Night of the Living Dead

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie.
Review: When a Sister (Judith O`Dea) and her Brother (Russell Streiner) visit to thier mother grave in the cemetery of a small town. Then the Sister gets attacks by a man, who almost killed her but killed the brother instend. She runs into a house, that seems to be empty, she meets a african american man (Duane Jones), a family of three (Karl Hartman, Marlyn Eastman & Kyra Schon) and a young couple (Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley) have to fight to survived the night from inside a farmhouse outside Pittsburgh and the people are attacking them are dead back to life by a raidation space probe was sent back to earth.

This instant Cult Classic B Movie gained audiences and critics around the world to become a well known film. Directed by George A. Romero (The Season of the Witch, The Crazies, Martin) and he also co-written the Screenplay with John A. Russo (Return of the Living Dead). Romero made two sequels after this-The Popular Dawn of the Dead (Will be a Remake soon of this Film) and the Underrated-Day of the Dead. Night of the Living Dead was also filmed as a Remake in 1990, Directed by Tom Savini-The Special Make-Up Artist and Screenplay done by George A. Romero relase by 21th Century Coporations Films and Columbia Pictures. The Original Classic and The Remake are also great with thier different ways. Grade:A (For the Original 1968 Version) and Grade:A- (For the 1990 Remake).

DVD suffers a too Bright Picture Quality (1.33:1) aspect ratio but watch this with the light turned off and The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Sound is above average. DVD from Front Row Entertainment is actually better than expected, the Picture Quality is Bright and it's has an good Dolby Stereo sound. But is better to Get the New Edtion of Elite Entertaining, which is great with the digitally remastered in THX Picture Quality and Sound with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extars are:Original Commentary Tracks by George A. Romero and the cast & the filmmakers, lost scenes from another Romero's film, Original Script and more. This is a cult classic horror film, that it should not be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Spend your money elsewhere
Review: Maybe I'm just a purist in this regard but I was utterly disappointed with the 30th anniversary edition of NOTLD. The additional scenes, shot with current film stock, are so appaling that I question the reasons for their inclusion. The new soundtrack is bearable at best, but detracts from the edgy feel of the original. Also, the re-recorded news broadcasts were nothing more than irritating.

While I enjoy having a decent copy of the film on hand, it's a difficult version to watch. You'd be better off buying the Evil Dead DVD.

Rating:
Summary: This is the edition you have been looking for!
Review: If you are a fan of "Night of the Living Dead", you are already aware of the potential hazards in trying to purchase a copy of this great film. There are literally dozens of editions to sift through (some colorized -- yech!). Adding to the confusion is the (pointless) remake of the same name that was released in the 90's, and the (unforgivable) attempt at a "special edition" for the 30th anniversary, which cut & pasted new footage and sound effects into the 1968 original, (it is universally hated by all who have seen it.)

I am here to tell you the search is over. If you are buying a copy of "Night of the Living Dead", look no further than the Elite Collector's Edition DVD. The transfer is absolutely beautiful, with nary a scratch on it. The audio is THX certified. There are TWO commentary tracks (both entertaining and enlightening) by mixed groups of cast and crew. Of course, both theatrical trailers are attached as well. This is absolutely the best presentation I've ever seen, and well worth the price.

Throw everything else on the fire!

Rating:
Summary: If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Review: There's always the sequel, or the remake, or the adaptation that somehow negatively affects the reputation of a classic film, book, etc. The Batman films became progressively worse, the remake of "Psycho" was just a pointless exercise (and pricey one) in filmmaking, and the 1995 adaptation of "The Scarlet Letter" was just an out and out disgrace. Then of course, there's the 30th anniversary edition of "NOTLD", with newly remastered sound and picture quality. Not to mention 15 minutes of newly shot scenes that are an inclusion to the film. Well, there's the old adage, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But instead of not fixing it, how about tossing a molotov cocktail at the film and screw it up with bad acting and campy, Cinemax premiere-style storytelling to an otherwise, horror classic. Romero's 1968 film made a big fuss when it burst onto the drive-in scene by giving unexpecting viewers images they'd never forget in the midst of horrible violence. It was the first time where the hero does not win in the end, where censorship was sorely tested, and people didn't expect what they'd see. Now, countless versions of video and DVD later, the team from the original (with the strange exclusion of writer-director Romero) have teamed up, to pretty much tarnish the reputation of the original, with a ridiculous subplot surrounding the first zombie we see in the film, and an even worse character, an idiot playing a priest who would put most porn stars to shame for being such an awful actor. These 15 minutes of deleted scenes excise the original scenes, [mess] up the ending, and are most likely to hurt the reputation of the classic. The only thing the 30th anniversary has is an engrossing score that provides remarkable improvement to the original score by making it tense and scary. But the extras, which have absolutely nothing to do with the 1968 original, are just from the production surrounding the 30th anniversary. An annoying music video accompanies the likes of the DVD that's a techno version which unnecessarily repeats quotes from the flick that make it unbearable. If you're a big fan of NOTLD, and look to purchase the original, just purchase the original which you can find for less than 10 bucks on the internet. Don't get the 30th anniversary, because it certainly isn't definitive, and it certainly isn't good. Instead, pick up the Millenium Edition, which for some reason is being paired with this review instead of the actual 30th Anniversary Edition, the one that's being criticized.

Rating:
Summary: Prototype of a new type of horror from George Romero
Review: There are some good ideas here which could have benefited from more attention to detail. I liked the way that Barbra sought refuge first with her brother, to no avail, then in her car, again without success, and then in the house. This is a good way of building up the fear and the audience's knowledge of the power of the ghouls. It is worth noting that in a crisis such as this the danger might not come from the so called baddies, but from the idiots who are supposed to be on your side. There are some nicely composed shots but the overall effect is spoiled by poor editing that often gives the effect of jump cuts. The acting is variable. It's lucky that Duane Jones is reasonably good, because the main female lead Judith O'Dea is awful. Having said that, the overall effect is quite clever, with feelings of relentless attack and claustrophobia heightened by the old farm house setting. The creatures' origins are explained in a radio broadcast which must be a homage to Orson Welles's version of H.G.Wells's War Of The Worlds, and the television broadcasts seem quite realistic too. It's worth noting that nowhere in this film is the term 'Zombies' used, these are just recently dead people who came back to life and started committing murders! All in all, a good film which set the pace for the slasher movies of the 1970s and 1980s, and a promising start to a directorial career.

Rating:
Summary: A Horror Masterpiece that will never be forgotten.
Review: in 1968, George A. Romero wrote and direct a low-Budget Thriller
about a Woman and five people trapped in a House with hundreds of Flesh-Eating Dead Bodies surrounding the house. It became the classic Horror film of it's time and a instant Hit at Theaters with the B-Movie fans and film Critics as well, This is another Must own Horror film for you Horror lovers like myself.

Followed by: Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead.

Rating:
Summary: George Romero's first "zombie" movie is terrifying as ever
Review: Satellites returning to earth carry a mysterious radiation that brings the unburied dead back to life with a taste for human flesh. Several people barricade themselves in an isolated farmhouse to take shelter from the ghouls, while arguing heatedly about the best plan for survival. But their is no escape; heroism doesn't matter, family ties don't matter (the living dead attack their live relatives), and even the rescue parties are cold and ruthless. The night of terror eradicates every possible source of comfort (and for the viewer as well). This Collector's Edition is the highest recommened version of the 1968 classic; other versions lack the commentary by cast and crew. Followed by two sequels and a remake in 1990. In 1998, some footage was scrapped and newly shot footage added for the 30th Anniversary Edition, but that version (it's not an improvement) should be considered different from this one. This review is for the "Elite" edition.

Rating:
Summary: Anchor Bay's version is a disaster.
Review: Shame on Anchor Bay for releasing this (...) version of Night of the Living Dead. Not only did they insert segments of cheesy synthesizer soundtrack to partially replace the old one, but they also added 15 minutes of, get this, "new footage." This footage seems intended to serve as an exposition, to explain exactly why zombies are roaming the countryside; never mind that the cause is apparent in the original version. Where, in the 1968 film, the production and acting were excellent (especially in the face of a limited budget), the 15 minutes of "new footage" are totally incongruous and the result has a very obvious cut-and-paste feel. Let me emphasize, the production and acting in the "new footage" are pathetic; if I had played the part of that priest, if I had participated in "decomposing" the soundtrack, if I had contributed in any way to this effort, I don't think I could show my face in public.

Why make such a fuss over a 30+ year-old film shot in black and white on a low budget? Well, you have to understand the impact of George Romero's movie. If you find the idea of flesh-eating zombies absurd (ok, I'll admit that it is), but you have never seen the flick and are expecting a spoof or a laugh fest, then Night of the Living Dead can be a rude shock. First of all, it kills off one of its skeptics in the first 10 minutes of the movie in a pretty pedestrian way, with a rock to the head. Furthermore, its later scenes of violence are surprisingly convincing (sorry, you need to see the original yourself). This is a really good movie.

George Romero, in interviews on IFC, seems to have approached the issue of production and distribution for NOTLD and DOTD with a conviction that his work was worth defending from those who would censor or otherwise diminish the impact of these films. Therefore, it is perplexing that the Anchor Bay version has surfaced. Perhaps it is Romero's fault; maybe he sold out. But I suspect that the story behind this mess is more complex. The people who released this so-called "30th anniversary edition" have no such principles, and would have us believe that their version is more valid. I suspect that all of this is motivated by money (one website alleges that the people who released this abomination are laying the groundwork for a sequel).

I have heard that the Elite release has the highest quality video plus commentary from Romero, et. al. but I've never seen that version and I'm not sure it is still available.

Rating:
Summary: Important Info...numerous versions...
Review: There are at least 5 different versions of the original NOTLD on DVD. The quality of these different versions range from excellent to atrocious. It is almost universally agreed that if you seek the best version of the original production, you want the version produced by "Elite Entertainment". Unfortunately, this version is difficult to obtain/out of print. Amazon refers to it here as "Night of the Living Dead: Special Collector's Edition (1968)" - this is the one you want; the one that warrants a five-star rating. Because every review here of NOTLD goes under every version of the DVD, it's quite easy to get confused.

Rating:
Summary: HEY! Please read this!
Review: This is great movie. It has everything in it. Well not everything.( i wont get into that :) This movie was so good. When i was a kid, after i saw the movie i had a bunch of friends over to watch the movie, after we got 2 people to be team leaders, one for the good guys, one for the dead people. (...)