Night of the Living Dead (1968) (NR)

Oft-copied zombie classic. Still intense and gory.

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Common Sense rates it
4
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: No Studio
  • Directed By: George A. Romero
  • Cast: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman
  • Running Time: 90 minutes
  • Release Date: 01/10/1968
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 05/19/2008
  • Genre: Horror
  • MPAA Rating: NR

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this was once considered the ultimate in gruesome horror, with its ghastly premise of armies of undead "ghouls" devouring and infecting the living. One of the zombies is a little girl who ends up killing her parents. The movie is claustrophobic and intense, with one of the most famously pessimistic endings in movie history. Though later cannibal-zombie movies pushed gore-makeup effects to extremes, this one is relatively restrained -- except for the Anchor Bay "Anniversary" edition that adds more severe carnage that was filmed later and edited in (along with the character of a nasty priest).

Families can talk about the mistake the survivors make in their defense strategy against the ghouls; their self-interest and egotism divides them (the zombies, on the other hand, have no such problems). You can also discuss with movie-buff kids why this was such a success on the horror market. Do you think it was because a premise this frightful had never been brought to the screen before? Or was it skillful filmmaking? What examples do you see in today's horror movies of filmmakers pushing the envelope? Do you believe (like some critics) that the movie is trying to make a social point? Or do you agree with the filmmakers, that it's just a scary movie?

Message

Social Behavior:

Though the actors and filmmakers denied a sociopolitical agenda behind their horror show, there's a strong vibe here of organized civilization breaking down. The non-cooperation and selfish rivalries among the few survivors in the barricaded house causes more casualties. The positive portrayal of a strong, take-charge African-American lead was way ahead of its time -- too bad not many viewers noticed, amidst the chills.

Consumerism:

At least these flesh-eating zombies don't sell out.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

The ghouls can only be stopped, infamously, by being shot in the brain or beaten severely around the head. Others are set on fire. There is biting, dismemberment, and cannibalism. Often it's more suggested than shown (the sequels and imitations didn't hold anything back), but the "Anniversary Edition" adds some serious gore. Some fistfights and gunshots among the living.

Sex

Language

No problem, surprisingly.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Charles Cassady, Jr.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD begins when a young woman and her brother are attacked in a cemetery by a zombie, then moves to a group of strangers seeking shelter from the ghouls in a remote house. Barricaded inside, they see TV bulletins linking the zombie plague to "radiation" from a Venus space probe contaminating the environment, and they hear the only way to stop a ghoul is to destroy the brain, with a well-aimed bullet or cranial blows. The panicked survivors split into two factions, a family called the Coopers, who want to stay barricaded indoors and wait for help, and a more pro-active bunch, led by Ben (Duane Jones), an assertive black man, who plan a dash to safety, despite the ghouls massing relentlessly in the dark outside. A famously shocking finale indicates that neither of their plans works out.

Is it any good?

4
George A. Romero’s cult classic brought a virtually unprecedented level of realistic gore and disturbing grotesquerie to creature-feature fans (many of them children). When it premiered in 1968, critics and commentators were outraged kids had been exposed to such a nightmare. Though it's unrated by the MPAA, some posters and ads carried an "X" rating (for gruesome violence, not sex), and that should tell you something. It's still intense today, and pushes a lot of buttons, with its well-rendered camera angles, effective jolts, claustrophobia, and the fate-worse-than-death zombie vibe.

Beware: The film is in the public domain, which means there are lots of fuzzy-looking, technically inferior copies on the market, computer-"colorized" versions, and spoof editions with completely dubbed-in gag dialogue (even with a bad-joke soundtrack, the imagery is still disturbing).

Other choices

28 Days Later

Shaun of the Dead

White Zombie
I Walked with a Zombie
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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 8 reviews.

4


Posted on 06/22/08 by demonspawnmom Adult contributor

Many imitators, no equals.

This movie was one of the first horror movies to cast a black man as an intelligent, articulate character instead of a stereotype. The final scenes of the movie are still shocking and effective. On the whole, this is a well-acted movie, but it's too intense for children.
4


Posted on 05/31/08 by jacobmurphy Kid contributor, age 12
4

Posted on 05/25/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 17

weird?

very gay trailer.it was on the diary of the dead dvd.it said "Night Of The Living Dead" over 20 f**kin times! it pissed me off.it looks okay though but the trailer is like 3 minutes.it's on demand so i'll check it out sometime
5


Posted on 04/06/08 by childsplay176 Kid contributor, age 16

A great movie, but very graphic

This movie has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. That said, it's not for kids. It has a lot of brutal violence and a very negative ending. I really did enjoy the "Anniversary Edition", and if you are a fan of the original movie, you should check it out. I don't think it deserved a 16+ rating; I would probably give it a 14+.
4


Posted on 12/22/07 by ScaryMovieLover Kid contributor, age 12

Let the kids See it!

I saw it when I was 11. My parents were a little mad, but I think this movie is perfectly aproprite for kids 12 and over! This movie should probably be watched with a perent though.
5


Posted on 11/13/07 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor
4


Posted on 10/26/07 by bubbo Kid contributor, age 14

Night of the Living Dead

The first zombie movie, and still one of the best. Highly entertaining, and for being a low-budget B-movie made almost 40 years ago, has held up really well over time. The ending is still pretty intense. A fun, suspenseful horror classic - but the first sequel, Dawn of the Dead, is even better.
2


Posted on 06/02/07 by damoviecritic Kid contributor, age 14

Over-rated

This is considered one of the classics of horror cinema. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold up. The acting is poor. The zombie effects aren't interesting. It is remarkable that this movie, even in the late 60's was considered shocking with director Herschell Gordon Lewis working to give us such films as, The wizard of Gore, and The Gore Gore Girls. This film has good direction that other shock movies lack, but it also lacks shock value for any modern audience.

See all 8 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 2 reviews.

4


Posted on 06/22/08 by demonspawnmom Adult contributor

Many imitators, no equals.

This movie was one of the first horror movies to cast a black man as an intelligent, articulate character instead of a stereotype. The final scenes of the movie are still shocking and effective. On the whole, this is a well-acted movie, but it's too intense for children.
5


Posted on 11/13/07 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor

Kids Reviews

There are 6 reviews.

4


Posted on 05/31/08 by jacobmurphy Kid contributor, age 12
4

Posted on 05/25/08 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 17

weird?

very gay trailer.it was on the diary of the dead dvd.it said "Night Of The Living Dead" over 20 f**kin times! it pissed me off.it looks okay though but the trailer is like 3 minutes.it's on demand so i'll check it out sometime
5


Posted on 04/06/08 by childsplay176 Kid contributor, age 16

A great movie, but very graphic

This movie has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. That said, it's not for kids. It has a lot of brutal violence and a very negative ending. I really did enjoy the "Anniversary Edition", and if you are a fan of the original movie, you should check it out. I don't think it deserved a 16+ rating; I would probably give it a 14+.
4


Posted on 12/22/07 by ScaryMovieLover Kid contributor, age 12

Let the kids See it!

I saw it when I was 11. My parents were a little mad, but I think this movie is perfectly aproprite for kids 12 and over! This movie should probably be watched with a perent though.
4


Posted on 10/26/07 by bubbo Kid contributor, age 14

Night of the Living Dead

The first zombie movie, and still one of the best. Highly entertaining, and for being a low-budget B-movie made almost 40 years ago, has held up really well over time. The ending is still pretty intense. A fun, suspenseful horror classic - but the first sequel, Dawn of the Dead, is even better.
2


Posted on 06/02/07 by damoviecritic Kid contributor, age 14

Over-rated

This is considered one of the classics of horror cinema. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold up. The acting is poor. The zombie effects aren't interesting. It is remarkable that this movie, even in the late 60's was considered shocking with director Herschell Gordon Lewis working to give us such films as, The wizard of Gore, and The Gore Gore Girls. This film has good direction that other shock movies lack, but it also lacks shock value for any modern audience.
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