" Two thumbs up movie,a must for a real horror movie fan..a real classic! "
--- WEBMASTER
Plot:
Beginning innocently enough with two people visiting a cemetery, the film rushes
into fearful territory once the two are attacked by a madman. Only one of them,
Barbara, manages to escape. She finds shelter in farmhouse, where the characters
stay for the remainder of the film. Once a wanderer, Ben, stumbles upon the house
does Barbara discover what is going on: according to Ben, several people have
gone mad and have begun attacking other. These madmen can only be killed from
a blow to the head. Barbara hysterically tells her tale as Ben boards up the house
against the growing number of fiends forming outside. Eventually it is discovered
that five people have been hiding in the cellar, including an ill young girl who was
attacked by one of the maniacs. Tensions grow as the group of people disagree on
the best place to hide. The films focus shifts from the people versus the fiends
to the people versus each other. They decide that to survive, they need to get gas
from a tank located just outside of the farmhouse. This daring attempt costs two
of the group their lives, and it is discovered that the madmen are undead cannibals.
The film grows considerably darker from that point as the groups number dwindles.
A woman's daughter murders her, Ben murders his rival, and Barbara dies at the
hands of the intruding mob of madmen. Ben becomes the only person left alive at
this point. He manages to survive until daylight. At this point the film's relentlessly
downbeat and cynical ending occurs: Ben, seeking help, is believed to be a zombie and is
shot by group of people who are hunting down the zombies.
This film marks the directorial debut of George Romero, a man who would go on to
direct many interesting and thought-provoking films. Night of the Living Dead remains
a classic not only in the horror genre, but in the arena of low-budget filmmking as well.
Cast and Crew:
Directed by:
George Romero
Duane Jones
Judith O'Dea
Karl Hardman
Marilyn Eastman
and House of Horrors homepage.
