After NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, after DAWN OF THE DEAD, writer/director George A. Romero completed his independent zombie trilogy with this fantastic, under seen slice of death. The dead have continued returning to eat the living, and now the world is in a desperate state of apocalypse. The situation has escalated to the point where the dead out number the living by several thousand to one, and society has completely collapsed. A group of doctors and military officers, literally among the last people on earth, are holed up in underground bunker, performing desperate, grisly experiments on the undead and trying very hard not to tear each other to pieces. Romero’s penchant for writing humanist, character-driven horror is in full effect, the film playing as a grim illustration of the conflicts between Science and the Military, between Power and Compassion, and particularly, between the West and the Third World. The film’s assortment of (sexually and racially mixed) characters live in two very separate groups that are philosophically opposed and in their own ways, are each driven by anger. By its conclusion, the film becomes a furious anti-establishment manifesto, as hell increasingly breaks lose in some of the goriest set pieces ever filmed, with characters getting torn in half, dismembered and shot to jello. It gets so gruesome that it was released in the US without a rating, and the 1985 Canadian theatrical release was abandoned after the film had over thirty shots censored. This unwatchable hacked version went straight to video, where it was seen by approximately nobody. Naturally, we’ve obtained an uncut, ultra rare 35mm print, to finally give Romero’s dead its day in this country. In its full-length form, it’s an experience that it is definitely not to be missed. Hell, it should be shown in schools across Canada! (MD)

Special undead thanks to Taurus Films, for their help in arranging this event.

Ce film complète la trilogie de George A. Romero (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DAWN OF THE DEAD). Les morts reviennent cette fois pour se nourrir d'humains. Un groupe composé de docteurs et de militaires sont les derniers survivants , Cachés dans un abri nucléaire , ils expérimentent de manière sadique sur les autres humains. Métaphore sur les classes sociales. Inclassable au E.U, sa sortie au Canada fut abandonnée lorsqu'on exigea d'en retirer 30 scènes. Voici la copie intégrale 35mm.