Night of the Living Dead (1968)

A group of people hide from bloodthirsty zombies in a farmhouse.

Director:

George A. Romero

Writers:

John A. Russo (screenplay), George A. Romero (screenplay)

Stars:

Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Duane Jones	...	Ben
Judith O'Dea	...	Barbra
Karl Hardman	...	Harry
Marilyn Eastman	...	Helen
Keith Wayne	...	Tom
Judith Ridley	...	Judy
Kyra Schon	...	Karen Cooper
Charles Craig	...	Newscaster / Zombie
S. William Hinzman	...	Zombie (as Bill Heinzman)
George Kosana	...	Sheriff McClelland
Frank Doak	...	Scientist
Bill 'Chilly Billy' Cardille	...	Field Reporter
A.C. McDonald	...	Zombie / Posse Member
Samuel R. Solito	...	Zombie / Posse Member
Mark Ricci	...	Washington Scientist

Storyline

The radiation from a fallen satellite might have caused the recently deceased to rise from the grave and seek the living to use as food. This is the situation that a group of people penned up in an old farmhouse must deal with.

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Plot Keywords:

farmhouse | grave | zombie | barricade | satellite | 

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Taglines:

They're coming to get you...again!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Films sans Frontières [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Laugh Track: Night of the Living Dead

Filming Locations:

Basement, Latent Image - Carson Street, South Side, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$114,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Image Ten, Laurel Group, Market Square Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of Ben was originally supposed to be a crude but resourceful truck driver, with no specification to race. After Duane Jones, in real-life a self-serious, erudite academic, auditioned for the part, director and co-writer George A. Romero re-wrote the part to fit his performance.

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Goofs

When he first appears, the cemetery zombie's coat is open and unbuttoned. During the fight with Johnny and in subsequent scenes, two of the buttons are fastened. Would a zombie button up his coat?

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Quotes

Johnny: They're coming to get you, Barbara, there's one of them now!

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Crazy Credits

The credits play over still frames of the hunters dragging Ben out of the house with meat hooks. After the credits, there's a short scene of the hunters setting a pile of zombies on fire.

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Connections

Featured in Halloween II (1981)

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Soundtracks

"Eerie Heavy Echo (L-1216)"
(uncredited)
Music by Spencer Moore

User Reviews

Not only one of the greatest horror / independent films ever made, but one of the greatest films ever made period

I often wonder if George Romero was knowing that this was going to become one of the most influential films ever made when he sat down to write the screenplay. Few other b-movies have had such great cinematography, direction, dialog, and acting. You can say what you want about "Dawn of the Dead", but this shall always be the foremost zombie horror film in my mind.

The plot involves the radiation from a fallen satellite is causing the recently deceased to rise from their graves to feast off the living's flesh. They can only be killed by a blow to the head. A group of people, in need of protection from the hordes, barricade themselves in an abandoned farmhouse. They are pretty much lead by as young black man named Ben, a resourceful person trying to protect himself and the others.

Surprising as it may sound, the human drama involved is just as suspenseful as the zombies outside the house. It shows how human beings panic in the time of terror, and will stop at nothing to protect themselves and none others. Definitely one of the top ten horror films ever made. (10/10)