has been analyzed and dissected in print at great length, but the rather chilling interviews with the man give a new insight into his obsessions and a clue as to what actually makes him tick. Argento's personal protégé Michele Soavi (director of Dellamorte, Dellamore and The Church) helmed this documentary in hands-off style. Highly recommended for horror fans in general and fans of the Italian breed of horror in particular. --Jerry Renshaw

Description

Directed by Michele Soavi (Cemetery Man, The Church), Dario Argento's World of Horror is an incredible visual essay on the films of horror maestro, Dario Argento. Highlighting the early films of his career and containing interviews, amazing behind-the-scenes footage and clips from such films as Deep Red, Phenomena, Tenebrae and Demons, this documentary is a fascinating look at one of the world^Rs most talented horror directors.

Customer Reviews:

Dario Argento's World of Horror (1986) d: Soavi, Michele.......2001-06-04

A documentary focusing on Italian writer-producer-director Dario Argento (the Italian Hitchcock), who first started making detective style films mixed with horror known as Giallos in the early 60's. This film was directed by former Argento assistant Michele Soavi who later went on to film such great movies as Dellamorte Dellamore (1994) / aka: Cemetery Man (1996). When first released in the mid eighties on the VidMark label, this documentary became an instant collectable, as it contained may sights otherwise unavailable to the American VHS tape consumer, including the underwear scene from Bird With the Crystal Plumage (1970); Jane's bloody death from Tenebrae (1982), and the complete unedited clip of the first murder scene in Suspiria (1977). The documentary is also complemented with behind-the-scenes footage, such as cute Jennifer Connelly sitting chin-deep in a pool of mock-maggots [Creepers / Phenomena (1985)], yet the documentary doesn't always let the viewer know what the clip is from what film. The film also details Argento's innovative use of unusual cameras and cranes, his scoring sessions with Goblin and Keith Emerson, and of course Argento's own (subtitled) impressions of his work. The DVD is presented in the full screen (1.33:1) format, and has no xtras included. Luigi Cozzi, another student of Argento, directed a follow-up documentary, Dario Argento: Master of Horror (1991), under his 'Lewis Coates' pseudonym. Cozzi brought things up-to-date with clips from newer films such as: Terror at the Opera (1998), The Church (1988), Two Evil Eyes (1990), and The Sect (1990).

Welcome To Dario Argento's World Of Horror.......2001-03-26

For those who follow Dario Argento's movies one wonders where his ideas for inspiration comes from. This documentary, directed by Michele Soavi, shines a new light on Argento's approach to filmmaking. Just about every facet is covered; he explains in great detail what frightened him when he was a child, his choice of music, his crew (with crew members themselves explaining their roles and equipment they used), his dreams (and nightmares), why the close up of every murderer's hand are always his, and the main reason why he wants to make movies (I won't give it away), all interspersed with scenes from his movies (and behind the scenes from his movies). After watching this, one can't help but be in awe of the man and his films. The extras on this DVD are skimpy (only Argento's filmography, not even an acknowledgement to Michele Soavi) but the feature more than makes up for it. Three cheers for Michele Soavi for making this documentary and a big thank you to Dario Argento for your blood, sweat, and tears that goes into each and every film you do.

An amazing Docu-.......1999-11-10

An innovative look at Argento, his films, techniques and equipment. Directed by his understudy, Michelle Soavi, the same man who brought us The Church and Cemetery Man, one cannot be dissapointed. The DVD clarity brings clips from such films as Tenebre and Bird with the Crystal Plumage into incredible eye candy. The documentary interviews Argento and Stilvetti, the transfer is great. It's a fun watch especially for Argento fans, wether just starting out or groupies. Also vey fun for fans who aren't into documentaries. Check it out~

Well done documentary on a great director.......1999-04-17

This is basically a documentary about Dario Argento and the making of his films, but it is great. Not boring like a lot of documentary's, and (actually, you people got it wrong, Argento didn't direct this) Argento protogee Michele Soavi showed his genuine talent even this early on. It contains mostly information on "stylized shots" like the long shot in Tenebre where the camera explored the exterior and interior of a house without cutting, and also examines some of the better murder scenes Argento has made. It's also pretty damn scary, cause you get to find out what actually goes on inside of Argento's head.

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