Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Night of the Living Dead is without a doubt a fantastically innovative film; creating the modern day interpretation of a zombie and forever changing the genre as we know it. There is a lot to like about this film, but unfortunately the limitations of its time hold it back, resulting in a somewhat boring viewing experience. For starters, the story was pretty good. I really enjoyed how the plot focused on a single group of survivors and their thought process as they attempt to deal with the horror and panic of the dead reanimating. There was a tremendous amount of lore delivered via telecommunication broadcasts that I thought added to the movie perfectly. The performances were uneven, some were quite stellar, particularly Duane Jones and Karl Hardman. But Judith O’Dea was quite bad. I’m not sure if it was her performance or the way her character was written but it was just bizarre to see her body language and gestures throughout the film. The beginning chase scene with her was fantastic, with some stellar cinematography. But after that, the way she portrayed shock was laughable. The action in this movie was bad, with punches being all too slow and clunky. I would imagine this movie was quite scary for the time, but with modern day horror constantly elevating, I hardly found myself unnerved. Overall, this movie is Time Capsule for horror and the genre has taken so much from this film throughout the years, but unfortunately it’s legacy far outweighs the entertainment the film brings. Score: 54% | Verdict: Average