Day of the Dead

The third film in Romero's zombie trilogy takes place in an underground bunker: a handful of scientists and soldiers who grow more dangerous by the day. The world outside has ended; the real conflict is inside. Romero originally conceived it as the Gone with the Wind of zombie films. That plan collapsed when the budget was halved from 7 million dollars to 3.5 million. He rewrote the script repeatedly, cutting it from over 200 pages down to 88 for the shooting draft. There was also the rating. Rather than try for an R from the MPAA, Romero chose to release it unrated. Tom Savini's makeup work won a Saturn Award in 1985. His team included Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger, both of whom would later become known through The Walking Dead. It did poorly in cinemas, taking 5.8 million dollars domestically, but made 28.2 million internationally and passed 34 million with home video. Its critical standing rose substantially over the years, and Romero later called it his favourite of the original trilogy. Who it is for: viewers who like the ideas end of the zombie genre and care about practical makeup effects. Who it is not for: anyone with a weak stomach. Savini's work is still hard to sit through.