SYNOPSIS: Night of the Living Dead (1968), directed by George A. Romero, unfolds as siblings Barbra (Judith O’Dea) and Johnny (Russell W. Streiner) visit a remote cemetery where they are attacked by a strange man.

Barbra flees to an isolated farmhouse, encountering Ben (Duane Jones), a resourceful and assertive stranger. They soon discover that the dead are returning to life and attacking the living due to radiation from a satellite returning from Venus. As more survivors seek refuge in the farmhouse, tensions escalate among the group, which includes the stubborn Cooper family and a young couple, Tom and Judy. Ben assumes leadership, fortifying the house against the growing horde of zombies. However, internal conflicts and clashing personalities threaten their unity and survival. The film delves into themes of fear, paranoia, and societal breakdown as the survivors face not only the relentless zombie threat outside but also the fractures within their group. Night of the Living Dead is celebrated for its gritty realism, social commentary, and its role in defining the modern zombie genre.

PLOT Spoiler Alert: "Night of the Living Dead" begins with siblings Barbra and Johnny visiting their father's grave in rural Pennsylvania. Their visit takes a horrifying turn when they are attacked by a ghoul. Johnny is killed, and Barbra flees to a nearby farmhouse, where she finds refuge with Ben, another survivor. The house is equipped with a radio and television, which reveal that the recently deceased have begun to rise from their graves and prey upon the living.

Soon, more survivors arrive at the farmhouse: Harry and Helen Cooper, and their injured daughter Karen; a young couple, Tom and Judy; and a teenage couple, Steve and Judy. Tensions rise among the group as they attempt to fortify the house against the growing number of undead outside. Ben emerges as the group's de facto leader, organizing their defense and rationing supplies.

As the night progresses, the true horror unfolds both outside and within the farmhouse. The group discovers that the reanimated corpses are driven by an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Attempts to escape or seek help end in failure, with the creatures overwhelming any efforts to reason or communicate with them. Inside, conflicts arise over leadership and survival strategies, exacerbated by the stress and fear gripping everyone.

Amidst the chaos, the survivors learn from a television broadcast that the creatures can be incapacitated by destroying their brains. Ben and Harry clash over the best course of action, with Ben advocating for fortifying the house and Harry insisting on retreating to the cellar. Tensions peak when Harry's daughter Karen, who was injured earlier, dies and becomes one of the undead.

In a tragic turn of events, the night culminates in a series of brutal confrontations. Ben, the sole survivor, emerges from the cellar after hearing gunshots, only to be mistaken for a ghoul and fatally shot by a group of armed men conducting a search-and-destroy mission. The film ends with Ben's body being thrown onto a pyre of burning corpses, echoing the bleak and nihilistic tone that pervades the narrative.

PRODUCTION: Night of the Living Dead (1968) was directed by George A. Romero, who co-wrote the screenplay with John A. Russo. The film was produced on a shoestring budget estimated to be around $114,000, funded largely by friends, investors, and even some local businesses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the film was shot. This low budget necessitated creative solutions and practical effects, contributing to the film's raw and gritty atmosphere.

The casting process involved local actors from Pittsburgh, many of whom had little to no prior acting experience. Duane Jones was cast in the lead role of Ben, marking a significant choice as he became one of the first African-American actors to portray a heroic lead in a horror film, a decision made without particular emphasis on race in the script.

Filming took place primarily at a farmhouse in Evans City, Pennsylvania, which provided the iconic setting for much of the film's action. The rural location added to the isolated and claustrophobic atmosphere Romero aimed to create. The production faced numerous challenges, including tight schedules, limited resources, and adverse weather conditions, but these obstacles contributed to the film's realistic and tense portrayal of a zombie apocalypse.

Romero and his team employed innovative techniques to achieve their vision, such as the use of inexpensive props and practical effects for the zombie makeup, which included using chocolate syrup for blood due to the film being shot in black and white. The decision to shoot in black and white was both an artistic choice and a budgetary one, enhancing the film's stark and eerie visual style while keeping production costs low.

Post-production involved extensive editing and sound design to heighten the film's suspense and horror elements.

The score, composed by William Loose and Fred Steiner, complemented the film's tension-filled sequences and added to its overall chilling atmosphere.

RELEASE: Night of the Living Dead was released on October 1, 1968, premiering at the Fulton Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Directed by George A. Romero and produced on a modest budget, the film was distributed by Continental Distributing, known for releasing exploitation and low-budget films. The release strategy initially targeted drive-in theaters and grindhouse cinemas, common venues for horror and genre films of the time. It quickly gained attention for its graphic content and shocking portrayal of zombies, which was unprecedented for its era.

Critically, the film received mixed reviews upon its release. While some critics appreciated its raw intensity, social commentary, and subversive take on horror tropes, others found its graphic violence and bleak narrative disturbing.

Nevertheless, the film attracted significant attention and became a talking point in discussions about horror cinema and independent filmmaking.

Night of the Living Dead is renowned for its groundbreaking portrayal of zombies and its exploration of themes such as fear, isolation, and the breakdown of societal norms in the face of an apocalyptic scenario. The film's stark black-and-white cinematography, gritty realism, and social commentary have cemented its status as a classic of horror cinema and a seminal work in the zombie genre.

The film's release was marked by controversy and censorship issues, particularly regarding its graphic content and disturbing imagery. Its depiction of cannibalistic zombies and scenes of violence sparked debates about the boundaries of horror cinema and the portrayal of gore on screen.

Over time, Night of the Living Dead has been recognized as a landmark film in horror history, celebrated for its innovative storytelling, social commentary, and the groundbreaking portrayal of zombies. Despite its modest beginnings and initial reception, the film's legacy has endured, solidifying its place as a pivotal work in both independent filmmaking and the evolution of the horror genre.

CAST:

• Duane Jones as Ben

• Judith O'Dea as Barbra

• Karl Hardman as Harry Cooper

• Marilyn Eastman as Helen Cooper

• Keith Wayne as Tom

• Judith Ridley as Judy

• Kyra Schon as Karen Cooper

• Charles Craig as Newscaster

• Russell W. Streiner as Johnny

• S. William Hinzman as Cemetery Zombie

CREW:

• Director: George A. Romero

• Producers: Russell W. Streiner, Karl Hardman

• Screenwriters: John A. Russo, George A. Romero

• Cinematographer: George A. Romero

• Editor: George A. Romero

• Production Designer: Charles O'Dato

Production Company: Image Ten Productions
Distributor: Continental Distributing Inc.

Release Date: October 1, 1968
Country of Origin: United States
Running Time: 96 minutes
Budget: $114,000
Box Office Return: $30 million

IMDB Rating =  7.8 / 10

TRIVIA:

• This is one of the most profitable independent movies ever made. Made for $114,000 (equivalent to $1,030,000 in 2024), it grossed approximately $30 million (equivalent to $271.5 million in 2024) - over 263 times its budget.

• When discussing the film for Bravo's The 100 Scariest Movie Moments (2004), George A. Romero said that the moment they finished editing the film in Pittsburgh, they put the reels into the cans, threw it into the trunk of the car, and drove straight to New York City that night in hopes of having it screened at any willing theater.

• When the writers decided to base the film on zombies, they brainstormed about what would be the most shocking thing for the zombies to do to people and decided on cannibalism.

• When the zombies are eating the bodies in the burnt-out truck, they were actually eating roast ham covered in chocolate sauce. The filmmakers joked that it was so nausea-inducing that it was almost a waste of time putting the makeup on the zombies as they ended up looking pale and sick anyway.

• George A. Romero saw very little profit from the film. Due to his lack of knowledge regarding distribution deals, the distributors walked away with practically all of the profits.

• The US movie rating system was instituted on November 1, 1968. This film, released October 1, 1968, is one of the last films released in the US without a rating.

• The character of Ben was originally supposed to be a crude, but resourceful, truck driver with no specification to race. After Duane Jones, in real-life a self-serious, erudite academic, auditioned for the part, director and co-writer George A. Romero rewrote the part to fit his performance.

• The body upstairs in the house was made by director George A. Romero, who used ping-pong balls for the eyes.

• The house used for this film was loaned to the filmmakers by the owner who planned to demolish it anyway. When the production came across the farmhouse location, George A. Romero jokingly stated "Well, we can do that for you." The production had to completely clean up the farmhouse to make it appear livable. John A. Russo notes the kitchen was the first room they cleaned, as they felt a clean place to have lunch was the most important factor to having a workable set.

• Russell Streiner's mother owned Barbara and Johnny's car. The cemetery scenes were shot over 2 days. Someone ran into the car during a break in filming, leaving a dent that was easily visible on camera. George A. Romero rewrote the scene so the car came to a stop after crashing into a tree.

• George A. Romero chose Evans City Cemetery for the first scene due largely to its isolated location. The crew didn't want to be interrupted by onlookers or police inquiring about their presence. The cemetery, on top of a hill in a heavily wooded area, allowed them privacy. Ironically, it has become a popular tourist attraction and fan destination in the decades since its release.

• The word "zombie" is never used. The most common euphemism used to describe the living dead is "those things," mostly by Cooper. Other characters refer to the creatures as "ghouls" and "flesh eaters". However, the film codified many tropes about zombies that have been used in many movies since, including zombies eating human flesh and that zombies can only be killed by shooting them in the head.

• Now regarded as a classic, the film attracted considerable criticism at the time of its release for its graphic use of gore.

• Actor/co-producer Karl Hardman (Harry Cooper, the father in the basement), also served as makeup artist, electronic sound effects engineer, and took the still photos used for the closing credits.

• The main house did not have a true basement but a dirt potter's cellar, and, thus, had no long staircase leading down to it. As a result, the basement scenes were filmed in the editing studio's cellar in downtown Pittsburgh.

• After Duane Jones set the chair on fire, Gary Streiner, Russell Streiner's brother, was supposed to extinguish the flames and set the chair on fire again to preserve continuity, ensuring that smoke would be emanating from it near the end of the film. At one point, Gary's sleeve caught fire. As he ran in terror, S. William Hinzman (in full zombie makeup) tackled him to the ground and helped extinguish the flames, saving him from major injury.

• During production, the film's title was still being chosen. The working title was simply "Monster Flick". Another working title was "Night of Anubis," the god of mummification in the ancient Egyptian (Kemetan) religion. The title was changed once George A. Romero learned that very few understood the reference.

• Bosco chocolate syrup was used to simulate the blood in the film.

• In his final interview before his death, Duane Jones admitted he had never seen any of the other "Dead" movies, nor any other George A. Romero movie.

• George A. Romero originally hired Tom Savini to do the makeup effects for this film. The two were first introduced when Savini auditioned for an acting role in an earlier film that never got off the ground. Romero, remembering that Savini was also a makeup artist (He'd brought his makeup portfolio to the audition.), called Savini to the set of his horror movie. Savini was unable to do the effects because he was in the US Army, serving as a combat photographer in Vietnam. Savini later appeared in Dawn of the Dead (1978) and directed Night of the Living Dead (1990).

• The film's world premiere was at the Fulton Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 1 October 1968 (at 8:00 p.m., admission by invitation only). The film was met with a standing ovation.

• S. William Hinzman and Karl Hardman, two of the original $300 investors were cast due to a shortage of available talent. Another investor was a butcher, who provided some blood and guts.

• Other conflicts of budget and the era in which the film was made included shooting on 35mm print but only having equipment to edit on 16mm. The crew had to transfer all the footage to 16mm before they could work on editing it. John A. Russo also notes they rarely had time or film for more than one take on any shot, and they had no way of checking it. He had to trust George A. Romero was getting every shot just right. The sound was also mixed without seeing the picture.

• Night of the Living Dead (1968) was not expected to be a major hit when released in late 1968. According to the documentary series Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood (2010), the film went on to become one of the most successful films internationally the following year.

• Columbia Pictures was the only major Hollywood studio interested in distributing this film, but eventually passed because it was in black-and-white at a time when movies had to compete with new color televisions. Columbia did distribute the 1990 color remake Night of the Living Dead (1990). American International Pictures (AIP) considered releasing the film, but wanted George A. Romero to shoot an upbeat ending and add more of a love story subplot.

• When applying makeup for the actors playing zombies, Marilyn Eastman focused less on a rotting appearance for most of them, instead concentrating on a prominent facial feature that each actor or actress had and making it appear more prominent for an unsettling image; Eastman also played the zombie who eats a bug off a tree. George A. Romero points out that no one can tell it's her underneath all the makeup on her face. Eastman did her own makeup for that shot.

• One of the last big hits of the drive-in era.

• The film's first scene, the initial cemetery attack on Barbara and Johnny, was actually the last scene to be filmed, in November 1967. The actors had to hold their breath to avoid visible condensation in the frosty autumn air.

• There are two known deleted scenes that were removed at the insistence of distributor Walter Reade Organization. They include an 8-minute expository scene in the basement between Helen and Harry at the bottom of the stairs (which explains the abrupt jump cut shown) as well as a wide shot of numerous zombies covering the landscape, which was replaced with footage of zombies eating near the end of the film. This footage was presumed lost when a flood damaged the storage facility years later at Image Ten Inc.

• George A. Romero has readily admitted that Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls (1962) was a big influence in his making of this film.

• Though the cast and crew had nothing but positive things to say about Duane Jones, Marilyn Eastman would later refer to him as a tortured individual, due to American racial tensions during the late sixties. Karl Hardman became good friends with Jones, and Jones' death in 1988 affected him greatly. He would often become emotional when talking about Jones and believed he received a raw deal in life due to the nation's racial tensions.

• Bill Cardille, who played the television reporter, was, indeed, a local Pittsburgh TV celebrity. He hosted a horror movie program on Channel 11 and occasionally reported the news.

• "Night of the Living Dead" (1968) remains a seminal work in horror cinema, pioneering the modern zombie genre with its

• stark realism, social commentary, and lasting influence on subsequent films and popular culture.