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Title: Night of the Living Dead (Millennium Edition) (2002) |
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Review of Night of the Living Dead (Millennium Edition)
- George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is a low-budget homegrown classic that had great difficulty finding a distributor at the time of its 1968 release and has since become one of the most influential horror films of all time. Aside from its visceral impact years before realistic gore became the fashion the film is also important for its portrayal of a black man as the protagonist during a time when race relations were an extremely sensitive issue in the United States. Seven people secluded in a Pennsylvania farmhouse face relentless attacks by reanimated corpses seeking to eat their flesh. The group which includes a married couple and their daughter a pair of young lovers and an African-American man try to keep their sanity as the living dead try endlessly to enter the house. The only way to stop the zombies is to burn them or issue a severe blow to their heads. Radio news reports tell of the plague taking over the eastern United States while the ever-decreasing band of survivors rapidly loses ground in the battle to both keep peace with one another and stay alive.System Requirements: Running Time 96 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 790594111724 Manufacturer No: EE1117
Product Description
- We can hardly imagine how shocking this film was when it first broke into the film scene in 1968. There's never been anything quite like it again, though there have been numerous pale imitations. Part of the terror lies in the fact that it is shot in such a raw and unadorned fashion that it feels like a home movie, and is all the more authentic because of that. It draws us into its world gradually, content to establish a merely spooky atmosphere before leading us through a horrifically logical progression that we hardly could have anticipated. The story is simple: Radiation from a fallen satellite has caused the dead to walk, and hunger for human flesh. Once bitten, you become one of them. And the only way to kill one is by a shot or blow to the head. We follow a group holed up in a small farmhouse who are trying to fend off the inevitable onslaught of the dead. The tension between the members of this unstable, makeshift community drives the film. Night of the Living Dead establishes savagery as a necessary condition of life. Marked by fatality and a grim humor, the film gnaws through to the bone, then proceeds on to the marrow. --Jim Gay
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- George Romero's classic 1968 zombie-fest (shot in black and white) offers some disturbing images, even decades later. In a Pittsburgh suburb people are being stalked by zombies ravenous for human flesh. In a house whose occupant has already been slain, two separate groups of people unite and board themselves in, hoping to fend off the advancing ghouls. Through radio and TV reports they learn that radiation from outer space is thought to be responsible for the wave of zombie attacks all over the eastern United States. Once the humans are trapped, Romero shifts the focus to the internal feuding between them as they decide how to handle their dreadful situation. What unfolds is an examination of human nature, and of the fear and selfishness that keep many citizens from getting involved in the world's problems. Appropriately, both the zombies and the authorities who later hunt them are equally soulless. This film could also be read as a criticism of white males--it is not merely a coincidence that the film's two most rational, constructive characters are a woman and a black man. It is also no coincidence that the sequel takes place in a mall infested by the undead--a perfect analogy for consumer culture. --Bryan Reeseman
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Comments for Night of the Living Dead (Millennium Edition)
- Posted on 2008-06-05
Real Horror
If you are looking for an interesting, original horror movie this is the one for you. This is not your typical movie at all.
There are no stars and Duane Jones (Ben) is the only substantial character (other than catatonic Barbara played by Judith O'Dea). It was shot on a shoestring budget (estimated at a little over $100,000) around Pittsburgh, PA.
The movie starts swiftly and emerges the audience without any warning into a nightmarish world. The quick pace of the film makes it easy to watch, and the intensity of it all--gripping the edge of your seat to see what happens next--totally captivates.
This movie is truly enjoyable. In the original black and white, it is an eerie film, not gory or gruesome. It is terrifying.
This edition also comes with the colorized version, which is not bad, but just strange (some colors are so vibrant and intense it shifts the mood of the scene, meanwhile other colors are paled or grayed and actually enhance the feeling of the scene). Watch it in black and white first, and then try it in color.
Either way, this film is a must see for horror fans.
One of my personal favorites!
Score: 5
- Posted on 2008-05-26
THE CLASSIC THAT STARTED IT ALL
This is the classic that started the whole flesh eating zombie genre , this is a good start to a new genre , this is the best edition dvd you can find , great acting for unknown actors , highly recommended.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-05-25
Formerly the definitive dvd version of NOTLD
This was the definitive version of NOTLD to own until the 40th anniversary came along. Night of the Living Dead 40th Anniv.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-05-18
Oldie and still a goodie... But in color!
NOTLD is the beginning of my favorite zombie franchise. I can watch Romero's trilogy all day everyday. I love classic old school horror films. They seperate real horror from alot of the trash we get today. These older films utilize the atmosphere and character reactions to set the tone for the film. Instead of relying on shock value and obsessive gore which runs rampant in todays lackluster horror market. I need a story with some solid acting. And this film does it for me.
I really enjoy the atmosphere setting the scary mood for the film. The situation itself and the characters disbelief of what is going on adds to the fright. If you have a thing for old style horror and never seen this. Then I recommend checking this out. This film was excellent for its time but may not appeal to todays fans. If you plan on coming into this to see bionic, running zombies that scale walls. Then you should skip this.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-03-04
A Great Social Commentary of the Late 1960's, without the Complexities of the Counterculture
This movie is just great. To clarify my title, Here we have young Romero and Russo, slightly older than your typical counterculture representative. In an arguable statement, I believe they dodged the "We are going to change the world" mentality of the late 60's and brought us a bare bones, practical, albeit entertaining, depiction of what was going on in the US and other parts of the world. That's getting deep. On the surface, we have the redefining of a genre (horror), monster/creature (zombies) and the impact that movies could have on you in general (forcing you to look over your shoulder when your alone in the dark, for the rest of your life). The Night of the Living Dead is not particularly scary, though, I admit, I watched this grainy version of the movie with shoddy sound during the day. Not to mention the blinds were wide open. But 'tis how I watch most horror movies. I am a wuss. Nonetheless, I can only imagine, that this movie was incredibly scary for its time. Kudos to the Romero/Russo vehicle. And kudos to Duane Jones, playing one of the first portrayals of a black man/person as a human being.
Score: 4