****
Director: George A. Romero
Cast: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley, Kyra Schon, Charles Craig
Despite its initial impression of being a comedically, low-budget horror flick, the original Night of the Living Dead packs a decent punch, even without its "horror classic" appeal. A sister and brother mourn the death of their mother at a cemetery-- when the brother goes missing after trying to scare his sister, things escalate. Before long, Barbara finds herself trapped in an old farm house with a group of strangers, all trying to survive against a mob of the risen dead. It seems these zombies have a taste for human flesh, and according to the radio, the entire nation seems to be under attack.
Although delightfully tacky, this film does still have its moments of gruesome horror and suspense. For its time, this film was one of the crudest ever produced... with animal organs used as the zombie's edible props. Even though I am not a fan of the horror genre, I do have a love for this film. It is engrained in me after all of the cultural allusions that have developed as a result. In addition, I happen to know it was also filmed in an old cemetery very close to my high school in my hometown. Brownie points.
