marcus_stokes2000

(2013-05-17 07:36:49)

They're dead, and they're STILL coming...

How to define this movie if not one of the best of all time? From thecreepy placidity of the opening credits to the eerie freeze-frameending in which the hero is burned next to (did I see right?) the firstvictim, Johnny, and the first 'Living Dead' we see, this movie has itall. Everybody and their sexual fetish know that in horror, it's betterto suggest than to show, and NOTLD builds and builds and builds onthis, with moments that take the action to another different place, Iam talking about the scenes in which the survivors are watching thenews; it creeps you out even more, because, as said in one of the twoother movies of the trilogy, 'It's everywhere.' The characters may seemstereotypical, but at a closer look, they develop, particularly Barbarain her last minutes, where she dives into danger to save Helen, if onlyfor a few seconds, and then meeting an untimely, sad and shocking end(off-screen) at the hands of her own brother.Anyway, to anyone who boos this movie, I say, watch it once, and tellme if you don't feel like you ARE in it.

Matthew Ignoffo

(2013-05-17 03:02:49)

Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun

This is the classic cult ghoul film. Some people have speculated whether thefilm has some sort of social message about nuclear paranoia, civil rights,or the threat of communism. It may have any or all of those ideas drivingit, but the film is also an exercise in horror which displays the range ofhuman psychological reactions toward horrifying events -- from Ben who keepshis cool throughout, to Mr. Cooper who is ready to surrender other people'slives to save his own, to Barbra who is in shock through most of thefilm.The ending is indeed ironic, and the film is one of the great horrorclassics because of the ending. Made on a low budget, the film is probablyall the better for the lack of funds, especially in contrast to the bloatedFX monstrosities we get lately.See it, have fun, and be afraid -- very afraid. Why? Because they're comingto get you.

revival05

(2013-05-12 15:21:49)

Here comes the guy who don't worship this movie...

I've been waiting a bit too much for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. All the time,I've wondered and thought how it would be, what was going to happen. No realexpectations, but I still was a bit over-excited when I started the movie.The opening scene was great! I was just waiting for a zombie to pop up, butit came in one hell of another way! The rest of the movie is, I'm afraid,decent. It's not a horror-masterpiece. Sure, it's an important film to thegenre, and it's also very cult concidering Romero's popular sequels DAWN OFTHE DEAD and DAY OF THE DEAD. My rating would be a lot higher if it wasn't for the script. The dialoguesare toasted. The acting is ok, and almost every character is disturbing. Theonly thing George counts on as entertainment, is zombies. But since thezombies looks more like ordernal people (and moves like one), it doesn't getmuch more than a decent film. And the ending is maybe one of the most stupid endings in a movie ever. 6/10

vildehumberset

(2013-05-12 02:23:01)

No blood at all as I recall

Well, I bought this film because I'm a huge zombie-fan, and thoughtthat I should see one of the real early classics of this genre. But youknow, it's like wanting to watch a film for the special effects, andchoose "the classic" from the 30's or something. The problem is indeedthat this film isn't scary or anything at all. The dead people lookslike alive humans, really, and it isn't scary, maybe only in thebeginning. I would recommend someone that is into zombies to watch this, but don'texpect to feel involved. I didn't feel for the characters and didn'tget into the mood, like I easily do in many films. The only positive thing I can think of is that one of the characters isblack, that's good for a film this old. Other than that, Zombiefilmshave absolutely gotten much better with time. Especially for someonelike me who loves the splattering of blood and scary-looking deadpeople. "Night of the Living Dead" definitely don't give us that. Noblood at all, as I recall, actually.

Alyssa Mollica

(2013-05-05 05:11:09)

Night of the Living Dead

George A. Romero's 1968 cult classic 'Night of the Living Dead' couldarguably be one of the most revolutionary horror films of its time. Itmay not have been the first zombie film ever made but it's the firstone that actually made an impact on popular culture. On the surface,'Night of the Living Dead' seems to be a run of the mill horror movieabout a group of people hiding out in a farmhouse from these flesheating beings that have been reanimated from the dead. What's sointeresting about this film is its many satirical comments on Americanculture during the the late 1960's - criticizing society for itsracism, its involvement in the Vietnam war, and a general attitudetowards women.George A. Romero chose Duane Jones to play the African- American heroof the film, which up until then was rarely heard of, only to have himgunned down in the very end of the film just as he thinks he is finallysaved and everything will return to normal. It's supposed to remind theviewer of all the powerful black males in history that have stood up totheir oppressors and revolted against the norms of society only to beassassinated by those who did not agree with their views and beliefs.The zombies in the film are playing the same role the Vietnamese playedin the Vietnam war. They seem to be everywhere and stop at nothing totake over everything in their path. The few humans that are left andtrying to survive are the soldiers who were over in Vietnam during thewar: they're trapped, they have little resources and have nowhere torun because the enemy they are running from are covering the entirearea.The women in this film are treated as fragile and useless in thesituation they are facing. Barbra, portrayed brilliantly by JudithO'Dea begins the film terrified and running from the zombies, only tocontinue throughout the film helping out in no way possible. She sitson the couch in shock and rarely responds or has any input to thestoryline. The only time she ever gets up and takes action is at theend - at which point she is absolutely no help, getting herself takenaway (and presumably eaten). Portraying Barbra as silent and unable tohelp because of her mental state of shock only pointed out how Americaat the time (and to an extent still does) treat its women as helplessand powerless.What is so appealing about this film is its ability to have all ofthese powerful, underlying themes while simultaneously coming off as ameaningless Friday night "Let's go to the drive-in!" B-horror movies ofthe 1960's. It has the ability to let you just sit down and enjoy itwithout having to think too heavily about its themes and context. It'sa film that can be enjoyed and appreciated by both the brainlessteenagers of America and the most analytical of film critics.

Trevor

(2013-05-04 11:40:54)

I'm preparing to give you a frank and honest opinion of this movie.

OK, so one day in 1968, George Romero makes what can only be described asthe best horror film ever made. 30 years later, the crew who succeeded ingetting nowhere try to remake a few tit bits in the vain hope that theycanpull in a bit more cash off Romero's back. In the process they manage tototally betray and ruin Romero's apocalyptic vision, and totally take awaythe dry satire of a world gone mad. NOTLD was never about zombies to me,itwas always about the ineptitude of the human race and their inability todeal with a common enemy, instead using each other as scapgoats. Well thisversion is about zombies. The tacked on scenes stick out like "well idon'tknow what" (to quote one of the less moronic statements from the newcharacters) and the acting is simply atrocious. The directing of the newscenes not only gets undermimed by the original film, but totally shown upby it. You would have thought that 30 years down the line they would havelearnt how to string a few infantile shots together and at the same timebeable to deliver a line without sounding like they are improvising. But no!While Romero himself went off to create the most amazingly intelligentfilms, these people, obviously stuck in the past, run back to their oldfranchise just to be embarrassed by Romero's footage in spectacularfashion.The new music has, to me, turned the film into a 90's slasher flick, notmaking it eerie, but rather cheesy and sad. The seemingly silent cinemastory telling of the original has been insulted with a bizarre arse-festofcheap keyboard effects. Even more insulting, was the supposed "longawaitedsequel" that Russo financed off the back of this film, completely ignoringRomero's Dead trilogy and trying to claim it as his own! If I was Romero,I'd slap him down like the girl he is.

Dave Evans

(2013-04-01 09:46:36)

Classic horror

Despite being a bit of a horror fan, I only saw this recently. The firstthing I thought afterwards was that I wish I had seen it earlier - this isone awesome film from a master of suspenseful horror. Certain people I'vewatched it with find it a little slow moving in places but I think thatthisjust adds to the film, building tension but also creating a feeling ofrealism. The characters are amongst the most 'real' I've seen in anygenre,never mind horror, and the ending is superb. I can't think of any reasonforpeople to dislike this, as it really has no flaws.

(2013-03-31 20:07:42)

It's a great addition to a classic

I loved the Night of the Living Dead 30th Anniversary Edition! The new footage is cool and well done. Another great addition to my Night of the Living Dead collection!

(2013-03-30 04:52:57)

These reviews below refer to another video

The reviews below this refer to the Night of the Living Dead 30th Anniversary Edition video, not the EXCELLENT Night of the Living Dead Special Collector's Edition DVD. Disregard the below reviews, the Collector's Edition is exactly what the description and reviews entail.

Tin Man-5

(2013-03-29 22:49:56)

"The head...you gotta get 'em in the head...."

Zombies have always have an odd effect on me. Vampires, werewolves, andFrankenstein never scared me, but there is something about zombies thatalways sends me cringing in fear. Maybe it's the fact that they'reeverywhere...where ever you turn, there they are, ready to devour you, andafter they eat you alive, you get up and become one of them. And maybeit'sthe fact that they're so slow...vampires you never see coming.Frankenstein(in the original book) was fast and cunning. But zombies are slow, and youwatch them gather around you and there's nothing you can do about it. Ormaybe it's the fact that they're still decaying, even though they're afteryou and they look at least a little alive.Regardless, zombies always make me shudder with fear. And this is the filmthat started it all. This was the film that showed zombies as what theyareconsidered now: flesh-eating and unable to be killed unless shot in thehead. In the history of horror films, there were four famous and classiczombie movies: this one, it's two sequels, "Dawn of the Dead" and "Day ofthe Dead," and 1980's "Zombie." However, of the other two, none of themwereas influential as this one. Telling the story of seven diverse peopletrapped in a farmhouse as the dead gather around them outside, it soonpresents what the viewer already knows: they're worst enemies are eachother! One is African American, and there's a racist man against him. Onehas been bitten by a zombie and is slowly transforming. One is avegetable....having seen her brother attacked by a zombie and freaked out.Then there's the strong-willed mother and the two, star-crossed lovers.Allin all, they're a motely group, and each of them stand for somethingdifferent in this film, whether it be ignorance, innocence, heroism, orimmense evil.This film was ahead of its time, both socially and gore-wise. It lauchedthepopularity of B-movies...never has a low-budget film so successful. Astrange, cult-gathering has arisen from this film, but that's hardlysurprising. It is a classic, and maybe the greatest horror film of alltime.With its nasty zombie makeup, the who-will-survive plot, and an especiallytwisted ending, it is not to be missed. Without a doubt, it is one ofGeorgeRomero's finest!There was a remake in 1990 with a little more ideas introduced and astronger cast (though the cast here is still good), though it wasn'tnearlyas good, which is odd because of its large budget and gross-out effects.Lowbudget and cheap just sometimes works better for certain films...giving itan especially creepy atmosphere (just another thing this film proved thatlater films tried to mimic).

nmp381

(2013-03-19 11:20:40)

Classic at its best.

Night is truly is a disturbing almost claustrophobic feeling to itself.Simple story of a group of people who are abandoned and isolated in afarmhouse and must fight off a pending group of zombies. The whole scriptand acting is very believable and well done. The opening of the film is justincredible and sets up the rest of the film wonderfully. But because thecinematography was so poor the movie hasn't dated well, but nonetheless amust see classic.

Bleeding-Skull

(2013-03-19 05:34:15)

* * * * * * * * * out of 10

This landmark 1968 horror-shocker is a great example of what can bedone with a limited budget, a simple idea, and some dedicated andtalented participants. Very nicely shot, mostly well acted, NOTLD grabsyour attention from the very beginning to the very end - and what aclassic end it is.The story begins with Barbara (Judith O'Dea) and her brother visitingthe grave of a friend of their mother, and takes off almostimmediately, as they are attacked by a horde of cannibalistic zombies.Narrowly escaping, but losing her emotional balance in the process,Barbara escapes to a house a bit farther down the road where she meetsBen (Duane Jones), the hero of the film. They discover a family with asick little girl and a young couple in the basement of the house andthey all get to work barricading themselves in and preparing weaponsand other defenses. The rest of the story concerns the group dynamicsbetween these survivors as the dead close in on their refuge, the storyof what is going on in the rest of the USA - revealed through TVreportage and radio broadcasts, and sheer survival. The human side ofthis film is an interesting and accurate character study concerningwhat happens to people whose very lives are threatened.The horror of this film is, unlike a lot of its recent descendants,less a matter of blood and gore than a matter of the real active horrorof realistically depicted scenes of murder, death and cannibalism.Though the black and white footage involving blood and gore iscertainly effective, there may not be quite enough of it for today'saverage horror fan. The photographic techniques of this film areinnovative and powerful - showing just enough of the sheer hideousnessof the film's basic concepts to disturb viewers, but not enough toallow them to detach from the film's protagonists.I strongly recommend this film to anybody interested in the art of filmmaking, and to those who enjoy the horror genre, though it is hard toimagine any serious horror fan who hasn't already seen this.Rated PG for Violence and Partial Nudity.

annabanana52000

(2013-02-28 02:59:32)

A group of different people take shelter in a house during a full scale Zombie Attack.

This movie marked the start of the more modern horror movie. It wasmade on a meager budget and still shone better than the 100+ milliondollar movies made today. The entire movie has a very foreboding,melancholy feeling to it. Immediately, at the start of the movie,there's a mood and feeling to the movie that makes you think thatsomething is just not right. Duane Jones in the lead at Ben isbrilliant, brave, and still human (in a literal as well as metaphoricalway). This movie, often called a "cult classic", deserves a title ofBest Zombie Movie Ever! George Romero, the writer and director, is agenius, and the movie is sure to send shivers up your zombie-fearingspine.

Atavisten

(2013-02-27 11:47:28)

Very low budget movie this and a good one

Most of the movie is about the psychology and drama between Cooper andBen, which can be a bit dragging with its (mostly) stereotypicalcharacters and its not going much anywhere, quite like the living deadwhich are quite literally just 'hanging there' outside. But hang on inthere, it picks up! Interesting to note that this probably is the firstAmerican movie where an afroamerican is the 'hero' and takes theposition of leader of the pack. He is also the driving force of themovie. Not too sympathetic, but always up and about even if a bitunstructured, he fights stubbornness and prejudice.The music gets too dramatic and typical for its time sometimes, butalso it has some fine eerie moments. Also eerie is the openingsequence. There are elements of comedy apart from the at best funnydialogue, pay attention to the living dead! Recommended if you like thecomedy of camp and an untypical story. It gets just about as gory as Ican handle as well.

harry-76

(2013-02-05 14:53:42)

Horror Film Classic

It was interesting to view in 2000 for the first time, the George A.Romero1968 original black and white, "Night of the Living Dead." While notbeinga horror film fan per se, I was nonetheless impressed with the widespectrumof quality footage in the production. It ranged from awkward and mediocreto outstanding and brilliant. These varied bits could appear in a singlescene, without warning. Further, the plot's devices could not all be heldupto close scrutiny.Responses to this film will no doubt vary as widely, depending on how theproceedings "grab" one. I can see New York Times critic Bosley Crowther'soriginal points, being mostly "turned off" by the often amateurish "ring"tothe presentation. Coming at a time when it did, who could have forseenthisbecoming a "landmark, seminal" production, "re-defining" the horror genre,and becoming a revered "cult classic" lasting into the 21stcentury?Yet for "Night" to claim these things, it has to really have somethinggoing for it, and it does: some creepy effects, genuine jolts, suspensefulmoments, and horror shocks. The leading actor, the late Duane Jones, hadsome talent, good looks, and a fairly natural way with lines. Since he'son-screen most of the time, it's up to him to provide stabiliy to theproceedings. Although he seems to lack a little acting experience (as doesthe rest of the cast) what he does do is to provide the "glue" to Romero'suneven structure, anchoring it pretty solidly.A genuine plus for the film is an excellent sound track, brilliantlyconceived and executed: a superior blend of human, instrumental, andnaturalsound effects -- wrapped together with a fine score. Much of the editingislikewise on a high level, and the photography, while reportedly grainy insome prints, also has the reputation for high-tech fidelity in remasteredversions.The film's conclusion is history-making for the genre in particular anddrama in general. Romero seems to be making more of a significantstatementthan might meet readily the eye. It's a work which can be deciphered manydifferent ways, and its stark black and white photograhy assist in makingthis portrait a tabula rasa to which one can bring one's own horrificinterpretation.Anyone for a stroll in the cemetary?

(2013-02-05 03:00:05)

The original,all-time horror classic in great DVD transfer!

George Romero's 1968 masterpiece "Night Of The Living Dead" set high standards for the horror films that soon followed from TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE to HALLOWEEN to FRIDAY THE 13th,NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET,etc.This review refers to the DVD release released by Front Row Entertainment and not the shoddy Madacy version.Front Row's version of this classic has absolute great picture and sound and also includes an excellent profile on the film's director,George Romero with an entire list of Romero's filmography.No video artifacts,and distractions whatsoever on this release which makes this a must-have (at only $5.99 at Walgreen's where I bought this from!).Turn out the lights,cover up in your favorite blanket and get ready for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!!!!

JRCproductions

(2013-01-28 23:48:19)

Greatest Horror Film

"Night of the Living Dead" to me is considered the greatest horror filmof all time.Horror in the dictionary say this: an overwhelming and painful feelingcaused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting.I feel that this low-budget film is everything that horror is. Picturethis... You are closed off in a house with the "undead" surrounding theplace. That is the basis for the film "Night of the Living Dead" Theacting is great too. These are not huge actors at all. Its like Romerojust grabbed random people of the street to make them act in the film.It makes it very realistic.The black and white gives the film a chilling look and adds to thehorror. I recommend this film to everyone over the age of 13. It is notas violent as your typical horror film. It looks like a classic 30'sfilm! The subject matter is the only thing that makes this moviequestionable to younger viewers.I Hope this movie continues to stand the test of time. It is as tragicas it is great.

(2013-01-28 20:18:56)

Night of the Living Blasphemy.....

This is one of my all time favorite movies.I hafto say that the scenes with the new zombies blended well but the new scenes with live people sucked.I dont see why they had to desecrate this movie like this.I bought it because I'm a collector of all things Living Dead series.If you arent a collector and you're just looking for a good version of Night this is not it.Try the 25th Anniversary version instead.It's awesome!!

Gareth Freeman

(2013-01-18 17:40:35)

I was so bored i trimmed my toe nails instead

I'm a huge horror fan and waited so long to see this film, supposedlyone of the best horror films ever made, which was the biggest let downever. The majority of the characters are pathetic in almost everysense, was I the only person who really just wanted to smack Barbara?The only good part was when the girl Killed her parents, I was rootingfor her to dispose of the rest of them. Admitted the film was probablyahead of its time and was a first for many, but like the Exorcist andBlair Witch, why does it scare people? Why did people run from cinemasscreaming their heads off, really do some people really have no life?,can't they make the distinction between film and reality?

Rattrap007

(2013-01-18 04:45:39)

Avoid at all costs

I checked this film out at the local library a while back. I had seen theoriginal and thought it was excellent. What they hell were they thinkingwhen they made this?? The new scenes are horrid and unavoidable! I've seenbetter acting in middle school plays than in this film. Basically theywanted to add scenes that some of the characters talked about, but it justdoesn't work and is totally unessisary. The preacher is the worst of thebunch.Avoid this film. Either watch the original, the remake, Dawn or Day of theDead, Return of the living Dead 1 or 2, or watch the silly little parodyNight of the Living Bread. But do not watch this.Original: A This 'vision' of the film: D-