George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead is one of the most influential horror films of all time. This is special effect guru Tom Savini’s unnecessary remake of the classic zombie film. It keeps the same basic story about a ragtag group of strangers taking refuge in an isolated farmhouse when the dead inexplicably come back to life. But this time the film is shot in color and the zombie attacks are a little more gory. It’s a little dated now, and The Walking Dead has spoiled me when it comes to zombie kills, but it’s still a requirement if you are a fan of the genre.
Tom Savini is one of the top makeup/special effects artists in the business with a handful of directing and acting credits under his belt as well. He specializes in horror movies, the bloodier the better. So you expect a little bit more action that what he presents, but he still made an adequate horror flick.
Barbara (Patricia Tallman) is visiting her mother’s grave when a zombie attacks her. She hides out in a farmhouse and gradually more and more survivors show up. Ben (Tony Todd) is the first one she meets, and he is intent on surviving. He constantly butts heads with Harry Cooper (Tom Towles), an angry guy with a wife and a daughter who has been bitten by a zombie (you know that’s not ending well). There is also a teenaged redneck couple, because you have to have stupid teenagers in a horror movie.
As the survivors try to fortify the farmhouse, they start to realize they have to fear each other as much as they do with the zombies. Ben and Cooper both try to take control of the situation, and the tension between the two begins to rise as more and more zombies show up.
Zombies have been the monster of choice for a few years now, evidenced by the success of The Walking Dead and Zombie Land, not to mention the increasing sales of bath salts. But they wouldn’t be popular if people like Romero and Savini didn’t pave the way. So if you’ve tried watching the original Night of the Living Dead, but think it’s too slow, this might be a better alternative. The endings are different and there are a few tweaks to the storyline and characters, but overall it’s a pretty faithful remake.
Critically Rated at 13/17
Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young
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