February 1980
The altogether fourth submission of Dawn of the Dead to the Australian ratings board, by now trimmed down to 121 minutes, finally passes with an “R” rating.
February 1980
Monthly Film Bulletin
Containing a review of Zombies – Dawn of the Dead as well as an in-depth George Romero profile, the current issue of the British Film Institute’s Monthly Film Bulletin presumably is the only internationally published magazine from the time of the movie’s original release to utilize an actual (albeit non-graphic) still from Dawn on its front cover.
February 29, 1980
Zombies - Midlands Area Release
Limited theatrical U.K. release of Zombies at selected theaters in London’s West End, with engagements gradually expanded throughout the rest of the country over the following weeks.
National exposure also includes double bill screenings that have the film respectively paired with David Cronenberg’s The Brood (“Now Twice As Terrifying Together!”) and an obscure soft sex documentary entitled The Great British Striptease, both rated “X” as well.
Zombies eventually is subjected to further censorship when it opens in Ireland, where the tagline on original U.K. posters (designed by veteran illustrator Tom Chantrell) has to be blacked out due to the Irish Catholic Church taking offense at its use of the word “hell”.
irish zombies newspaper ad
April 3, 1980
Australian theatrical release through United Artists (who also distribute the film in Latin American territories). In Melbourne, the movie is mainly shown at local drive-ins, originally playing in just one “proper” indoor theater.
Hoyts Drive-Ins
Summer 1980
On the set of ‘Knightriders’ (left to right): George Romero, Richard Hassanein, Michael Gornick, and Richard Rubinstein. Note the two Richards still proudly donning their ‘Dawn of the Dead’ crew apparel.
George Romero’s new film Knightriders, a romanticized action drama revolving around a troupe of motorcyclists travelling the land to perform medieval-themed action stunt shows for rural audiences, is shot at several locations in Pennsylvania. The list of actors appearing in Knightriders reads like a veritable Dawn of the Dead cast reunion: In addition to Tom Savini and Christine Forrest appearing in prominent supporting roles, other alumni include Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, John Amplas, Jim Baffico, Joe Pilato, Marty Schiff, Taso Stavrakis, David Early, Warner Shook, Molly McCloskey, Tommy Lafitte, Joe Shelby, Sharon Ceccatti, Clayton Hill, Nick Tallo, Randy Kovitz, Jeannie Jefferies, Donald Rubinstein, and Larry Vaira. The film, however, turns out a severe box office failure, proving a major financial setback for UFDC, and will remain Romero’s last work outside the horror genre to this very day.
1980
zombie german super 8 001
“UFA/Büscher Film” in West Germany issue what is the very first worldwide “home media” release of Dawn of the Dead;
a condensed 8mm edit of the German theatrical version that is spread over three individually sold reels and clocks in at a total running time of around 45 minutes.
Amazingly, most of the gore scenes remain intact.
October 1980
‘Dawn’ arrives in Brazil, September 1980.
Since the beginning of this year, Dawn of the Dead has by now seen further worldwide theatrical releases in Denmark, Portugal, Canada, Brazil, and the Netherlands.
In the Canadian regions of Ontario and Manitoba, where it is rated “18+”, no less than 13 minutes are cut out of the picture, causing outraged patrons to write wrathful letters to local newspapers and loudly boo the censors’ “work” in theaters.
October 16, 1980
Dawn of the Dead is shown on Japanese TV
Dawn of the Dead is shown on Japanese prime time television by Tokyo Broadcasting Systems (TBS).
With all violence cut out entirely, this TV version (re-titled Zombie – Earth SOS Dead Rising) features new Japanese dubbing that has much of the original dialogue completely changed, replaces the original score with tracks from Yes’ Tales from Topographic Oceans and Jean Michel Jarre’s Equinoxe albums (as well as incorporating four of Goblin’s themes for Suspiria), and – to add insult to injury – credits Dario Argento as the film’s director.
The TBS edit will never be aired again, and is only circulated via private video trading during the 1980s.
October 30, 1980
Tomorrow Coast to Coast
A jovial, chain-smoking George Romero sits in with John Carpenter and Jeannot Szwarc (Jaws 2) for another authoritative discussion of horror films on Tom Snyder’s Tomorrow Coast to Coast (formerly The Tomorrow Show), hosted by Hollywood gossip columnist Rona Barrett.
Again, a clip from Dawn of the Dead is shown during the programme.
November 17, 1980
Hell of the Living Dead
Release of Virus – Inferno dei Morti Viventi (a.k.a. Hell of the Living Dead, a.k.a. Zombie Creeping Flesh), a particularly trashy Spanish-Italian zombie flick that not only steals from Goblin’s Dawn of the Dead soundtrack, but also features a S.W.A.T. team very reminiscent of Romero’s movie. In addition, director Bruno Mattei (an Italian exploitation filmmaker notorious for his bad rip offs) is credited as “Vincent Dawn”.
March 15, 1981
Dawn of the Dead SPI Board Game
A Dawn of the Dead board game based on the film, manufactured by “Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI)”, is released in the U.S.
1981
ZOMBIE German Video
Zombies Dawn of the Dead UK Beta Intervision
Germany and the U.K. are the first countries in the world to release the film on home video, with each version made available in three different formats (Betamax, VHS and Video 2000).
January 1982
U.S. release of the obscure low-budget slasher film Madman, which marks Gaylen Ross’ only other starring role apart from Dawn of the Dead. In order to avoid troubles with the Screen Actors Guild, Ross appears under the moniker of “Alexis Dubin”.
Gaylen Ross AKA Alexis Dubin in Madman