Prior to “Night of the Living Dead” (1968), cinematic zombies were eerie, but mostly harmless. Generally, they did the bidding of Bela Lugosi or wandered like somnambulists through Val Lewton films. But that all changed overnight when filmmaker George A. Romero turned them into flesh-eating “ghouls” (as he called them; the word zombie is never uttered). Now, it seems, the zombie apocalypse is here to stay.
However, few films in the genre are so well executed. Romero’s lean and mean thriller has the simplest of premises and the lowest of budgets, yet good writing, editing, and direction, and a matter-of-fact tone make this one of the most convincing horror movies ever made. Especially since, as would always be the case throughout Romero’s zombie cycle (he made six “Dead” films in all), the chills are informed by real-world social and political subtexts.
“Night of the Living Dead” serves as both the last gasp of 1950s B-movie drive-in fodder and the dawn of contemporary horror. And people were indeed horrified. The film opened a month before the MPAA ratings system was implemented, and it was distributed to theaters as typical Saturday matinee fare. Critics were appalled and children were scarred for life.
We’ve become so desensitized, yet there’s a power to this film that will never die. Roy and I discuss George A. Romero’s implacable classic on the next Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner. Wander glazed in the comments section. Our intestinal fortitude will be on display as human flesh is on the menu, when we livestream on Facebook (and Twitter and YouTube), this Friday evening at 7:30 EDT!
