Editing Dawn of the Dead (1978 film) (section)

=== Post-production ===
''Dawn of the Dead'' has received a number of re-cuts and re-edits, due mostly to Argento's rights to edit the film for international foreign language release. Romero controlled the final cut of the film for English-language territories. In addition, the film was edited further by censors or distributors in certain countries. Romero, acting as the editor for his film, completed a hasty 139-minute version of the film (now known as the Extended, or previously erroneously as Director's Cut) for premiere at the 1978 [[Cannes Film Market]]. This was later pared down to 126 minutes for the US theatrical release. The US theatrical cut of the film earned the taboo rating of [[X rating|X]] because of its graphic violence. Rejecting this rating, Romero and the producers chose to release the film unrated to help the film's commercial success.<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/08/30/the-horror-geek-speaks-document-of-the-dead A review of ''Document of the Dead''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705151141/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/08/30/the-horror-geek-speaks-document-of-the-dead |date=July 5, 2018 }}, a documentary on the film's production.</ref> United Film Distribution Company eventually agreed to release it domestically in the United States. The film was refused classification in Australia twice: in its theatrical release in 1978 and once again in 1979. The cuts presented to the Australian Classification Board were Argento's cut and Romero's cut, respectively. ''Dawn of the Dead'' was finally released there by [[United Artists]], with an R18+ rating following six minutes worth of cuts compared to Romero's US version, in February 1980.<ref name="Australia">''Dawn of the Dead'' (1978) censorship history in Australia at [https://www.refused-classification.com/censorship/films/dawn-of-the-dead-1978-day-of-the-dead-1985.html#dawn-of-the-dead Refused Classification] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014063246/https://www.refused-classification.com/censorship/films/dawn-of-the-dead-1978-day-of-the-dead-1985.html#dawn-of-the-dead |date=October 14, 2020 }}</ref>

Internationally, Argento controlled the Euro cut for non-English speaking countries. The version he created clocked in at 119 minutes. It included changes such as more music from Goblin than the cuts completed by Romero, removal of some expository scenes, and a faster cutting pace. There are, however, extra lines of dialogue and gore shots that are not in either of Romero's edits.<ref>''{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080418193842/http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Reviews/A-D/dario_argento.htm Dario Argento's Zombi: Dawn of the Dead]}}'' review by Michael Elliott</ref> It actually debuted nearly nine months before the US theatrical cut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=/archivio/uni_1978_09/19780903_0018.pdf&query=zombi%20dario%20argento |title=Da giovedì 7 settembre anche a Firenze — ''Zombi'' |work=[[L'Unità]] |date=September 3, 1978 |access-date=June 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810160832/http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Farchivio%2Funi_1978_09%2F19780903_0018.pdf&query=zombi%20dario%20argento |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Dawn of the Dead'' was released under different names in Europe: in Italy as {{lang|it|Zombi: L'alba dei Morti Viventi (Zombies: Dawn of the Living Dead)|italics=yes}}, followed in March 1979 in France as {{lang|fr|Zombie: Le Crépuscule des Morts Vivants (Zombie: Twilight of the Living Dead)|italics=yes}}, in Spain as {{lang|es|Zombi: El Regreso de los Muertos Vivientes (Zombie: Return of the Living Dead)|italics=yes}}, in the Netherlands as {{lang|nl|Zombie: In De Greep van de Zombies (In the Grip of the Zombies)|italics=yes}}, in Germany by [[Constantin Film]] as {{lang|de|Zombie|italics=yes}}, and in Denmark as {{lang|da|Zombie: Rædslernes Morgen (Zombie: The Morning of Horrors)|italics=yes}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohmygore.com/zombie-fiche-0077402.html |title=''Zombie'' (1978) |work=www.ohmygore.com |access-date=June 23, 2016 |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810153030/http://www.ohmygore.com/zombie-fiche-0077402.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Dawn of the Dead'' was successful internationally. Its success in then-[[West Germany]] earned it the [[Goldene Leinwand|Golden Screen Award]], given to films that have at least three million admissions within 18 months of release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://horrorpedia.com/2014/09/15/dawn-of-the-dead-1978/?iframe=true&preview=true |title= ''Dawn of the Dead'' (1978) |work=Horrorpedia |access-date= June 23, 2016}}</ref> A majority of these versions were released on [[DVD]] in the 2004 Special Edition, and have previously been released on [[VHS]]. The freelance photographer Richard Burke, working for ''[[Pittsburgh Magazine]]'', released in May 2010 the first exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from the set.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/20256 |title=OMFG of the Day: Old Negatives Discovered from ''Dawn of the Dead'' Shoot! |date=May 18, 2010 |access-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-date=November 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119004549/https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/20256/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://dreadcentral.com/news/37558/new-behind-scenes-images-george-a-romeros-dawn-dead |title=New Behind-the-Scenes Images: George A. Romero's ''Dawn of the Dead'' |date=September 18, 2012 |access-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-date=March 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309202728/http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37558/new-behind-scenes-images-george-a-romeros-dawn-dead |url-status=live }}</ref>