Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

Starring - Duane Jones; Judith O'Dea; Karl Hardman; Marilyn Eastman & Keith Wayne Director - George A. Romero MPAA - Not Rated It seems that something is happening to the East Coast of the United States. The dead are starting to rise again, and they are now flesh-eating zombies. Those that they kill quickly rise again to join their killers in their bloodthirsty exploits. This movie centers on a group of individuals who have sought shelter in an old farmhouse to get away from the suddenly walking dead. The group is now trapped in the house, which is surrounded by the walking dead. They then have to try to figure out a way to escape without becoming dinner to the ghouls. Having already seen the 80's remake of this movie, I'll have to admit that it took a bit away from the experience. Specifically, some of the scenes that probably should have been a bit more shocking weren't, since I had a pretty good idea at all times what was coming next. When I saw the remake, I really thought that the actress playing the character of Barbara was one of the least talented that I had ever seen. I was wrong. The original Barbara (Judith O'Dea) is ten times worse. And as bad as she is, the rest of the cast isn't a hell of a lot better. The possible exception is Duane Jones, who does a decent job surrounded by bad actors and dead people knocking at his door. Over the first half of this movie, I'll admit that I really had no idea why this movie has been so revered over the years. The acting isn't especially good, the photography is dark and grainy (at least the print I was watching), and there was really nothing particularly scary about what was taking place. Not to mention that the film was released in 1968, but it was still black and white. By the second half, the film started to show a few small, but critical differences, from its poor white trash remake. There are protracted scenes involving TV news clips with people trying to deal with the ghoul crisis. While they are a small part of the movie, they do add to it significantly. Although, they certainly do nothing to make up for the main of the movie, which involves this group stuck in the farmhouse. Maybe I'm the only one who ever thought of this, but these zombies are moving slower than a 90-year-old with a walker. Why didn't these people just walk right past them? I guess maybe that's why I don't make horror films. My IQ seems to be above the normal cut-off point for horror film writers. Anything above that of a cabbage, and you aren't allowed to write horror films. Sure, there are some very impressive exceptions, but the writers responsible for this movie sure aren't among them. After seeing this movie I have no idea why its writer/director George A. Romero has been so lauded over the years. If you are curious to see what the hype is about, check it out. If you are in the market for some scares, look elsewhere. 5/10 Reviewed July 12, 1999 by Joe Chamberlain