Day of the Dead Blu-ray - The New Documentaries - Page 2

DVD Trash · #11 3rd February 2010, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calum

Here's what I can say:

JOE OF THE DEAD: Shot in HD, in this extensive 50 minute documentary the actor Joe Pilato talks about his career in movies - beginning with his work in the little-seen Pittsburgh horror outing EFFECTS (which also featured Romero regulars Tom Savini and John Harrison) to his small parts in DAWN OF THE DEAD and KNIGHTRIDERS and, of course, his work as Captain Rhodes in DAY OF THE DEAD.

In addition, Pilato addresses the remake, where his career went following DAY OF THE DEAD's disastrous box office upon its initial release and his thoughts on the movie being rediscovered and hailed as a classic. I am really proud to have directed this and you can expect all kinds of never-before-seen pictures, many surprises and an honest, laid back chat from an actor who is not afraid to tell all about his life and times...

There is also

TRAVELOGUE OF THE DEAD: Join Pilato as he travels across Dublin, Edinburgh and Glasgow in October 2009, celebrating the 25th anniversary of DAY OF THE DEAD. Witness him meeting the fans, reciting his most famous lines from the movie - live and on stage - and drinking with the best of them! Directed by Naomi Holwill - this is a really fun piece, raw, uncensored Joe Pilato: whiskey and all!

It is probably also worth noting that the huge "FOR EVERY DAWN THERE IS A DAY" booklet which I wrote collects brand new interviews with Romero, Savini, editor Pasquale Buba, asst director/ composer John Harrison and actors Joe Pilato, Lori Cardille and Gary Steele. I went to some effort to secure these and hope you enjoy it - especially since many of the above names have never shared their experiences of working on the feature!

And, in closing, all I can say is if you think that's a bumper package... wait for CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD!!!

I'll echo Calum here, you guys are going to totally dig the City of the Living Dead package...it's fantastic!

Rob Strange · #12 3rd February 2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daemonia

I remember seeing this on opening night in a big London cinema and me and my two mates were the only people in there. I absolutely loved the film from day one - but most didn't. In fact, as much as I'm glad that over time it has received the recognition it so richly deserves, I'm also a bit annoyed with the horror community of the time. Critics of the time generally panned it and horror fans did not give it the support it deserved - as the empty cinema I sat in attested to. Now people want to fall over themselves heaping praise on it, which, as I said is a good thing, is also a bit insulting IMO.

I could never understand why the film was not accepted by genre fans on release. Yes, the film was more talky than Dawn (but not Night), but why was that necessarily a bad thing? It's not as if the characters were down in the missile silo discussing the weather and 80s fashion. Much more so than either previous Dead film, the debates had a bleak depth to them, covering heavy subjects and difficult questions such as the limits of morality, the deceptive nature of evolution, and the use of theology - all the kind of despairing stuff (I'm sure) people would talk about in such a dire, inescapable situation (28 Days Later owes more than just set-pieces to Day).

It's relatively smaller scope enhanced the sense of claustrophobia, and again its darker tone was completely appropriate for a horror drama. Its gore is also the best of the series.

Philleh · #13 3rd February 2010, 08:25 AM

I'm guessing people back then were just hoping for Dawn of the Dead 2 - but ended up face-to-face with yet another Romero chin-check. Day reflects 80's America for what it was, maybe people couldn't/didn't want to see it back then?

I saw it in the early 90's when I was young, so it was all over my head - but damn, I loved that gore! And Bub, of course!

Rob Strange · #14 3rd February 2010, 11:08 AM

Same here - I was very young when this hit the cinema, so my first Day experience was on video in around '93. And it was the almost uncut

EiV version, with some of the most full-on gore retained by the BBFC.

vincenzo · #15 3rd February 2010, 11:20 AM

Yes Mr Ferman was more lenient with this one, only removing 34 secs (as opposed to the 4 mins he liberated from Dawn).

Rob Strange · #16 3rd February 2010, 11:24 AM

Ferman being odd, as the gore is much more realistic in Day (except maybe the delirious "choke on em" bit).

vincenzo · #17 3rd February 2010, 12:08 PM

'James Ferman' and 'Odd' often occur in the same sentence.

Calum · #18 3rd February 2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daemonia

Now, this doesn't apply to anyone here, I might add - and I know for a fact Calum is a true devotee of the genre, which is why I'm so glad he's involved. It definitely helps when putting together extras to have an extensive knowledge of the genre (and the specific film), which Calum most certainly has. I think he should be heartily commended for the time and effort he's putting into this (and COTLD) and I'm spreading the word to as many people as possible. Releases like this deserve to be supported.

Thanks for the kind words CJ! I am just glad to see Fulci being done properly over here in the UK - and, as for Day, I saw it on VHS when I was a kid and really loved it! Since then I must have watched Day of the Dead well over ten times and each time I enjoy it every bit as much as the last. I never understood those who complained about the "pace" - I think it moves along perfectly and I consider it to be the perfect conclusion to Romero's original trilogy (although I also liked Land of the Dead a great deal. Not so keen on the subsequent two though!)

I think fans of Day of the Dead will get a lot of fresh insight and revelation into it from the Joe of the Dead documentary. Pilato reveals a lot of stuff that I had never heard before and his comments about filming his death scene are priceless!