den_inte_dod's Full Review: Night of the Living Dead
There's nothing better these days than to just sit back lazily and watch a few classic horror flicks. Well, when most people think of "classic" horror films, they think of movies such as The Exorcist, Phantom of the Opera, and of course, Night of the Living Dead. All of these movies have elements that a true horror movie should have, such as suspense, an evil side, and if necessary, gore.
Obviously, it isn't a priority to have gore in movies for them to be scary, but N.O.T.L.D. has that sort of stuff at the right times. Anyways, many movies of the "horror" genre today aren't even scary, but director George A. Romero did a good job of making this movie one of the greatest horror flicks of all time.
So the story of the movie is similar to this...One day, it seemed as if radiation fallout from an aborted rocket launch turns cadavers into mindless zombies. They happen to seek human flesh, and they won't stop until they get some. So, Barbra (who is played by Judith O'Dea) and Johnny have a long drive to the graveyard, for their mother requested that they put a cross on their dad's grave. Suddenly, they spot an odd looking man, who staggers toward them slowly. It begins to thunder, and before long, it gets darker. The man attacks Barbra, grabbing her with a good grip.
However, Johnny attempts to save his sister by fighting back at the zombie. Before he could take any more actions, Johnny is killed by the corpse, and Barbra flees to a deserted home, hoping for safety from the zombies. There is a wonderful use of eerie horror music at the perfect times in the movie, which raises the heartbeats of many. One of the best things about this movie is how the corpses walk...So slowly, yet so desperate to reach their destination: human flesh.
Before long, Barbra discovers human victims that have already been attacked in that house. A man (who is played by Duane Jones) arrives at the house, and he helps Barbra out, as far as trying to keep the house sturdy enough so that the zombies cannot enter. Well, you could've probably guessed that the corpses find their way end the house later on, but for now, they think they're safe as is. The man learns that the corpses are afraid of fire, so he uses that as an advantage by lighting various objects on fire and throwing them outside where the zombies lurk.
Another thing that makes me chuckle throughout the movie is how the people refer to the zombies as "those things". The man and Barbra begin to share stories about what happened to them, and what they seen from this event. They resort to a television for finding out about how to get to the nearest shelter so that they would be safe. However, it is extremely difficult for them to all agree about leaving the house, and when they do, they must hurry.
The two people find that there have been more people in the house, except they were in the cellar. The claim that they should stay in the cellar, for the zombies couldn't find them down there. However, the people who refuse to go down in the cellar, say that if they went in the cellar, they'd have no way out if by chance the corpses did find them. The newscasters on the television that they are relying on, explain that people who have recently died have been returning to life and "partially devouring" human victims.
When they learn about ways that they can destroy the ghouls, they say that if you kill the brain, you kill the ghoul. Well, a lad and his girlfriend make their feeble attempt to get their way to a shelter, which wasn't a good choice. They end up getting in the pickup and it catches on fire, so they try to escape from the flaming vehicle. The man's girlfriend takes too long getting out of the pickup, and it eventually explodes. Then there is the whole controversy about whose fault it was that they died.
The people who were selected to be the zombies did an incredible job, and it really seemed as if they were real corpses. Their facial expressions are so dull and priceless, with their blank stares and rotted flesh. Although the fake-looking punches looked sort of lame, that was the best they could do around that time, and they make up for it by acting very well. The actors seem as if they are really in the situation, and the way they say their lines is very professional.
At the end of the movie, Ben (the man who entered the house with Barbra) survives the mass murders that occurred during the previous night, but the people who are hunting for the zombies mistake him for a zombie and shoot him. The officers gather all of the corpses that they have shot in a pile, and burn them all with a torch, which is a very interesting way to end the movie.
It makes it seem like there would be a sequel, but of course, anybody could just go watch some more movies of George A. Romero's "undead" trilogy. If you want to watch a true classic horror movie that is one of the best out there, spare some of your cash for George's very popular flick, Night of the Living Dead.
STARRING:
Judith O' Dea
Duane Jones
Marilyn Eastman
Karl Hardman
Judith Ridley
Keith Wayne
Product DetailsOriginal Title:Night of the Living Dead (Uncut Version)Actors: Duane Jones - Judith O'Dea - Judith Ridley - Karl Hardman - Keith Wayne...More at iNetVideo.com
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