Dawn of the Dead Picture Analysis (1979)

In this scene of Dawn of the Dead (1979) there are clear character representations through Stephen (Flyboy) being shown up by Roger and his shooting skill. Stephen is constantly trying to earn his role as the male hero but continues to fail throughout the film. Here, as Stephen spots Peter in danger of a zombie he aims to shoot it in order to save Peter and prove his heroic worth, however he misses and nearly shoots Peter instead. This is when Roger pushes in front of Stephen and is able to shoot the zombie in one. The guns they are using seen as a phallic weapon which Stephen isn’t able to control, however Roger can. The location is also shown in the background with deserted, dry fields with trees that are dead with no leaves, which emphasises how the whole land is isolated and empty following the spread of the zombie virus.

In this scene in DOTD (1979) you can see a clear disconnection between Stephen and Francine, their plain facial expressions and turned away body language shows they aren’t able to be themselves anymore. Francine looks concerned as she stares into the darker side of the room which also represents that she is feeling the most isolated. Francine isn’t often given the opportunity to protect herself and fight against the zombies as the men control her and tell her to stay in the room. Stephen looks fed up with trying to live up to an expectation of a male hero, as he stares at his gun knowing he isn’t a hero for Francine, which also affects their love life. This scene appears at the end of a montage of shots in the mall. Earlier on in the film they were excited and running around the mall escaping the zombies, however by this stage you can see they are tired and are feeling the effects of emptiness in consumerism and being trapped in one location. Although a bed is seen a comfortable place this scene relates to Romero’s influence as an auteur and his portrayal of his anti-mall ideologies through Dawn of the Dead.

This picture is taken from the final scene in DOTD(1979).
Francine’s strong character has previously learnt how to fly the helicopter in case they need to escape, and this scene proves that she is a strong women that is able to protect herself. In this regard, she is the female survivor and “final girl” that is a stereotype featured in many horror films. The use of low key lighting on Peter’s face gives Francine the main heroine image as she is the primary focus of this frame, which leaves Peter looking like more of a lesser, shadowy figure. Francine has been a strong character throughout this film as she has lost her husband along the way as well as nearly being bitten by a zombie, her facial expressions in this shot represent all of her problems she has faced, and her wide eyes give the feeling that she can’t quite take in what has happened. Francine was one of the first strong female characters to appear in a horror film, showing how horror as a genre has progressed with its forward thinking and feminist approach. This also represents how Romero was pro-women, he would use a lot of strong female characters in his movies as would Hitchcock.