Night of the Living Dead | October 1, 1968

Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, with the screenplay written by Romero and John Russo. Produced by Russell Streiner and Karl Hardman, it stars Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The story follows seven people trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse as they are attacked by reanimated corpses. The flesh-eating monsters in the film are called "ghouls," but it is credited with popularizing the modern depiction of zombies in popular culture.

Romero, Russo, and Streiner, after gaining experience through producing television commercials, industrial films, and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood segments under their production company, The Latent Image, decided to create a horror film to capitalize on their interest in the genre. Their script was primarily inspired by Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend. Principal photography was conducted primarily in Evans City, Pennsylvania, from July 1967 to January 1968. Romero used guerrilla filmmaking techniques honed in commercial and industrial work to complete the film on a budget of approximately $100,000. Unable to find a suitable set, the crew rented an abandoned farmhouse to be destroyed during filming.

Night of the Living Dead premiered in Pittsburgh on October 1, 1968. The film earned $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally, making it one of the most profitable films of its time with over 250 times its production budget in revenue. Its graphic violence and gore, coming just before the American film industry's rating system was adopted, were groundbreaking, leading to controversy and negative reviews. However, it ultimately received acclaim from cult followers and critics, appearing on lists of the greatest and most influential films by publications such as Empire, The New York Times, and Total Film. Retrospective academic analyses, often citing it as a milestone in the horror genre, focus on its reflection of social and cultural changes in 1960s America, notably casting Duane Jones, an African American, in the lead role. In 1999, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Night of the Living Dead spawned a successful franchise with five sequels released between 1978 and 2009, all directed by Romero. The film's mislabeling upon release led to it entering the public domain, resulting in numerous adaptations and remakes and leaving a lasting legacy in the horror genre. An official remake, written by Romero and directed by Tom Savini, was released in 1990.

Night of the Living Dead

Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes 53 seconds. Subtitles are provided. Reference: Night of the Living Dead (Full Movie)

Siblings Barbra and Johnny drive to a cemetery in rural Pennsylvania to visit their father's grave, but a pale man in old clothes kills Johnny and attacks Barbra. She flees to a nearby farmhouse and discovers a partially devoured corpse on the stairs. Soon, a horde of ghouls surrounds the house, and an outsider, Ben, arrives, initially mistaking Barbra for the homeowner. After driving off a few ghouls, he boards up the windows and doors with wooden planks. While searching the house for supplies, he discovers a lever-action rifle.

Barbra, now nearly in a state of shock, is surprised to see that others have already made a refuge in the basement of the house. Harry, his wife Helen, and their young daughter Karen fled to the farmhouse after the same ghoul horde overturned their car and bit Karen's arm, leaving her gravely ill. A couple, Tom and Judy, set up refuge after hearing emergency broadcasts about a series of brutal murders. Tom and Ben protect the farm while Harry protests that the surface is unsafe, preferring to stay in the basement. The ghouls increasingly surround the farm.

The refugees listen to radio and television reports about an army of flesh-eating corpses committing mass murders on the East Coast and armed men patrolling the countryside to eliminate the living dead. According to the reports, ghouls can be killed by a severe head wound, a bullet to the brain, or fire. Various rescue centers offer refuge and safety, and scientists theorize that radiation from a returning Venus probe is the cause of the reanimation.