Night of the Living Dead (1990)

Director:

Tom Savini

Writers (WGA):

John A. Russo (earlier screenplay) and
George A. Romero (earlier screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 October 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

There IS a fate worse than death.

Plot:

The unburied dead return to life and seek human victims.

Plot Keywords:

Farmhouse | Remake | Cemetery | Attack | Cult Film

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Tony Todd	...	Ben
Patricia Tallman	...	Barbara
Tom Towles	...	Harry Cooper
McKee Anderson	...	Helen Cooper
William Butler	...	Tom
Katie Finneran	...	Judy Rose
Bill Moseley	...	Johnnie (as Bill Mosley)
Heather Mazur	...	Sarah Cooper
David W. Butler	...	Hondo (as David Butler)
Zachary Mott	...	Bulldog
Pat Reese	...	The Mourner
William Cameron	...	The Newsman
Pat Logan	...	Uncle Rege
Berle Ellis	...	The Flaming Zombie
Bill 'Chilly Billy' Cardille	...	T.V. Interviewer
Greg Funk	...	Cemetery Zombie
Tim Carrier	...	Autopsy Zombie
John Hamilton	...	Kyle - Crowbar Zombie
Dyrk Ashton	...	Truck Zombie
Jordan Berlant	...	Porch Zombie
Albert Shellhammer	...	Cousin Satchel
Jay McDowell	...	Front Door Zombie
Walter Berry	...	McGruder
Kendal Kraft	...	Bob Evans Zombie
David Grace	...	Policeman Zombie
Stacie Foster	...	Doll's Mom Zombie
Charles Crawley	...	Window Zombie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Declan Baldwin	...	Photographer at Bonfire (uncredited)
Vini Bancalari	...	Denim Jacket Zombie Eating Flesh by Pick-Up Truck (uncredited)
John D. Bert	...	Background Vigilante (uncredited)
Rik Billock	...	Door Zombie (uncredited)
Don Brockett	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Butchie	...	Biker at Bonfire (uncredited)
Earl Ellis	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Chris Gore	...	Zombie (uncredited)
John W. Iwanonkiw	...	Fighting Truck Zombie (uncredited)
Frederick E. Kowalo	...	Window Zombie (uncredited)
Ralph Langer	...	Zombie Wearing Dirty Blue Coat and Plaid Shirt (uncredited)
Sean P. McCarthy	...	Meathooked Zombie (uncredited)
Bill McCue	...	Mouse Eating Zombie (uncredited)
Tara Rial	...	Girl in Car (uncredited)
Craig Spector	...	Pajama's Zombie (uncredited)
Russell Streiner	...	Sheriff McClelland (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Savini

Writing credits (WGA)
John A. Russo		(earlier screenplay) and
George A. Romero		(earlier screenplay)
George A. Romero		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ami Artzi	....	co-executive producer
Declan Baldwin	....	line producer
Christine Forrest	....	associate producer
Menahem Golan	....	executive producer
George A. Romero	....	executive producer
John A. Russo	....	producer
Russell Streiner	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul McCollough

Cinematography by
Frank Prinzi

Film Editing by
Tom Dubensky

Production Design by
Cletus Anderson

Art Direction by
James C. Feng

Set Decoration by
Brian J. Stonestreet

Costume Design by
Barbara Anderson

Makeup Department
Everett Burrell	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Earl Ellis	....	makeup effects assistant
Greg Funk	....	makeup effects assistant
Jerry Gergely	....	special makeup effects
Terrie Godfrey	....	makeup artist (as Terry Godfrey)
Jeannee Josefczyk	....	hair stylist
Jeannee Josefczyk	....	key makeup artist
Rachel Kick	....	makeup artist
John Vulich	....	special makeup effects supervisor

Production Management
Marc S. Fischer	....	unit production manager
Mark S. Hoerr	....	post-production supervisor
Helena Toth	....	production supervisor
Joseph Vittorie	....	production supervisor: 21st Century Film Corporation

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	first assistant director (as Nick Mastandrea)
Margie Sperling	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Taylor Black	....	property master
Leah B. Blackwood	....	scenic artist
Joel P. Blanchard	....	construction coordinator
Kathryn A. Borland	....	head scenic artist
Vincent Borrelli	....	stand-by painter
Nora Cline	....	scenic artist
Walter L. Dolegowski	....	carpenter
Marty Garrigan	....	assistant property master
Megan Graham	....	set dresser
Carl Horner	....	special props
Charles R. McPherson	....	second carpenter
Ralph Roger Pivirotto	....	set dresser (as Ralph R. Pivirotto)
Sonja Roth	....	additional set dresser
Richard S. Sheridan	....	scenic artist
Raymond M. Tasillo	....	lead carpenter
Barbara E. Thompson	....	property assistant
David L. Wolfson	....	additional set dresser (as David Wolfson)
Butchie	....	art department (uncredited)
Butchie	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Felipe Borrero	....	sound mixer
Richard Burton	....	sound editor
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Patrick Cyccone Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rubén Domingo	....	sound editor
Marva Fucci	....	sound editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	adr mixer
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Neal Lampert	....	adr recordist (as Neil Lampert)
Neal Lampert	....	foley recordist (as Neil Lampert)
George Leong	....	boom operator
Frank A. Montaño	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Frank Montano)
Stewart Nelson	....	sound editor (as Stewart Nelsen)
Preston Oliver	....	adr recordist
Preston Oliver	....	foley recordist
Thomas Pettinato	....	supervising sound editor
Joseph T. Sabella	....	foley walker (as Joseph Sabella)
Fred Wasser	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Kristina M. Horner	....	special effects
Christopher P. Martin	....	special effects intern
Jeff Naparstek	....	assistant special effects
Christian Stavrakis	....	special effects assistant (as Chris Stavrakis)
Matt Vogel	....	special effects

Stunts
Don Hewitt	....	stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunt coordinator (as Phil Nielson)
Mick O'Rourke	....	stunts
Michael Russo	....	stunts
Gregg Smrz	....	stunts
Tony Washington	....	stunts
John W. Iwanonkiw	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Bennett Beal	....	best boy grip
Leonard Bishop	....	additional grip
Robert Chamberlain	....	additional grip (as Bob Chamberlain)
Gregory Paul Collier	....	first assistant camera
Gregory L. Edwards	....	grip
Bart Flaherty	....	grip
David J. Frederick	....	camera operator
Christopher Hall	....	second assistant camera (as Chris Hall)
Brian Haughin	....	electrician
Beth Kukucka	....	still photographer
Ed Letteri	....	gaffer
Simon Manses	....	additional assistant camera
Frank McGough	....	best boy electric
David Richert	....	camera trainee
Rich Schutte	....	assistant camera
Nick Tallo	....	key grip
Joey Wrubleski	....	grip
Michael Zinobile	....	grip (as Michael H. Zinobile)
John Zumpano	....	chief lighting technician

Casting Department
Donna M. Belajac	....	casting: Pittsburgh
Staci A. Blagovich	....	extras casting
Meredith Jacobson	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Diane Collins	....	first assistant wardrobe
Melinda Eshelman	....	additional assistant wardrobe
Nancy A. Palmatier	....	wardrobe supervisor
Damita J. Roldan	....	additional assistant wardrobe
Thomas Stokes	....	second assistant wardrobe

Editorial Department
John Stuart Bick	....	assistant editor
Ray Boniker	....	first assistant editor
Patricia Sztaba	....	negative matcher
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher

Transportation Department
Art Huggins	....	transportation coordinator (as Arthur Huggins)

Other crew
Jessica Abrams	....	assistant production coordinator
Anthony Dileo Jr.	....	production assistant
Eric Dilucente	....	production assistant
Scott Hornbacher	....	location supervisor
B. Richard Jeffery	....	production accountant
Frederick E. Kowalo	....	production assistant
Judy Matthews	....	location scout
Matthew Myers	....	production assistant
Walt Oggier	....	weapons handler (as Walter Oggier)
Wendy Lee Roberts	....	script supervisor
Andrew Sands	....	assistant auditor
Janice F. Sperling	....	production coordinator
Joyce Wagner	....	unit publicist

Production Companies

• 21st Century Film Corporation
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures of Canada (1990) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Esplanade Filmverleih (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (1996) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Encore Entertainment (1995) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• LK-TEL (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• New Screen Entertainment (1992) (Belgium) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Cinema Research

Other Companies

• Amerifilm Casting  casting
• Anita's Kitchen  catering
• CSC  cameras and lenses provided by
• Cinema Research  main titles and opticals
• Donna Belajac Casting Agency  casting
• Kensington Falls Animation  closing montage
• Pepsi-Cola Company  special thanks

Also Known As:

Runtime:

92 min | 88 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Germany:(Banned) | Germany:18 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #30628) | Australia:M (cable rating) | Finland:K-18 | Denmark:15 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Netherlands:16 | Ireland:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Brazil:14 | Canada:R (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

West Middletown Cemetery - 4699 Jefferson Ave, Avella, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

21st Century Film Corporation

Trivia:

The characters take refuge in an isolated farmhouse early in the film. Next to one of the doors, visible in shots of the exterior of the house, is the name of the owner - "M Celeste", in nail-on letters in a script font. This seems to be homage to the sailing ship "Marie Celeste", which was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean unmanned and under sail heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar in 1872. Her crew was not on board and the only lifeboat gone, but the ship had no damage and was sea worthy. Like the ship, the house was (relatively) undamaged by it's ordeal and could have been immediately occupied. According to Tom Savini's commentary on the DVD, the name is deliberate reference to the state of the house.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Barbara is seen on several occasions firing many shots from her rifle while gripping the barrel with her left hand. In reality, after just a few shots the barrel would become far too hot to handle in this manner.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Johnnie:They're coming to get you, Barbara!
Barbara:Stop it!
Johnnie:They're coming!
[evil laughter]
Johnnie:They don't like being awaken this way!
Barbara:Why do you have to be so mean?
Johnnie:'Cause I'm your older brother. Being mean and heartless is part of the job.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert: Worst of '90" (1991)

Oh, I don't know....

Five years after the last sequel to the original Night of the Living Dead someone decided to have a go at starting the whole thing over again from scratch! Nothing wrong with that... I think we can all name some decent remakes. Unfortunately, this particular remake suffers from two blights upon late-eighties/ early-nineties movie making 1) The need for a happy ending and 2) the need for political correctness.

The original Night of the Living Dead was fascinating because it had at least one person we could identify with no matter who we were, and in many cases we could identify with the entire cast because each represented a part of ourselves. The film was also ahead of it's time because the Hero is African American and befriends the frightened woman and helps to protect everyone involved. The ending isn't a happy one, but it's very realistic.

The remake unfortunately elected to eliminate certain personality traits that we can identify with in favor of more politically correct motifs. For example, the frightened girl who is muted by fear and horror evolves into a female Rambo (played admittedly very well by Babylon 5's Patricia Tallman) who swoops in with the cavalry and saves the day at the last minute. Very PC, not very realistic.

The tone doesn't really promote sympathetic fear at all, and the happy ending where everything is tied up by the 180 shift of Tallman's character doesn't help this problem.

On the other hand the movie is not a total loss. The acting is not bad, and while you're never really scared as you are watching the original you're never moved into the realm of laughter either. Never let anyone tell you that this film is terrible... it isn't, but compared to the original it's not great either. Don't rent them on the same night by any means... rather, buy the original on DVD, and catch this remake on the Superstation. That way you waste nothing either way!