I had some difficulty rating this film, similar to what I experienced when rating the original Frankenstein. By today’s standards, this film looks hokey and absurd at times, making it hard to keep in mind that this film was groundbreaking and set the standards for the genre.
While it’s not the first zombie movie, Night is remembered and hailed as one of the corner pieces in the zombie sub-genre’s foundation. No actual reason is giving for the reanimation of the dead, leaving the audience caught just as much off guard and as curious as the characters on the screen. The story unfolds over the course of one night, and what a night it is! Several attempts are made by the main characters to escape the wave of undead trying to break down their doors.
Some pretty bold decisions were made during the course of this film, most notably having a black man as the hero. This may not seem bold now, but consider that this film was made in 1968. Supposedly, director George A. Romero claims the black actor simply had the best audition and he never thought of the race issue. Other bold decisions are focused on who dies, when and how. The graphic content of this film certainly pushed boundaries at the time, though is now tame by comparison.
Gritty, shocking, and even heartbreaking, Night of the Living Dead is rightly hailed as a cult classic and worth a look.
I had some difficulty rating this film, similar to what I experienced when rating the original Frankenstein. By today’s standards, this film looks hokey and absurd at times, making it hard to keep in mind that this film was groundbreaking and set the standards for the genre.
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