Night of the Living Dead (1968)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

George A. Romero

Writers:

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

Release Date:

1 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

They keep coming back in a bloodthirsty lust for HUMAN FLESH!...

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Farmhouse | Zombie | Barricade | Gasoline | Night

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Duane Jones	...	Ben
Judith O'Dea	...	Barbra
Karl Hardman	...	Harry Cooper
Marilyn Eastman	...	Helen Cooper / Bug-eating zombie
Keith Wayne	...	Tom
Judith Ridley	...	Judy
Kyra Schon	...	Karen Cooper
Charles Craig	...	Newscaster / Zombie
S. William Hinzman	...	Cemetery Zombie (original and new scenes) (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
Lee Hartman	...	Zombie / News reporter
Jack Givens	...	Zombie
Rudy Ricci	...	Zombie (as R.J. Ricci)
Paula Richards	...	Zombie
John Simpson	...	Zombie
Herbert Summer	...	Zombie
Richard Ricci	...	Zombie
William Burchinal	...	Zombie
Ross Harris	...	Zombie
Al Croft	...	Zombie
Jason Richards	...	Zombie
Dave James	...	Zombie
Sharon Carroll	...	Zombie
William Mogush	...	Zombie
Steve Hutsko	...	Zombie / TV cameraman Steve
Joann Michaels	...	Zombie
Phillip Smith	...	Zombie / Posse Member
Ella Mae Smith	...	Zombie
Randy Burr	...	Zombie / Posse Member
Scott Vladimir Licina	...	Rev. Hicks (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Grant Cramer	...	Dan (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes) (as Grant Kramer)
Adam Knox	...	Mike (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Debbie Rochon	...	Darlene Davis (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Heidi Hinzman	...	Rosie (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Scott Kerschbaumer	...	Prison Guard (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
George Drennen	...	Arthur Krantz (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Julie Wallace Deklavon	...	Hilda Krantz (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes) (as Julie Wallace)
Dan Abraham	...	Garage Mechanic (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Diana Michelucci	...	Mother, car crash victim (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Dawn Michelucci	...	Daughter #1, car crash victim (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
Jessica Streiner	...	Daughter #2, car crash victim (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tommy Goodwin	...	Zombie (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes)
David Barber	...	Posse Member (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes) (uncredited)
Betty Ellen	...	Zombie (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes) (uncredited)
Roger McGovern	...	Zombie (30th Anniversary 1999 scenes) (uncredited)
George A. Romero	...	Washington reporter (uncredited)
John A. Russo	...	Washington military reporter (uncredited)
Russell Streiner	...	Johnny (uncredited)
Vincent D. Survinski	...	Vince, Posse gunman (uncredited)

Directed by
George A. Romero

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

Produced by
Karl Hardman	....	producer
Russell Streiner	....	producer (as Russell W. Streiner)

Original Music by
Scott Vladimir Licina		(1998)

Cinematography by
George A. Romero		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
George A. Romero		(uncredited)
John A. Russo		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Bruce Capristo	....	hair stylist
Vincent J. Guastini	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Karl Hardman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
George Kosana	....	production manager
Vincent D. Survinski	....	production director (as Vincent Survinski)

Art Department
Charles O'Dato	....	props

Sound Department
Marshall Booth	....	sound engineer
Gary Streiner	....	sound engineer (as Gary R. Streiner)
Karl Hardman	....	electronic sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tony Pantanello	....	special effects
Regis Survinski	....	special effects

Stunts
Jacqueline Streiner	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
S. William Hinzman	....	director of photography: new scenes (1998 edition) (as Bill Hinzman)
Jean-Pierre Nutini	....	gaffer: added scenes
Joseph Unitas	....	lighting supervisor
Karl Hardman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
S. William Hinzman	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Dean Lachiusa	....	editor: new scenes (re-cut version)

Music Department
Ib Glindemann	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Philip Green	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Geordie Hormel	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
William Loose	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Jack Meakin	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Spencer Moore	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty Ellen Haughey	....	continuity
Dean Lachiusa	....	director: new scenes (re-cut version)
Dean Lachiusa	....	producer: new scenes (re-cut version)
John A. Russo	....	director: new scenes (1998 edition)
Jacqueline Streiner	....	script coordinator

Production Companies

• Image Ten
• Laurel Group
• Market Square Productions
• Off Color Films

Distributors

• Walter Reade Organization (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Continental Distributing (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Media Home Entertainment (1978) (USA) (VHS) (as Nostalgia Merchant)
• New Line Cinema (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Video Treasures (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Elite Entertainment (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Best Film & Video Corp. (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• United American Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Master Movies (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Clint Hickman Productions (2001) (worldwide) (all media) (3D version)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Brentwood Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Elite Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Navarre Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Platinum Disc (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• SlingShot Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• York Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Rajon Vision (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• BijouFlix Releasing (2005) (worldwide) (all media)
• CustomFlix (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• KOCH International (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• SBP (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• SBP (2005) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Cinema Epoch (2007) (USA) (all media) (3D Version)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• 3M (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Art House Video (????) (Greece) (VHS)
• Beam Entertainment (????) (Japan) (DVD) (DVD producer)
• CMV Laservision (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Cinema Mondo (1992) (Finland) (theatrical) (16mm)
• Collectible Classics (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Creative Axa Co. Ltd. (????) (Japan) (DVD)
• Elite Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Exposure Cinema (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Indipendenti Regionali (1971) (Italy) (theatrical)
• International Film Distributors (????) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Landmark Pictures (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Legend Films (2009) (worldwide) (theatrical) (3-D version)
• Legend Films (2006) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD) (colorized edition)
• Mondadori Video (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Pan Vision Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (colorized version)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Spotlite Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• SubTV (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• United Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Weinstein Company, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• X-Rated Kultvideo (????) (Germany) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1997) (1998) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2002) (2005) (Finland) (TV) (Teema)

Other Companies

• Latent Image, The  photography by (as The Latent Image, Inc.)
• Hardman Associates  make-up (as Hardman Assoc. Inc.)
• Animators, The  title sequence
• Hardman Associates  production facilities (as Hardman Associates, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA.)
• Latent Image, The  production facilities (as The Latent Image, Inc.)
• WIIC Pittsburgh  special thanks
• KQV-Radio Pittsburgh  special thanks
• Pittsburgh Police Department  special thanks
• Legend Films  colorization
• Legend Films  restoration
• Numenorean Music  score album released by (limited edition) (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Night of the Living Dead: 30th Anniversary Edition (Philippines: English title) (recut version) (USA) (recut version)
George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (Australia)
Laugh Track: Night of the Living Dead (USA) (video title (redubbed comic version))
Monster Flick (USA) (working title)
Night of Anubis (USA) (working title)
Night of the Flesh Eaters (USA) (working title)
A Noite dos Mortos-Vivos (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Die Nacht der lebenden Toten (West Germany) [de]
Elävien kuolleiden yö (Finland) [fi]
I nyhta ton zontanon nekron (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
La noche de los muertos vivientes (Spain) [es]
La noche de los muertos vivos (Argentina) [es]
La notte dei morti viventi (Italy) [it]
La nuit des morts vivants (Canada: French title) [fr]
La nuit des morts-vivants (France) [fr]
Noc zywych trupów (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | USA:Unrated (1968) | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) | Singapore:NC-16 (30th anniversary edition) | Iceland:16 | Canada:14A | Spain:13 | UK:15 (video rating) (2007) | Australia:R | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) (cut) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) (uncut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Italy:T (original DVD rating) | Italy:VM18 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (DVD rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | France:-16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (uncut) | Ireland:18 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 | UK:X (original rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Image Ten

Trivia:

During the filming of the cemetery sequence, shot on two separate days, an unexpected accident caused a fast change of script. The car driven by Barbara and Johnny into the cemetery was actually owned by the mother of Russell Streiner. Unfortunately, sometime between the two filming sequences, someone ran into the car and put a dent in it that would easily be visible on camera. George A. Romero rewrote the scene so the car would come to a stop by crashing into a tree.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Harry and Tom first enter from the cellar, Tom yells "Don't shoot! We're from town!" We hear him say "We're from town" but his lips never move.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Barbara: They oughta make the day the time changes the first day of summer.
Johnny: What?
Barbara: Well, it's eight o'clock, and it's still light!
Johnny: A lot of good the extra daylight does us. You know, we've still got a three-hour drive back; we're not gonna be home until after midnight.
Barbara: Well, if it really bugged you, Johnny, you wouldn't do it.
Johnny: Heh, you think I'd wanna blow a Sunday on a scene like this? Now, I think we should have mother move down to the city or have father's body moved down to Pittsburgh.
Barbara: She can't make a trip like this!
Johnny: Yeah, well I bet she can.
[Reach for the wreath in the backseat]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dead & Breakfast (2004)

Classic bit of low budget horror

A wave of mass murder sweeps across America as the recently dead return to life to kill and feast on their victims. A group of people board themselves up in an abandoned house to try and hold out against a small army of the undead. This is the classic low-budget horror film that is the model for recent hits such as the Evil Dead and The Blair Witch Project. George Romero stages a national disaster but reduces it to a single house for greater effect. The story focuses on the weaknesses of each of the characters in the house - their cowardice, their greedy, their stupidity etc. This makes the drama inside the house almost as palatable as the danger from outside and makes the characters more believable and important.

The undead are not huge works of special effects, nor are they anything other than lumbering beasts. But the threat they pose is well demonstrated - the film makes them feel unstoppable and relentless and makes their lingering presence more menacing and less comical than it could have been. The use of an unknown cast also makes it more realistic as none of them have any baggage. Duane Jones is the standout actor as Ben - who is not without flaws himself.

The downbeat, realistic atmosphere to the film gives it a greater sense of tension and continues right through to the very depressing conclusion. An excellent flagship for low budget horrors.