Editing Day of the Dead (1985 film) (section)

==Release and reception==
Subsequent to its theatrical release, the film has grossed over 30 million dollars worldwide.<ref name="DAYBOXW" /> ''Day of the Dead'' would earn most of its gross revenue when the film was released internationally on [[VHS]] format, and later [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]]. This is in contrast to the film's poor box-office reception when it was released in cinemas.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lanzagorta|first=Marco|date=2004-04-26|title=Day of the Dead|url=https://popmatters.com/film/reviews/d/day-of-the-dead.shtml|magazine=[[PopMatters]]|access-date=2008-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040604022335/https://popmatters.com/film/reviews/d/day-of-the-dead.shtml|archive-date=2004-06-04|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Emge Pilato Foree 2006.png|thumb|300px|upright|[[Ken Foree]] and [[David Emge]] from ''[[Dawn of the Dead (1978 film)|Dawn of the Dead]]'' and [[Joseph Pilato]] from ''Day of the Dead'' at a [[Night of the Living Dead (film series)|''Dead'' series convention]].]]

Based on 44 reviews collected retrospectively by [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''Day of the Dead'' has an 86% approval rating, with a [[weighted arithmetic mean|weighted average]] of 7.1/10,<ref>{{cite web|title=Day of the Dead|url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/1005360-day_of_the_dead/|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=2022-12-28}}</ref> making it the lowest-rated film in Romero's original ''Dead'' trilogy,<ref name="NightRT">{{cite web|title=Night of the Living Dead|url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/1015052-night_of_the_living_dead/|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=2024-05-04}}</ref><ref name="DawnRT">{{cite web|title=Dawn of the Dead|url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/1005339-dawn_of_the_dead/|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=2022-12-28}}</ref> with ''[[Night of the Living Dead]]'' having a 95% approval rating and ''[[Dawn of the Dead (1978 film)|Dawn of the Dead]]'' having a 92% approval rating.<ref name="NightRT" /><ref name="DawnRT" /> The website's critical consensus states that "''Day of the Dead'' may arguably be the least haunting entry in George A. Romero's undead trilogy, but it will give audiences' plenty to chew on with its shocking gore and scathing view of society". On [[Metacritic]] the film holds a score of 60 out of 100 based on reviews from 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>{{cite web|title=Day of the Dead Reviews|url=https://metacritic.com/movie/day-of-the-dead|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=18 February 2018}}</ref>

''Day of the Dead'' had its world premiere on June 30, 1985,<ref name="Barton" /> and was given a limited release on July 3, 1985. The film saw its wide release on July 19, 1985.<ref>{{cite web |title=Day of the Dead (1985) - Release Info |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088993/releaseinfo |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=2008-07-15}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]], who reacted favorably to other films of Romero's ''Dead'' series,<ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Ebert|date=January 5, 1969|title=The Night of the Living Dead|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-night-of-the-living-dead-1968|website=RogerEbert.com|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=May 4, 1979|title=Dawn of the Dead|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dawn-of-the-dead-1979|website=RogerEbert.com|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=June 23, 2005|title=This 'Land' is gore land |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/land-of-the-dead-2005|website=RogerEbert.com|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> gave ''Day of the Dead'' one and a half [[star (classification)|stars]]; he praised the special effects but was put off by what he referred to as "over-acting" in the film, specifically that all of the actors screamed at each other for the entire film in a way that was not present in Romero's earlier films.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=August 30, 1985|title=Day of the Dead|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/day-of-the-dead-1985|website=RogerEbert.com|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> [[BBC]] reviewer Almar Haflidason stated "It benefits from a far larger budget than its predecessors, but suffers from a story as malnourished as the zombies that are chewing it up", Haflidason would go on to give the film three out of five stars.<ref name="Haflidason">{{cite web|last=Haflidason|first=Almar|date=2001-03-20|title=Day of the Dead (1985)|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/03/20/day_of_the_dead_1985_review.shtml|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=2009-01-01}}</ref> As noted by ''[[The New York Times]]'' reviewer [[Janet Maslin]] "Yes, there are enough spilled guts and severed limbs to satisfy the bloodthirstiest fan. But these moments tend to be clustered together, and a lot of the film is devoted to windy argument."<ref>{{cite news|last=Maslin |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Maslin|date=1985-07-03|title=Film: 'Day of the Dead'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/03/movies/film-day-of-the-dead.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2009-01-03}}</ref> [[AllMovie]] reviewer Keith Phipps stated that: "The last, to date at least, of George Romero's living dead films is in many respects the least interesting, although it's not for a lack of ambition."<ref>{{cite web|last=Phipps|first=Keith |title=Day of the Dead (1985) - George Romero {{!}} Review |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/day-of-the-dead-v12621/review |website=[[AllMovie]] |access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote that the film was the most unsatisfying of the original three films and that "The acting here is generally unimpressive and in the case of Sarah's romantic partner, Miguel (Antone DiLeo Jr), unintentionally risible."<ref>{{cite magazine|date=December 31, 1984|title=Day of the Dead|url=https://variety.com/1984/film/reviews/day-of-the-dead-1200426610/|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> [[Dave Kehr]] praised the film in his review for the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'', writing that "this time the focus is less political than philosophical. Beginning from a position of absolute misanthropy, Romero asks what it means to be human, and the answers are funny, horrifying, and ultimately hopeful."<ref>{{cite news|last=Kehr|first=Dave |author-link=Dave Kehr|date=October 26, 1985|title=Day of the Dead|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/day-of-the-dead/Film?oid=1074875|newspaper=[[Chicago Reader]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>

''Day of the Dead'' would peak at 23 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' chart ''Top VHS Sales'' in 1986 a year after its initial release.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top VHS Sales - Day Of The Dead |url=https://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=389&cfgn=Videos&cfn=Top+VHS+Sales&ci=3005087&cdi=6236239&cid=06%2F14%2F1986 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=2009-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708212922/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=389&cfgn=Videos&cfn=Top+VHS+Sales&ci=3005087&cdi=6236239&cid=06%2F14%2F1986 |archive-date=July 8, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The film grossed $5.8 million domestically.<ref name="FI" /> It fared much better internationally, grossing $28.2 million outside of the United States.<ref name="DAYBOXW">{{cite web|title=Box Office History for George A. Romero's Dead Series Movies|url=https://the-numbers.com/movies/series/GeorgeARomerosDeadSeries.php|website=The Numbers|access-date=2008-01-04}}</ref> ''Day of the Dead''{{'s}} total gross is a little over $34 million.<ref name="DAYBOXW" /> The film is also noted for its [[special effect]]s work, notably [[Tom Savini]]'s make-up, he was honored with his second [[Saturn Awards|Saturn Award]] in 1985 for Best Make-up, the first time being with ''Dawn of the Dead'' in 1980.<ref>{{cite web|title=Past Saturn Awards |url=http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html |publisher=[[Saturn Awards]] |access-date=2009-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914184217/http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html |archive-date=2008-09-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Jonathan Rosenbaum]] placed the film in his personal canon of 1,000 favorite films, one of two Romero films chosen by Rosenbaum (the other was ''[[Martin (1977 film)|Martin]]'').<ref>{{cite web|last=Rosenbaum |first=Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Rosenbaum|date=2019-02-22|title=1000 Favorites (A Personal Canon), part three|url=https://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2019/02/45251/ |website=jonathanrosenbaum.net|access-date=2019-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224010951/https://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2019/02/45251/|archive-date=2019-02-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> Romero himself cited ''Day of the Dead'' as his personal favorite of his original trilogy of zombie films.<ref>{{cite AV media|last=Martin|first=Perry |year=2003|title=The Many Days of 'Day of the Dead' |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBzqSOzSGfc&t=2093s|work=Day of the Dead|type=DVD|edition=Divimax special|publisher=[[Anchor Bay Entertainment]]|time=34:53|via=[[YouTube]]|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> On May 19, 2012, the film headlined the 12-hour film festival Hudson Horror Show V.<ref>{{cite web|author=Doctor Gash|date=January 25, 2014 |title=Romero's Day of the Dead to Headline Hudson Horror Show V|url=https://dreadcentral.com/news/51991/romeros-day-dead-headline-hudson-horror-show-v|website=Dread Central|access-date=December 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515092424/http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/51991/romeros-day-dead-headline-hudson-horror-show-v|archive-date=May 15, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Alex Stewart (writer)|Alex Stewart]] reviewed ''Day of the Dead'' for ''[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]'' #83, and stated that "Organized around a tough performance by Lori Cardille as the determined research leader, the movie is as much a study of the several inhumanities of science and the military as it is a feast of gore and putrefaction. After all, disembowelling is only one way, the most literal, of taking people apart."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Stewart |first=Alex |author-link=Alex Stewart (writer) |date=November 1986 |title=2020 Vision |magazine=[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]] |issue=83 |page=16 |publisher=[[Games Workshop]]}}</ref>

===Home video===
The film was released on [[DVD]] on November 24, 1998 in the United States and on March 5, 2001 in the United Kingdom.<ref name="Haflidason" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Day of the Dead: DVD Release |url=http://www.vh1.com/movies/dvd/118682/dvdmain.jhtml |publisher=[[VH1]] |access-date=2009-01-03 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205152555/http://www.vh1.com/movies/dvd/118682/dvdmain.jhtml |archive-date=2013-02-05|url-status=dead}}</ref> Both the theatrical and an unrated [[director's cut]] were released as special editions containing identical bonus features, and the DVD was released in the United Kingdom in a region 2 DVD.<ref name="Haflidason" /> The [[Blu-ray]] version of ''Day of the Dead'' was released on October 2, 2007.<ref name="Blu-ray">{{cite web |title=Day of the Dead |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Day-of-the-Dead-Blu-ray-Review/519/ |website=Blu-ray.com|access-date=2008-01-01}}</ref> This edition includes many special features, including two audio commentary tracks with writer-director [[George A. Romero]], Tom Savini, [[production designer]] Cletus Anderson, and lead actress [[Lori Cardille]].<ref name="Blu-ray" /> There is also a second commentary with fellow [[Filmmaking|filmmaker]] and self-proclaimed Romero fan, [[Roger Avary]].<ref name="Blu-ray" /> It also includes two documentaries; the first one is entitled ''The Many Days of 'Day of the Dead{{'}}'', which focuses on the original script and the budget, it also included information about shooting in the Gateway Commerce Center.<ref name="Blu-ray" /> What is also mentioned is the casting details. The second documentary, entitled ''Day of the Dead: Behind the Scenes'', focuses mostly on make-up effects.<ref name="Blu-ray" /> On March 29, 2010, [[Arrow Films|Arrow Video]] released a 25th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray exclusive to the UK.<ref>{{cite web|author=Masked Slasher|date=February 3, 2010|title=Day of the Dead 25th Anniversary Edition Coming to UK Blu-ray|url=https://dreadcentral.com/news/35690/day-dead-25th-anniversary-edition-coming-uk-blu-ray|website=Dread Central|access-date=December 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209041921/https://dreadcentral.com/news/35690/day-dead-25th-anniversary-edition-coming-uk-blu-ray|archive-date=February 9, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Shout! Factory]] released the film under its Scream Factory label on September 17, 2013. The release is a Collector's Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack with all-new artwork and special features.

===In popular culture===
Near the end of the film version of ''[[Resident Evil (film)|Resident Evil]]'' (2002), the protagonist [[Alice (Resident Evil)|Alice]] walks outside of her quarantine into a ravaged city street jammed with traffic. The camera pans past a newspaper blowing in the wind stating "The Dead Walk!", a direct homage to George A. Romero's work on ''Day of the Dead''.

"Just Voodoo It", an episode of ''[[Stroker & Hoop]]'', featured the characters battling zombies using guns made by Double-Wide. They turn out to fire only sunlight, which he claims is because of zombies' vulnerability to sunlight, hinted at by the film being called ''Night of the Dead'' and not ''Day of the Dead''. Coroner Rick yells at him "That was the sequel!"

The song "M1 A1" from the [[Gorillaz (album)|self-titled]] 2001 [[Gorillaz]] studio album [[Sampling (music)|samples]] the pulsing synthesizers and cries of "Hello! Is anyone there?" from the opening of the film.<ref name="Kermode" /> The song "Hip Albatross", also by Gorillaz, features a clip of Terry Alexander's dialogue.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gorillaz |url=http://www.leechvideo.com/video/view2122965.html |website=leechvideo.com |access-date=2008-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724163538/http://www.leechvideo.com/video/view2122965.html |archive-date=July 24, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Furthermore, the artwork for the song "November Has Come" off of the Gorillaz' 2005 album ''[[Demon Days]]'' has a picture of a calendar pinned to a brick wall set to the month of October with all the dates marked off in red Xs (reminiscent of the opening scene in ''Day of the Dead'').<ref name="Kermode">{{cite news|last=Kermode|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Kermode|date=2008-07-20|title=The year of the monkey|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2008/jul/20/art|newspaper=[[The Observer]]|access-date=2022-12-28}}</ref>

The song "Battlefield" from the 2004 [[Panzer AG]] studio album ''[[This Is My Battlefield]]'' samples Captain Rhodes asking Sarah in reference to Miguel's zombie bite: "You think he wants to walk around after he's dead? You think he wants to be one of these things?" The line "Sit down or so help me God I'll have you shot" appears once near the end of the song.

The deathcore band [[Through the Eyes of the Dead]] sampled a clip at the beginning of the song "Between the Gardens that Bathe in Blood", released on the EP ''The Scars of Ages'' (2004).

The [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]] song "[[Burning Inside (song)|Burning Inside]]" from the studio album ''[[The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste]]'' features an audio sample of the military station's warning horn and a few notes of composer John Harrison's synthesized score.

The song "Confessions of a Knife (Theme Part 2)" from the 1990 studio album ''[[Confessions of a Knife...]]'' by [[My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult]] samples dialogue between Sarah and Captain Rhodes. Captain Rhodes: "I'll have you shot." Sarah: "Are you out of your mind?" Captain Rhodes: "No, ma'am. Are you?" Along with dialogue from Private Steel and laughter from Private Rickles that repeats later throughout the song. Steel: "Bang! You're dead!" followed by Rickles' laughter.

The song "The Only Good God Is a Dead God" from the 1992 studio album ''Psychological Warfare Technology Systems'' by [[Lustmord|Terror Against Terror]] samples Captain Rhodes' final screams "Choke on them... choke on them", with the sounds of the zombies eating him.

American punk band the [[Misfits (band)|Misfits]] recorded a song about the film entitled "Day of the Dead" for their 1997 studio album ''[[American Psycho (album)|American Psycho]]''.

In 2014, [[Sherman Howard]]'s zombie character Bub appeared in a cameo in "[[Us (The Walking Dead)|Us]]", the fifteenth episode of the [[The Walking Dead (season 4)|fourth season]] of the [[AMC Networks|AMC]] series ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad |author-link=Brad Miska |date=March 30, 2015|title="The Walking Dead" Gave Homage to 'Dawn of the Dead' In Last Night's Finale; Bub Also Made a Cameo!|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3338008/the-walking-dead-gave-homage-dawn-of-the-dead-last-nights-finale/|website=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> as one of the walkers encountered by the characters [[Glenn Rhee|Glenn]] and [[Tara Chambler|Tara]] in a railroad tunnel, an homage to not only the character but also to the underground setting of ''Day of the Dead''.

The first episode of the [[Stranger Things (season 3)|third season]] of ''[[Stranger Things]]'' sees the main characters sneaking into their local cinema to watch an early screening of ''Day of the Dead''.

[[Seattle]]-based musical duo the Little Black Bottles composed "Letter to Miguel", a tribute song to character Miguel Salazar, for their studio album ''Let Them Eat Red Velvet Cake''.

In ''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops 4]]'' (2018), the final [[Downloadable content|DLC]] map for the Zombies mode is named "Tag der Toten" ('Day of the Dead' in German). It is a reimagining of the ''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops]]'' (2010) Zombies map, "Call of the Dead", in which Romero appeared as a [[boss (video games)|boss]] zombie. In "Tag der Toten" his iconic glasses show up as a tribute.