Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Dawn of the Dead (1978) is a zombie horror film that follows a group of survivors in the midst of a mysterious plague. The outbreak has ravaged the United States, turning recently-dead individuals into flesh-eating zombies. Reports indicate that millions have already perished and risen again as undead creatures. As society crumbles and the government’s efforts prove futile, rural communities with natural defenses like Johnstown are able to hold off the zombie attacks. However, cities like Philadelphia descend into chaos. Amongst this chaos, WGON-TV’s traffic reporter Stephen Andrews and his pregnant girlfriend Fran Parker hatch a plan to escape via the studio’s helicopter. Meanwhile, across town, Philadelphia Police Department SWAT officer Roger DeMarco and his team attempt to enforce martial law by seizing control of a low-income housing project occupied mostly by black and Latino tenants who refuse to hand over their dead to the National Guard.

During the chaotic events, the tenants and officers engage in a shootout while attempting to enter the building. Racist officers and reanimated corpses only add to the chaos. Amidst all of this, Roger meets Peter Washington, an officer from a different unit. As they work together with the SWAT team to defeat the zombies, Roger suggests that he and Peter desert their duties and join their friend Stephen in escaping from the city. Together, they find Fran and Stephen at a police dock and flee Philadelphia using a stolen WGON-TV news helicopter. After narrowly avoiding danger while refueling, they stumble upon a shopping mall and decide to take shelter there due to its abundance of necessary supplies. The group secures their safe room by camouflaging the entrance and blocking off the mall’s entrance with trucks to keep the undead out. However, during their mission, Roger’s recklessness causes him to be bitten by one of the zombies.