Day of the Dead (1985)

George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead (1985) is the third installment in his legendary zombie saga, following Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978). It is darker, more claustrophobic, and deeply cynical compared to its predecessors, exploring humanity’s collapse as much as the undead threat. Below, I’ll guide you through every critical aspect of the film.

Detailed Summary

The Collapse of Civilization

The film begins with a chilling image: a small group of survivors searching for any signs of human life in Florida. What they find is silence, except for the undead that have completely taken over the surface. The world has essentially ended, and humanity is at the edge of extinction.

The Underground Bunker

The main setting is a military bunker where tensions run dangerously high. Scientists, soldiers, and a helicopter pilot coexist uneasily. The scientists, led by Dr. Logan (nicknamed “Frankenstein”), are studying the zombies, while Captain Rhodes and his soldiers want order, control, and immediate results. This clash of ideologies becomes the film’s central conflict.

Bub the Zombie

Dr. Logan’s most famous experiment is “Bub,” a zombie who demonstrates remnants of human memory and even basic learning skills. Bub can handle tools, recognize objects from his past life, and even show signs of emotional response. He becomes the film’s most iconic figure, raising unsettling questions about what zombies truly are—and whether they retain a shred of humanity.

Rising Tensions

As resources dwindle and paranoia grows, Rhodes becomes increasingly violent. He believes the scientists are wasting time and demands solutions. When Dr. Logan is revealed to have been feeding the soldiers’ corpses to Bub, Rhodes loses any remaining trust in the scientific team.

All Hell Breaks Loose

A mutiny within the bunker leads to chaos. Zombies are accidentally let inside, and the soldiers turn on each other. The bunker becomes a hellish battleground as both humans and undead clash in grotesque, bloody sequences.

Movie Ending

The climax is one of the most famous endings in zombie cinema. Captain Rhodes meets his gruesome fate when zombies tear him apart, leading to his legendary line: “Choke on ’em!” Bub, the “civilized” zombie, plays a role in Rhodes’s downfall, almost as if enacting poetic justice. Meanwhile, Sarah (the protagonist), John (the pilot), and McDermott (the radio operator) manage to escape. They flee through tunnels swarming with zombies, barely making it out alive. In the final moments, they reach the surface and fly away in the helicopter, finding a moment of calm on a deserted beach. The ending is bittersweet—though they survive, the world remains consumed by the dead. Unlike Dawn of the Dead’s ending, there is no sense of rebuilding civilization; survival is the only victory.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, there are no post-credits scenes in Day of the Dead. The film ends with the survivors on the beach, and the credits roll without additional material.

Type of Movie

This is a horror, zombie apocalypse, and sci-fi survival film. Unlike the more adventurous Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead is darker, psychological, and focused on paranoia and despair.

Cast

• Lori Cardille as Sarah
• Terry Alexander as John
• Jarlath Conroy as McDermott
• Joseph Pilato as Captain Rhodes
• Richard Liberty as Dr. Logan
• Sherman Howard as Bub

Film Music and Composer

The score is composed by John Harrison, blending eerie electronic tones with militaristic and Caribbean-style rhythms. The music underscores the film’s tension and hopeless atmosphere, while occasionally offering lighter beats in scenes with John and McDermott.

Filming Locations

The majority of the film was shot in a limestone mine near Wampum, Pennsylvania. The underground setting wasn’t just a creative decision—it shaped the entire mood of the film. Filming was notoriously difficult due to the humidity, darkness, and confined space, which added to the claustrophobic feel. Above-ground scenes were shot in Florida.

Awards and Nominations

While Day of the Dead didn’t win major awards at the time of release, it has since gained cult status. Tom Savini’s special effects, in particular, were widely praised and remain iconic in the horror community. Savini himself won a Saturn Award for Best Makeup.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Filming inside the mine was a nightmare—equipment rusted quickly due to the damp conditions.
• The zombie extras were often locals paid with a dollar, a hat, and lunch.
• Tom Savini’s practical effects, especially the gore scenes, were groundbreaking for the 1980s.
• Joseph Pilato’s performance as Captain Rhodes was so over-the-top that it became a defining role in zombie cinema.
• Romero originally planned a much larger, more epic film, but budget cuts forced him into a smaller, more contained story.

Inspirations and References

The movie continues Romero’s social commentary tradition. While Dawn of the Dead critiqued consumerism, Day of the Dead focuses on militarism, authoritarianism, and scientific ethics. It was also inspired by Romero’s original idea for a huge zombie war, which later partially manifested in Land of the Dead (2005).

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Romero had written a much larger script with an entire military fortress and more advanced zombies. Budget restrictions forced him to scale down to a bunker setting. In the original script, there were more elaborate battles between humans and zombies, with Bub leading a group of intelligent undead. Many of these ideas were recycled in Romero’s later films.

Book Adaptations and Differences

There is no direct novelization that significantly differs from the film, though Romero’s unfilmed script has been published and reveals just how ambitious the original concept was. The differences mostly come from cut content rather than adaptations.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Sarah’s nightmare sequence with the severed arms.
• Bub recognizing a razor and a book, showing signs of memory.
• Dr. Logan feeding Bub human remains.
• Captain Rhodes being torn apart by zombies.
• The final helicopter escape to the beach.

Iconic Quotes

• Captain Rhodes: “Choke on ’em!”
• Dr. Logan: “They’re learning.”
• John: “That’s the trouble with the world, Sarah. People got different ideas concerning what they want out of life.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• Bub saluting at one point is a dark parody of military obedience.
• Romero cast real amputees for scenes involving torn-off limbs.
• Bub’s humanity was a deliberate foreshadowing of later films where zombies evolve further.

Trivia

• This was Romero’s personal favorite of his zombie films.
• Greg Nicotero, who later became a major name in The Walking Dead, worked on special effects here.
• Captain Rhodes’s death scene is considered one of the goriest practical effects ever filmed.

Why Watch?

If you want to experience one of the darkest and most thought-provoking zombie films ever made, this is essential viewing. It blends gore, philosophy, and psychological tension. Fans of serious horror will find it far richer than your average zombie flick.

Director’s Other Movies

• Night of the Living Dead (1968)
• Dawn of the Dead (1978)
• Creepshow (1982)
• Land of the Dead (2005)
• Diary of the Dead (2007)
• Survival of the Dead (2009)

Recommended Films for Fans

• The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
• Re-Animator (1985)
• Evil Dead II (1987)
• 28 Days Later (2002)
• The Mist (2007)
• The Thing (1982)