Excellent remake,but 1978 is superior

Rating: 8/10 (15 May 2004)

SPOILERS:
This is an excellent remake of the 1978 horror classic,especially when you consider the trash that comes nowadays in the horror genre.I had my doubts about it because I really love the original movie and remakes are not my favorite movies.This movie proved my wrong though since the pace and storyline are very good.
In this comment I will compare the two movies and give my opinion on the changes and so forth: - First of all the dialogue,which is in both movies very cool although I think that the original has got the better lines and facial expressions that go with it. - Romero vs. Snyder is no contest but who knows in the future what we will hear from Snyder? The acting is superior in the original as are the characters.It is funny to see that the names of the characters have completely changed but the looks and appearances have somehow stayed intact. -The actors in the 2004 version are not famous except for the always cool Ving Rhames,inevitably he's my favorite character of the movie! It is nice to see that Zack Snyder used several actors of the original in cameo roles, there is Tom Savini(biker and make-up artist in 1978) as a sheriff,Scott H. Reiniger(Roger in 1978) as a general and Ken Foree(Peter in 1978 and my favorite character in the movie) as the televangelist.Just like Romero in 1978,Snyder also appears in his version. - Both movies have a pregnant woman in it,although I have to say that it's importance is not big in 1978 while it is very important(and gory,haha) in 2004. - What has been enhanced in the 2004 version is the intro and the end credits which are simply brilliant.While 1978 has a rather dull yet important intro 2004 begins with a bang.The end credits are really great with the video camera shootings during the credits. DON'T GO AWAY RIGHT AFTER THE MOVIE HAS FINISHED,CAUSE IT HASN'T!!! - The ending of 2004 (during the credits) is at an "deserted" island,in 1978 there is a conversation between out heroes and some police officers who are talking about going to such an island,just a minor detail yet it has probably been copied. - Very significant is the speed of the Zombies,as they are slow and almost slapstick like in 1978 they are very fast in 2004.Yet,the mindlessness of the Zombies remains the same in both movies and so it should be. - It has to be said that the humour in he original is superior to the remake.But has got a lot to do with the story and critical point of view of the original.Yet the scenes with Andy,who lives across the street from the mall,are really funny.Especially the "kill the celebrity" sequence! - The tagline of both movies "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth" is used in both movies and both times it is spoken out by Ken "Peter" Foree;Well done,Zack Snyder! - There is a scene in a weapons store in the 1978 version,which is very important since it provides our heroes the necessary armour.This has been copied in 2004 yet it has changed into a private weapons depot in Andy's house, Ving Rhames' buddy across the street from the mall.

Both movies have the same Zombie contamination (both after bites from the Zombie).That means that also the killing of infected heroes is the same,one scene is copied although not with the same character.The scene in 1978 in which Roger becomes a Zombie has been copied in 2004 although now it has become a dirty fat woman.Yet the same camera technique and tension has been used. - The story is far better in 1978,the social comment of the original is not very present in 2004.Yet,the same mall has been used.Only in 1978 there is more attention to mass consumption (Francine about the mall:"What are they doing? Why do they come here? Stephen: Some kind of instinct. Memory, of what they used to do. This was an important place in their lives.") than in 2004 which is wise to some extent since the audience nowadays doesn't seem to want those comments in horror movies.I really enjoyed it though in the original,even if it takes some time to explain it visually.(the 1978 version is over 2 hours while the 2004 version is about 90 minutes long) - The soundtrack of the original is massive and really cool.The synthesizer like noise really gives an extra dimension to it and therefore I appreciate the original on this point.Yet,the "mall muzak" remains the same in both. - The addition in 1978 of the bikers has totally vanished in the remake. A pity since I really liked those sequences.Those were also the most gory sequences in the original and therefore also makes the original champion on that point.Of course there is some gore in the remake,but not as good and cheap as in the original. - Both movies have a "bad" ending which makes both movies even better than they already are,of course the original was a second edition of a trilogy while the remake stands on it's own.

Two other things:I really enjoyed the "A-Team,let's build an armoured car" sequence.Of course Ving Rhames used the blow torch. Another funny thing for me as a Dutchman was to see the actor Jake Webber who is a complete look a like of our nation's football goalie Edwin van der Sar.
Overall I have to say that the remake is a great horror film and would be the greatest Zombie movies ever yet the original and "Night of the Living Dead (1968)" are classics in the genre and I truly love those two.Both are in my horror top 10. Still,the 2004 version is a very good movie and deserves the credit of a very crafty and exciting horror.
2004: 8/10
1978: 9/10 (currently number 73 in my all time top 100 list)