MovieChat Forums > Dawn of the Dead Discussion > If you could make one change to the film...

If you could make one change to the film, what would it be? *spoilers*


For me, that's easy. I'd keep Roger in the film for longer. I can tolerate the character being killed off, though I don't like it. I just hate where it happens in the film. I'd have it that Roger gets his leg broken during the moving of the trucks (The zombie latches on, he tells Peter to drive, and the zombie pulls down, busting his leg before letting go. This way, the scenes later where he's in the gardening cart could be left in.)

He could have a bum leg but still assist in the sealing of the mall, then get bitten or killed during the crossfire.

Or Hell, he could survive the whole movie. Either or, but I'd definitely like to keep him in the film until the motorcycle raiders show up.

For the other fans, what's the change you would make, if you could change one aspect of the film?

I love to love my Lisa.

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I'd trim just a few minutes off the running time. I love the film as it is but it always seems a little bit long to me.

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The Argento cut might be for you then, horror2.

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[deleted]

I liked that in the beginning Roger was best pals with Peter immediately, while Stephen was this doofus that could screw everything up at any point, but then they switched it by killing Roger off which made Stephen develop as a character and become good friends with Peter.
His character arc was the best in the movie and wouldn't have happened the same way if Roger had lived.

I would change the biker/pie fight ending to something a little less silly... :)

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I'd find a replacement for the phase 'professional army'. They were just a bunch of bikers.



Never defend crap with 'It's just a movie'
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GOOD QUESTION!
Here is my ONLY tiff with the movie (my favorite movie of all time!)

When they get the radio signals from the renegade group / bikers-- the guy in the van who is speaking to them looks like a DOFUS-- like almost comical. He reminds me of comedic actor Kenneth Mars (he's in all the better Mel Brooks movies) . Then the thing with Savini using the novelty switchbalde/comb on his mustache - ruined a very serious scene.
Always bothers me.
But that's it! I love every frame of this movie !

"In every dimension , there's another YOU!"

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I rewatched this last week for the third or fourth time (having seen it when it was first on at the cinema) and was struck by how nearly perfect the film is.

You can't change Roger's death without spoiling the film. At the beginning, the zombies are terrifying, both because they are dangerous and because they make no sense. But by the time the trucks are being moved, we know how they operate, and Roger has become complacent because of this. Peter reining him in was good drama; Roger getting bitten anyway happened at the right time, because at this point the audience was thinking of the zombies as a danger to Other People, not to our friends.

For those who had never seen a zombie movie before, it needed to be brought home that, once you're bitten, you die, no arguments, not even if you are a likeable character. If Roger had simply hurt his leg, the zombies would continue to be an external threat.

And if Roger hadn't been bitten, he would not have got his dying speech, and his promise to try not to come back.

I am surprised at the people who want to replace the custard pies with "something more serious". What sort of film do they think this is?

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What would I change? Well, I'd forgotten that the zombies were able to climb the ladders at the end, which I found incredible, but only because more recent zombie stories have established that they can't climb. So I'd leave that.

I dislike the way they can shoot zombies when they're standing in front of plate glass windows, but the bullets magically stop before they hit the glass.

I love the scene in which the point of view sweeps away and shows us how ordinary people are dealing with the crisis. And I'd love to know more about the family in the car in the mall car park.

So this is permanence, love's shattered pride.
What once was innocence, turned on its side.

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Hi. What family in the car at the mall car park? I can’t believe I’ve forgot

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Long after paulbeardsley's response, but I want to second that motion.

Roger's death is necessary precisely BECAUSE the OP didn't want him to die. It's a bummer for the audience, but it's more importantly a bummer for Stephen, Francine and Peter.

It moves the plot along for the characters to lose the most lively and positive spirit among them.

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Personally, I wouldn't change a thing, it's perfect as it is (even it's imperfections are perfect in my eyes) I love the dialogue, make-up and pacing (it's my #1 favourite movie)

I'll leave all the tweaks to George Lucas (but I do enjoy reading any/all opinions/criticisms of this movie, anyhow) so keep them coming?

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[deleted]

Restore the original ending.

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