DAY OF THE DEAD Review On "Violent Maniac's Cage"

DAY OF THE DEAD

(1985, USA)

DIRECTED BY: George A. Romero.

The zombie originator himself George A. Romero returns with another necessary third installment in the dead series. I've read the numerous reviews and comments putting this release down saying it was a clumsy and unnecessary conclusion to the first two. What do they know, they just don't make gore films like this anymore. The story concerns the surviving few of the zombie epidemic which has been well underway for quite some time now. The survivors dwell in an underground army bunker and consist of three scientists, a helicopter pilot, a communications expert and numerous unlikable soldiers especially the one named Steele and the commander Rhodes.

The scientists are conducting silly experiments on zombies to figure out how to control them. The head scientist Logan or Frankenstein as he's known in the film is a real nutcase who starts using military corpses for his experiments. Logan develops a very bizarre relationship with a zombie he names Bub. Once commander Rhodes finds out about the experiments in using his soldiers he kills Logan and Bub gets quite pissed taking revenge at the end of the film.

Lots of bickering in this between the female scientist and the dickhead military commander concering their research and her male companion who basically seals everyone's death warrant at the end of the film. What I really loved about this was Savini's gruesome and ghastly make-up effects which are some of his best he's ever done in my opinion. flesh ripping, gut spilling, gory zombie bites, head drilling, moving decapitated heads, cool head splitting with a shovel, numerous head shots, cool limb amputation which the stump we see causterized, machine gun blastings. There's an amazing scene where a head is ripped off and the facial features are still moving while the voice box delivers an OTT scream. The top part of a head is ripped off, eyeball is scratched out and even a gun in the mouth suicide.

The best sequance being the head commander getting completely ripped in half. We then see an orgy of flesh, bone and gut munching mayhem all around the bunker. The three survivors make it to the helicopter and they fly to a tropical island. Not too many likable characters except for the black helicopter pilot and the radio communications drunk. Worth seeing, you bet yer ass.

Rating: 4 ½ Skulls

Review by: Richard J. Taylor

Email: rtaylor@roadrunner.nf.net

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