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In 1968, George Romero and ten of his friends formed Image Ten -- a
group of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based filmmakers (whom previously only
worked on television commercials and industrial films) -- and set out to
make their first feature-length motion picture. With an incomplete
script in one hand (begun by Romero and finished by John Russo after
they had started filming) and a total budget of $114,000 in the other,
the fledgling production company unknowingly created a monster -- a
beast whose power and influence spanned decades and forever changed
those who fell beneath its shadow.
Night of the Living Dead has indeed taken on a life of its
own over the years, becoming one of the most beloved and respected
horror films in cinema history. It was a high-water mark in a genre
previously considered capable of producing only cheap, exploitative
trash suitable for the lowbrow cineaste or thrill-seeking child.
Romero's accomplished directorial skills raised more than a few eyebrows
and shattered many barriers and misconceptions in the process.
Inspired by Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, the film (the first
35mm print of which bore the title Night of the Flesh Eaters
before being changed under threat of litigation from another production
company -- and later Night of Anubis) has spawned two
legitimate sequels and a host of cheap imitations. The story is, by now,
the stuff of legend -- Johnny (Russel Streiner) and his sister, Barbara
(Judith O'Dea), on a yearly trek to their mother's grave site (known as
the Willard Cemetery in the official production synopsis) are attacked
by a lone, lumbering man (Bill Hinzman) who turns out to be one of the
walking dead -- recently revived under mysterious circumstances and
hungry for human flesh. Johnny is killed and Barbara flees to a deserted
house nearby, eventually crossing paths with Ben (Duane Jones) and a
handful of others also attracted to the relative safety of the home. The
majority of the film chronicles their attempt to stay alive in a world
thrown into chaos and uncertainty.
Kismet surely smiled on the production company during the creation of
Romero's masterpiece. All the pieces and players fell together
perfectly, as if fate had destined the project to succeed. The film
entered territory previously uncharted by American filmmakers and
generated huge amounts of word-of-mouth as a result, which, even to this
day, can make or break a film At that time, many had not even considered
the possibility of a black leading man in a horror film. Thankfully,
Romero had the wisdom and foresight to think differently. Duane Jones is
superb as Ben -- delivering a powerful, often understated, performance
and, like Romero behind the lens, destroying a few stereotypes set by
decades of narrow-minded filmgoers. His character, unflinching and
intelligent, commanded both the respect of the other characters onscreen
and, as it turned out, that of the audience as well. Jones and Hardman
(as the cowardly Harry Cooper) work extremely well together, creating a
volatile atmosphere inside the house that is as foreboding as that
generated by the hordes of the living dead outside. Another first for
the film was its graphic violence -- the shocking images of cannibalism
and bloodshed were something not seen stateside to the degree in which
they appear in the film. It is impossible to watch Night
and not be affected by its powerful, iconic imagery, even thirty years
later. The film's resonance is directly attributable to George's
masterful direction and the complex, multi-layered story.
Working on many levels simultaneously, the film is much more than a
straightforward horror outing. Night of the Living Dead is
like an onion. At one moment, it seems to be a visceral, savage tale of
terror that works perfectly well as such. That is, until George reveals
another layer, expanding the canvas on which the film is painted until
it becomes something else, entirely -- the stuff of which true classics
are made. Some have said the film is a scathing social commentary on the
plight of the black man in contemporary society -- a notion that George
himself puts to rest during the first commentary track on this wonderful
DVD from Elite Entertainment. Ben's character was never intended to be
black, as the original script and Romero will attest. Duane Jones' color
was not what got him the leading role -- it was his amazing acting
skills and powerful presence that landed him the job. |
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