Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Review

A car travels down a quiet winding county street before eventually pulling off a turn down a dirt road. The muddled-up sign appears to say Cemetery. Johnny and Barbara (O’Dea) are there to tribute mother. John whines supreme before the radio finally comes back on the air after technical problems. He quickly flips it off.

The pair look for mother’s grave, noting there is no one else around. As John places his cross and flowers, thunder hits well off in the distance. Barb prays. The rumbling grows closer and closer, a sign of impending danger.

Johnny remembers scaring Barbara as a kid, and continues to tease and bug her. Then… a strange man is slowly slumping through the grave stones. Johnny is still teasing his sister when… disaster! This man is dangerous!

So begins Night of the Living Dead, and a worldwide obsession with zombies. While the movie is late 60s and a tad hokey at times, it is also super unsettling and very creepy at times. It has a basic setup which opens up into an okay plot.

While the budget was small, the tale feels claustrophobic and tight, with closeups adding to tension and actors selling their emotions. The disturbing zombies are something to fear as they lurch and scrape towards new victims. Their behavior is erratic and hard to anticipate, and they are unrelenting.

Night of the Living Dead remains a chilling and well-done affair to this day, despite its age and budget constraints. It is well-shot and directed, and the tension is strong. It infuses subtle social commentary throughout its short runtime. Join the fight, and try to stay alive all night. They know we’re in here now!