Dawn of the Dead (2004) Image Analysis

This image from Dawn of the Dead (DOTD) (2004) brings forward continuing rise of feminism that was touched upon in the original DOTD (1979). The characters do not comply with their stereotypes; for example, Ana has blonde hair, and turns out to be the final girl, the final girl stereotype is that they have black or brown hair and are more masculine than feminine. Although Ana is blonde, she has a tomboy attitude and is aiming a phallic weapon towards Steve. Steve has been uncooperative throughout the film, therefore he deserved his death. Steve wears mostly black clothing throughout DOTD (2004), this is to connote that he has an evil, uncaring attitude towards everyone apart from himself. DOTD (2004) also complies with Thomas Schatz “Genre Theory”, DOTD (2004) is classed as a sci-fi, action and a horror; sci-fi is represented through the use of zombies; action is represented through the use of guns and slow to quick montages, an example of this is where the zombies are climbing up the stairs and the camera focuses on the shot gun shells that are falling out of CJ’s gun as he is shooting the zombies; horror is demonstrated through the use of body horror. The low-key lighting within this scene allows the audience to gain a sense of seriousness, as well as tension because of the situation that Ana has been placed in. The positioning of the camera, as well as the focus, allows the audience to focus on Steve and the gun, rather than Ana.