What else can you say about George A. Romero’s highly influential 1968 masterpiece Night of the Living Dead?! It’s one of the essential American films ever made; a classic horror film; and a chilling/bleak depiction of the devouurment of society, meaning the new way of life basically eating the old.
So many moments that will be forever seared into pop culture: the opening attack of Barbara (Judith O’Dea) in the cemetery, and her discovery of a half-eaten corpse on the stairs in the house; Ben (the immortal Duane Jones) slapping her; the attack on the house; Karen (Kyra Schon) eating father Harry (Karl Hardman) and murdering mother Helen (Marilyn Eastman); and the incredibly downbeat ending where Ben (the sole survivor) gets shot and killed by the redneck sheriffs, and is basically thrown into the bonfire.
I don’t have to explain the plot because it is obviously and completely well-known. It just remains a masterpiece of horror and a testament to not just the late Romeo’s gift for telling stories of society’s degradation, but also that of making the best of very low budgets.
Making its 4K UHD debut, I’m sure the film looks marvelous and even better than it did on the previous Blu-ray release from the great folks at Criterion.
The supplements are still incredible and viable as ever. There are the two commentaries on the 4K disc- one with Romero, Hardman, Eastman, and cowriter John Russo; the other with producer/actor Russell Streiner (Johnny), production manager Vincent Survinski, and actors O’Dea, S.William Hinzman (the cemetary zombie), Schon, and Keith Wayne (Tom). On the Blu-ray disc, there is the workprint entitled Night of Anubis; featurette with directors Guillermo Del Toro, Robert Rodriquez, and Frank Darabont; dailies; TV newsreels; archival interviews with Romero, Jones and Judith Ridley (Judy); video essays; trailers/TV/radio spots, and much more!
If you’re a fan of the film and/or want to make an actual upgrade, then I’m sure this new 4K will make a spectacular addition to your collection, just in time for Halloween!
Other releases:
Army of Darkness 4K (Scream Factory): A new re-release of the third and final film in the original and beloved Evil Dead trilogy where is Ash (Bruce Campbell) is propelled to the Middle Ages to save the living from the undead, rescue his girlfriend, and get back to his own time.
Scream 2: 25th Anniversary: The new 4K release of the beloved 1997 horror sequel where Sidney (Neve Campbell), now away at college, is pursued by a new killer determined to act out a real-life sequel. She, Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox) find themselves yet again on the chopping block, where no one is safe.
Sex and Lucia (Unrated Director’s Cut): The beautiful Lucia (Paz Vega) flees to a secluded island after what she believes to be the suicide of her boyfriend Lorzeno (Tristán Ulloa). There, she meets a scuba diver (Daniel Freire) and her boyfriend’s former lover (Najwa Nimri). As the story unfolds, she learns more about Lorenzo’s troubled past, and the root of his depression.
Watcher: Maika Monroe stars a young woman who moves into a new apartment with her fiancé, only to be spooked and stalked by an unseen watcher in the building across from hers.
