THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

US, 1968, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Duane Jones, Judith O’ Dea.
Directed by George A. Romero.

The Night of the Living Dead was a small-budget film regionally made in America but has become a cult film over the succeeding years. It takes an old Vampire theme and sets in contemporary America. The adoption of old
European issues of the supernatural to the American mid-West is somewhat jolting.

The film is blunt, gory and frightening and successful as a shocking horror film.

The director George A. Romero went from this film of the late sixties to make a series of horror films, growing more sophisticated and admired by devotees of horror films. Most notable of these were The Crazies and another adaptation of the Vampire theme to America (whilst mocking it) was Martin (1976). It had a strong influence on many of the horror and science fiction and disaster films of the seventies.

There were several sequels and remakes of Romero’s Living Dead films – and Romero himself made The Land of the Dead in 2004.

1. The overall horror impact of this film? Why? Many consider it a minor classic. At the time of its release it was heavily criticised for the pornography of violence. What judgment predominates now? Why?

2. The film was made on a small budget by many non-professional people. Is this evident in production, acting? The quality of the black and white photography, sets, the use of musical background?

3. The impact of horror in an American situation? The blend of reality and fantasy? How credible?

4. What is the basic audience reaction to horror? Is enjoyment of this kind of film healthy? Sadistic? Its emphasis on gore, torture and death? Or is the attitude of enjoyment and release healthy?

5. The impact of the credits, the build up In the cemetery, the ordinariness of the situation and the people, the sudden change?

6. What was the audience response to the various people in the house? Interest, sympathy, sharing their terror? The humanity of the people and their interaction amongst one another? Was their behaviour credible in
this kind of siege?

7. How well did the film build up an atmosphere of terror? The use of the rooms, the staircase, the cellar, window and doors, the difference between Inside and outside? The communication of fear? The nature of the siege
by the ‘living dead’? The various camera techniques used for creating and sustaining this atmosphere?

8. Audience response to the ‘living dead’? Visually, the explanation of who they were, the reasons for their living? The ugliness of their menace? The relentlessness of the siege? The ugliness associated with their
devouring human beings?

9. How well did the film show the increase of tension and the greater siege? The deaths within the house? Barbara attacked by her brother? Karen infected and killing her mother? .

10. The besieging of the living dead and the shooting? Was this the only way to resolve the situation?

11. The pessimism and the irony In having Ben, the only survivor, shot by the rescuers?

12. The grim and pessimistic outlook of the film? The atmosphere and horror and relishing of death and cannibalism? The science fiction overtones and the reference to actual settings and situations? A credible horror science fiction film?