August 1989
Document of the Dead
Roy Frumkes’ Document of the Dead is released on home video in the U.S. by Off Hollywood Entertainment, adding a new epilogue compiled from footage taken on the set of the ill-fated Romero/Argento collaboration Two Evil Eyes.
Original first-edition copies of the VHS are sold with an individually numbered gold outer slipcase signed by George Romero, at a hefty retail price of $150.
The documentary will eventually be reissued in different versions on Laserdisc, DVD and BluRay.
August 14, 1991
an official order issued by the local court of Bochum, Germany
As per an official order issued by the local court of Bochum, Germany, all openly circulating “Marketing Film” copies as well as the original master tapes of “the video feature film ‘Zombie’” are to be withdrawn from the domestic market completely, and no longer allowed to be sold, rented out or otherwise made accessible. In short, the film is now verboten. To this day, both Romero and Argento’s original, uncut versions – or in fact any version depicting just the smallest drop of blood for that matter – remain officially banned in Germany; the only “legal” release being a heavily cut DVD of what basically is a fan made, overlong, and decidedly unofficial edit called “Ultimate Final Cut” that, after having all violent scenes removed, passes with an “FSK 16” label in 2002.
January 1994
Japan Dawn of the Dead Fewture Models
Japanese company “Fewture Models” release the first officially licensed Dawn of the Dead toy; a fixed-pose resin kit depicting comical likenesses of Tom Savini’s “Blades” biker character, his “machete zombie” victim, and the airfield “baldhead” zombie.
A scheduled second kit of Roger, Peter, Stephen and Fran is prototyped, but never produced due to poor sales of the original one.
October 12, 1997
Barth Bartholomae
Dawn of the Dead’s helicopter pilot Barth Bartholomae and three passengers tragically die in the very same Bell Jet Ranger II used for the film two decades earlier, in a fatal crash caused by an engine failure during a flight over the northern region of West Virginia.
March 2003
Dawn of the Dead Directors Cut 2003 UK Release
After almost 24 years of being subject to censorship in Great Britain, Dawn of the Dead is finally passed uncut with an “18” certificate by the BBFC.
Early 2004
Dawn of the Dead Behind the Scenes
Tom Savini posts several never-before-seen photos on his official website that depict test shots of Fran’s originally planned “suicide” ending filmed with a dummy in 16mm on the Monroeville Mall’s rooftop.
March 19, 2004
Ken Foree in the 2004 Dawn of the Dead Remake
Universal Pictures’ $26 million Dawn of the Dead remake, produced by Richard Rubinstein and directed by Zack Snyder, opens in U.S. theaters.
In addition to actors Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger and Tom Savini making cameo appearances (as a TV evangelist, an Army general, and a sheriff, respectively), the remake also features numerous references to Romero’s original; including a CGI-rendered appearance of the WGON chopper, a store at the mall called “Gaylen Ross”, and a number of survivors arriving in a “B&P” truck.
The film’s enormous worldwide box office success will eventually lead to Universal green lighting George Romero’s fourth zombie movie, Land of the Dead.