1979 Hit Ranked Among 'Best Horror Films' for Its Social Commentary

With the terrifying films 28 Years Later and its sequel Bone Temple released in the last year, it seems the zombie genre is still alive and well.

One of the classics from the same realm, meanwhile, just celebrated a 47-year milestone. From O.G. zombie filmmaker George A. Romero, Dawn of the Dead was released on August 19, 1979, and became a massive success after the equally groundbreaking Night of the Living Dead (1968).

The 1979 follow-up was filmed in color this time around and took place inside a shopping mall, providing impactful social commentary about consumerism in America.

The late, great film critic Roger Ebert gave the film a whopping four out of four stars in his 1979 review, writing, "'Dawn of the Dead' is one of the best horror films ever made - and, as an inescapable result, one of the most horrifying. It is gruesome, sickening, disgusting, violent, brutal and appalling. It is also (excuse me for a second while I find my other list) brilliantly crafted, funny, droll, and savagely merciless in its satiric view of the American consumer society. Nobody ever said art had to be in good taste."

The media website Thrillist, meanwhile, ranked Dawn of the Dead No. 33 on its list of 75 Best Horror Movies of All Time, writing, "Zombie master George A. Romero could have taken the easy way out and staged another siege just like the one in Night of the Living Dead, but it's safe to say that he expanded his horizons in a huge way."

Dawn of the Dead was so impactful that it spawned a remake in 2004, which was also critically acclaimed and would help launch the career of Zack Snyder. If the name sounds familiar, he's the visionary filmmaker who went on to direct high-profile genre films such as 300 and Man of Steel.

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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 10:45 AM.