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Conceived by director George A. Romero and writer John Russo, who together sought to create a horror film that combined social commentary with an engaging plot, Night Of The Living Dead was partly inspired by the novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Drawing on the book and their own experiences and observations of contemporary society, Romero and Russo crafted a script that would become one of the most influential horror films of all time. Not only was it the first zombie movie, it was the start of a great trilogy of Romero zombie films, including Dawn Of The Dead (1978) and Day Of The Dead (1985). I'm no horror buff – like heavy metal music, it's a genre I often find dull and perverse (and real life can be scary enough) – but this film's influence on cinematic history cannot be ignored.
One of the film's noteworthy features is its independent production and low budget, demonstrating that scary and compelling stories could be told without the backing of major studios. The film begins with siblings Barbra and Johnny visiting their father's grave in a rural Pennsylvania cemetery. They are suddenly attacked by a reanimated corpse, which kills Johnny and chases Barbra. She flees to a nearby farmhouse, where she meets Ben, a resourceful man trying to survive the zombie outbreak. Over the course of the night, they are joined by other survivors, including a young couple, Tom and Judy, and a family of three, Harry, Helen and their injured daughter Karen. Throughout the night, the group fends off waves of attacks from the reanimated corpses (or "ghouls"). As the film progresses, the situation becomes increasingly dire, and the film concludes with a bleak and haunting ending, as the last surviving character is mistaken for a zombie and killed by a group of armed men.
As well as being an edge of the seat horror flick, Night Of The Living Dead also explores various themes, including societal breakdown, racial prejudice and the human capacity for cruelty. The film's portrayal of the zombie apocalypse serves as a metaphor for societal collapse, highlighting an inability for people to work together and communicate effectively in the face of an existential threat. Additionally, the film touches on racial tension, as Ben (played by Duane Jones), an African-American man, is arguably the most competent and proactive character, yet he is often met with resistance from the other survivors. At the time, it was rare for a black actor to be cast in a leading role, especially in a horror film.
Also groundbreaking is the film's portrayal of zombies, which are often shot in the style of German expressionism but are completely unique in terms of their behaviour. Prior to Night Of The Living Dead, zombies were typically depicted on screen as victims of voodoo curses or supernatural phenomena. Romero's film redefined the concept of zombies as reanimated corpses driven by a primal hunger for human flesh, a concept that has since become a staple of the horror genre. Romero's concept of zombies has also become a cultural touchstone, inspiring numerous books, TV shows and video games.
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