Night of the Living Dead

About Night of the Living Dead

Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent horror film directed by George A. Romero. It follows seven people who are trapped in a rural farmhouse in western Pennsylvania, which is besieged by a large and growing group of undead monsters.

Making / Production

The film was produced on a budget of $114,000 and shot outside Pittsburgh, in its metropolitan area, over a period of several weeks in 1967. Critics praised its unexpected take on the horror genre and it was a commercial success, grossing $30 million domestically and $18 million internationally.

Actors

• Judith O'Dea as Barbra - Barbara is paralyzed with terror in the movie, making her performance memorable.
• Russell Streiner as Johnny - Streiner's small but influential role as the wicked brother is quite chilling.
• Duane Jones as Ben - Jones compellingly portrays a man trying to maintain sanity amidst chaos.
• Keith Wayne as Tom - Wayne delightfully takes on the roll of the frightful innocent.
• Judith Ridley as Judy - Ridley added depth to the frightened character, lending her credibility.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This is considered one of the first modern horror films.
• There was no copyright notice on the credits, so the film is in the public domain.
• Initially, the ghouls were going to be vampires.
• "Night of the Living Dead" created the zombie as we know it.
• George A Romero appears in the film as a Washington reporter.

Awards

Despite its low budget and initially negative reception, Night of the Living Dead has been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry, as a film deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Quotes

• "They're coming to get you, Barbara!"
• "We may not enjoy living together, but dying together isn't going to solve anything."
• "Yeah, they're dead. They're...all messed up."

Music, Soundtrack

• The music for Night of the Living Dead is library stock music by production studios Capital, Hi-Q and De Wolfe music.
• Long after its release, Night of the Living Dead’s stock music made appearances in films like “30 Days of Night” and “Quantum of Solace”.
• Despite its lack of an original score, the film’s music greatly contributes to the tense and horrifying atmosphere.