Night of the Living Dead
by George A. Romero (1968)
Radiation emitted by a space probe returning from Venus causes the dead to come back to life, turning them into monsters hungry for human flesh.
Quote.
Attention, attention, we repeat an urgent news flash just received: we have been informed from Camberland that according to evident signs found on the bodies of the victims, they were partially devoured by their murderers!
The dead will get you, Barbara!
There’s a strange individual walking through a cemetery in Pennsylvania. His gait seems clumsy, his movements slow and awkward. Yet, he is heading straight towards Barbara and her brother, as if drawn to them by a dark and mysterious force. His eyes are wide and crazed, and he makes grotesque noises that make him seem like a beast. And then his hands, those hands that Barbara now feels on her, are cold, ice-cold.
They are the hands of a dead man.
Considerations.
Romero directs this cult classic, shot on a low budget, which became a turning point in horror cinema. The first twenty minutes of the film alone are enough to grasp the greatness of this essential work. The sequence showing the protagonist fleeing from the first living dead that chases her, until she finds refuge in a house, still impresses today. For its pacing, staging, editing, and sound accompaniment, it is still capable of surprising.
But beyond the single scene, *Night of the Living Dead* is significant and revolutionary in its entirety. First, it presented a new depiction of zombies, compared to earlier cinematic versions.
No longer a character influenced by magic or spells, but rather a monster that comes back to life and becomes a predator, dangerous to anyone who crosses its path. A new, highly successful model that has etched itself into the collective imagination.
Furthermore, the social critique is strong. The film clearly demonstrates how, in a situation of chaos, fear and paranoia increase. Themes like racism and the fear of the “other” run through the film and the character of Ben, from the beginning until the tragic end.
More generally, there is no trace of trust in a humanity that fails to unite effectively in the face of a serious emergency.
If science fails and seems to be the real culprit, selfishness, personal survival, and cowardice prove to be stronger than anything else.
Also worth noting is the perfect sound accompaniment created by Romero himself.
Conclusions.
Night of the Living Dead is a cinema classic that established the foundation of the zombie film genre. But it also serves as an example of how an independent film can have a significant impact on both the public and critics.
The film was also included in the United States National Film Registry, recognized as culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.
It spawned a long series of sequels and remakes, influencing literature, comics, video games, and other forms of media.
