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 | Mystery | 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 | Barricade | Zombie | Truck | Basement

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

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 - Edition 30ème anniversaire (France) [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:

In the 30th Anniversary Edition, the car that drops off Debbie Rochon at the medical center is driven by Marilyn Eastman (Helen Cooper) and owned by Karl Hardman (Harry Cooper).

Goofs:

Continuity: 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?

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 Sunday on a scene like this? You know, I figure we'll have to get mother to move down here or have the grave moved down to Pittsburgh.
Barbara: Well, she can't make a trip like this!
Johnny: Yeah, I know that she can't.
[Reach for the wreath in the backseat]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tripping the Rift: Chode's Near Death-Experience (#2.12)" (2005)

Classic Horror

Romero is sublime. His ability to take a small budget and turn it into a stratosphericly giant film is unparalleled. This is one of the best apocalypse films ever (along with the rest of the trilogy). The zombies represent a slow moving enemy. It is easy to escape them. You have only to fear your own mistakes. On these the zombies will capitalize. One of the best aspects of this film is the lead character. Romero has always presented intelligent non-stereotypical black characters in his films. This film was made in 1968 while civil rights tensions were high, and the most "in control" character in the whole movie is a black man. If you can get past a couple of cheesy supporting performances, this is one of the best horror films ever.