Night of the Living Dead

8.6

The certified classic helped to spark a new generation of horror and invented the modern "zombie." Many of the cliche jump scares now heavily relied upon are almost absent here. Instead, Romero focuses on crafting a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that is chilling and effective. The black and white photography is downright grimy and has a strong documentary heir to it. Most of the horror of the film is translated in the rough look and feel of the picture, which oozes with independent film passion.

The gore that came to characterize Romero's later entries is restrained here, most likely due to budget limitations. This strengthens the picture and draws more attention to the psychological horror of "other people." Thankfully the film favors character and drama rather than overt satire and in the process addresses deep-seeded human fears. The obvious fears at play are the horror and claustrophobia of other people and the horror in trusting mass media. The segment focusing on the latter is the weakest part of the film, halting the action to play a film-within-a-film. In my opinion, the strongest message of the film (other than the ending) involves the main characters being visited by their loved ones from beyond the grave. In both instances, these characters succumb to their attackers-in-disguise, providing an interesting commentary on the universal fear of death.

All deep meanings and satire aside, the film is well-directed, and full of both good and bad performances. Pieces are downright haunting and the minimalist photography and sound heighten the reality of the picture. Its one of the greatest independent horror films ever made and its legacy will continue to haunt audiences from beyond the grave.