By Alex Doust
I’ve been looking forward to this one, you’ve not lived if you’ve not experienced the frights that Zombie apocalypse movies provide, but very few people seem to have seen the film which kicked it all off, including (I am ashamed to say) our very own Editor, William John.
Let’s start with some basic facts, this black and white independent film was written and directed by George A. Romero with John A. Russo helping with the screenplay. It used local actors, many of whom were friends to George and John and was filmed on weekends on a micro budget of $114,000, it managed to gross $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally. Sound impressive?
I’ve been looking forward to this one, you’ve not lived if you’ve not experienced the frights that Zombie apocalypse movies provide, but very few people seem to have seen the film which kicked it all off, including (I am ashamed to say) our very own Editor, William John.
Let’s start with some basic facts, this black and white independent film was written and directed by George A. Romero with John A. Russo helping with the screenplay. It used local actors, many of whom were friends to George and John and was filmed on weekends on a micro budget of $114,000, it managed to gross $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally. Sound impressive?
The film starts with a beautifully creepy soundtrack as a car drives along a long windy road in the middle of nowhere, finally stopping off at a graveyard so the occupants of the car can plant flowers on their father’s grave. Johnny (Russell Streiner) and Barbara (Judith O'Dea) walk to plant the flowers. As a storm approaches, Johnny decides to taunt his sister, speaking the famous line “They’re coming to get you Barbra”, a line that chilled a generation.
Sadly for Barbra, they really were coming to get her. Little known to Barbra a funeral went on in that graveyard earlier that day and the corpse decided to get up and attack the funeral goers, what became of them we never know, but it does leave one walking corpse (yet to be called a Zombie) who is very pleased to see some company. Safe to say they are attacked, and after a tense escape Barbra finds herself shoeless, carless and alone, locked away in an old farmhouse with hoards of the undead approaching.
This is the first time zombies ever appeared that were pure instinct, that is to say they have no real intelligence, they walk, they eat. Before this if you found a zombie in a film he was likely to say “That’s right my dear! I have returned from the dead to seek my revenge on you!” Cue scream. This was the birth of the zombies we see today in the likes of The Walking Dead and Resident Evil films.
Sadly for Barbra, they really were coming to get her. Little known to Barbra a funeral went on in that graveyard earlier that day and the corpse decided to get up and attack the funeral goers, what became of them we never know, but it does leave one walking corpse (yet to be called a Zombie) who is very pleased to see some company. Safe to say they are attacked, and after a tense escape Barbra finds herself shoeless, carless and alone, locked away in an old farmhouse with hoards of the undead approaching.
This is the first time zombies ever appeared that were pure instinct, that is to say they have no real intelligence, they walk, they eat. Before this if you found a zombie in a film he was likely to say “That’s right my dear! I have returned from the dead to seek my revenge on you!” Cue scream. This was the birth of the zombies we see today in the likes of The Walking Dead and Resident Evil films.
As we all know zombie films have a tendency to be a little graphic when it comes to the zombie feasting scenes, this film is no exception, which was one reason why it was so controversial! By an unfortunate set of circumstances the film was released just one month before the MPAA film rating system was introduced… This meant that on that chilly Saturday afternoon, children were present in the premiere screening of the film. Reports were of complete silence from the children, one little girl curled up and cried in the scene where hoards of zombies drag burnt corpses from the wreckage of a car and begin eating them. It took 5 years for the film to be accepted as the masterpiece that it is because of that outrage! But the film was reviewed as revolutionary by critics, and was regarded as the most successful horror to date!
There is a powerful undertone of survival, these people are desperate and it keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. There is not a single dull moment, however there are some truly horrifying and disturbing scenes! (Zombie girl stabs mother to death anyone?). The film also has a saddening political undertone in the fate of the African American character ‘Ben’ (Duane Jones) which was compared at the time to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Watch the film and make up your own minds on that.
If you’re a horror fan, a classic movie fan or even a fan of zombies check out the first few minutes of this film, I guarantee you, you’ll be hooked. Check out the film which revolutionised horror.
Now for the fun bit! Usually we just get to review a film, tell you all about it and you can go off and buy it if you like , but not today. You see due to an error by the distributor of the film, it accidentally entered the public domain. So it is perfectly legal to view online, in its entirety. For added convenience we’ll link it up for you below, enjoy!
There is a powerful undertone of survival, these people are desperate and it keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. There is not a single dull moment, however there are some truly horrifying and disturbing scenes! (Zombie girl stabs mother to death anyone?). The film also has a saddening political undertone in the fate of the African American character ‘Ben’ (Duane Jones) which was compared at the time to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Watch the film and make up your own minds on that.
If you’re a horror fan, a classic movie fan or even a fan of zombies check out the first few minutes of this film, I guarantee you, you’ll be hooked. Check out the film which revolutionised horror.
Now for the fun bit! Usually we just get to review a film, tell you all about it and you can go off and buy it if you like , but not today. You see due to an error by the distributor of the film, it accidentally entered the public domain. So it is perfectly legal to view online, in its entirety. For added convenience we’ll link it up for you below, enjoy!
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