Night of the Living Dead

March 23 · Regal Riviera · 9:15 P.M.

George A. Romero, 1968, 97 minutes

“I felt real terror in that neighborhood theater last Saturday afternoon. I saw kids who had no resources they could draw upon to protect themselves from the dread and fear they felt.” – Roger Ebert

“It’s a virulent portrait of an America in flux and decay, from the flag billowing near the graveyard at the start to its disturbing depiction of a lynch-mob mentality.“ – Total Film

A cinema landmark named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, and an inspiration for Jordan Peele’s recent horror hit Get Out, George A. Romero’s masterpiece Night of the Living Dead is the very definition of required viewing. Even if you have seen it before, you’ve probably never seen it look this good — in a stunning 4K digital restoration.

A low-budget production initiated by a trio of bored, young ad men in Pittsburgh, Night of the Living Dead has become an acknowledged masterpiece — both classic scare fest and a sociopolitical allegory. Though the film began filming in June 1967 (and continued on and off through December of that year), it would be nearly impossible to find any traces of the Summer of Love in this lean, gritty, raw, and pessimistic work. A farmhouse of strangers are under siege from the undead. Will they work together or splinter apart as they struggle to survive? Will they survive at all?

Duane Jones — the African-American actor cast as the lead because, according to Romero, he “simply gave the best audition” — delivers a masterclass in cool strength as he battles both zombies and wooly-headed human survivors. The film’s conclusion (which, btw, makes Get Out look like a fairy tale) is arguably as shocking and unsettling a commentary on current events as it was upon its release in 1968.

After the runaway success of Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero continued to set his films in Pittsburgh. Night of the Living Dead was followed by two acclaimed sequels, as well as many other films, including under-appreciated gems like Martin, Knightriders, and Monkey Shines. Romero passed away in 2017, a filmmaking legend known globally who filmed locally.