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Night Of The Living Dead Movie Review

“They’re coming to get you, Barbra!” - Johnny
Night Of The Living Dead is a 1968 sci-fi horror film directed by George A. Romero, and starring Judith O’Dea, Duane Jones, Karl Hardman, and Keith Wayne.  The film starts with Barbra (O’Dea) and her brother Johnny going to a cemetery to put flowers on their late father’s grave. It is there that they have their first encounter with a zombie.  Johnny falls, hits his head on a gravestone, and dies. Barbra runs back to her car, and makes her way to a farmhouse where she meets Ben (Jones), a strong and kind black man who takes charge of beefing up the security of the house.  There, the two of them meet Harry Cooper, the antagonist of the film, his wife Helen, their sick daughter Karen, and young lovers Tom and Judy. It is then that they realize that they need to work together as a group to survive.
This movie was absolutely revolutionary in that it was really unlike anything anybody had ever seen before at the time.  It was one of the first zombie films to become a staple in pop culture, and one that is seen by many as a film that you absolutely must see at least once before you die.  It was initially faced with massive criticism because the gore in the film was something that was not shown in films back then. Nowadays of course, it all seems somewhat tame compared to violence in other movies, but it soon was recognized as the influential film that it is seen as today.  
The director George A. Romero was from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he shot the film right outside of Pittsburgh at the Evans City Cemetery in Butler County.  There are many mentions of Western PA towns and cities in this film such as Greensburg, McKeesport, and my hometown, Indiana. This is really cool to me because I get to see small towns and cities that I am very familiar with mentioned in a popular film.  It’s really interesting to me that the king of zombie films himself was from the city where I spent the first four and a half years of my life.
I really enjoyed the whole mood of this movie, and I really loved the fact that the film feels both old-fashioned and modern at the same time.  I mean, this movie shaped an entire genre. It’s such an important part of film history, and I think that’s why I liked the movie so much. You can’t help but recognize that this film was the main reason zombie films are so popular today.  It’s also massively inspiring to amateur filmmakers because it proved that you can make a great movie with virtually no budget.
My only issue with the movie is sort of a nitpick.  The acting is a little unconvincing at times, but that’s more a reflection of the times than anything else.  This is very much a B-movie, and it does show. But this is also one of the qualities that makes it so endearing.  I loved this film. It pushed the boundaries of what could be shown in movies, and revolutionized an entire genre of film.  If you haven’t seen Night Of The Living Dead, please give it a chance. If nothing else, you will understand why this movie is such an important piece of our history.
Rating: Not Rated

Grade: A   

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