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Night of the Living Dead

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So you're George Romero, writer and director of one of the most influential horror movies ever, Night of the Living Dead (1968), and it's some twenty odd years later and you're executive producing a remake of said movie. Who do you get to direct? How about special effects master Tom Savini, the man responsible for the horrifying effects in Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985)? Seems a pretty good choice to me...

Night of the Living Dead (1990) stars Tony Todd and Patricia Tallman as Ben and Barbara, respectively, two individuals who seek refuge in a farmhouse as a legion of hungry corpses descend upon them and soon find the house not so much a haven as a claustrophobic nightmare. They also discover they aren't the only ones in the house, as there are five people locked in the basement. Emerging from their hidey-hole are Harry and Helen Cooper, a married couple, and Tom and Judy Rose, a younger couple, Tom's uncle being the owner of the house. Also in the basement is the Cooper's daughter, Sarah, who has become ill after being bitten by one of the undead (guess where that's going). A diverse group, for sure, and one that finds itself at odds in if it's better to fortify the house or retreat to the fairly secure basement. Harry thinks it's best to go into the basement and bar the door, but Ben would rather board up all the doors and windows, using the basement as a last option, as there is only one way in and out and he doesn't want to trap himself down there unless he absolutely has to...Harry, who is quite vocal throughout, thinks this plan foolish and says once he goes into the basement and bars the door, he won't open it for anything, regardless. As tensions flare, night falls, and the dead begin arriving in greater numbers, I guess sensing the warm, living flesh they so crave to be inside the house. As the situation grows worse, an escape plan is formulated, but the plan soon falls apart, and it's back to the house. Who lives? Who dies? Is rescue in the wings, or should they just put their heads between their legs and kiss their hinders good-bye?

It's always a sketchy affair remaking a film, especially one that's deemed a classic and definitive representation of its' genre. Look what happened in 1998 when director Gus Van Sant released a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. A total and tremendous flop...Yes, I am sure there was a awful lot of apprehension to redoing a movie that really didn't need to be redone, but the end result turned out an interesting update, remaining true to the original while adding a few surprises along the way. Tony Todd is excellent as Ben, and is definitely the strongest characterization in the film, bringing a lot of what Duane Jones did in the original, while adding personal nuances to make the character his own. Patricia Tallman's character of Barbara starts out the same as the original played by Judith O'Dea, but goes through some serious changes by the end, allowing for the a modernization of the character to fit more along the lines of the strong female lead, as seen in the Alien films with Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver. Was this for the better? I am still undecided, but it certainly made interesting viewing. The character I found most annoying was that of Harry Cooper, played by Tom Towles. His portrayal was overblown to the point of being silly, with his constant yelling, screaming, and berating of other characters. The Harry Cooper in the original was a jerk, for sure, but at least you got the feeling it was a jerkiness borne of overriding desire to protect his family, even if his plans were at odds with the rest of the group, allowing for viewers to develop some empathy for the character. Here, the character is played as a bonehead to the nth degree, and it only served to, in my opinion, disrupt the flow of the film. The biggest difference between the original an the remake is obviously the color factor, but one will also notice that the undead are much more detailed than in the original, due to a much larger production budget. You can tell a great amount of effort was taken in this area, enhancing on the original film. The film wasn't quite as gory as I thought it was going to be, but that's pretty well explained in a making of featurette. Seems in order to avoid an X rating, these scenes were either removed or toned down. Savini didn't seem too upset about it, as he felt, and I agree, that sometimes what you don't see is just as effective as what you do see.

The disc has the wide screen presentation on one side and the full screen on the other, and includes some good special features like trailers, production notes, commentary by Savini, and a 25 minute making of featurette called `The Dead Walk' that highlights a lot of interesting facts about the movie, along with comparisons to the original. Also in this featurette are some of the scenes that were deleted to get an R rating, along with alternate, more visceral scenes that were toned down in the release. If you liked the original, chances are you'll get a kick out of this film, as I wasn't disappointed, and I usually despise remakes.

Cookieman108

Tired of the poor remakes released today that completely butcher the originals by comparison? Tired of some unknown director putting his own personal twisted and butchering a classic film, throwing too many new elements into it? Were you angered by the remake for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Well then you will love this remake from 1990 of Night of the Living Dead!

With only one major change and several minor ones, this movie pretty much follows the original exactly. Why was this movie done so well? It was directed by none other than Tom Savini! For those of you who don't know, Tom Savini is a legend in the special effects/gore/makeup department. He's worked with George Romero before in Dawn of the Dead. Tom Savini is a man who knows how to do things right and knows how things should be done. This remake is an example of it.

While I don't consider it to be better than the original, its still is very entertaining and it never angered me. It contains more gore but I was somewhat disappointed. I felt that there wasn't enough gore, but that's probably because my favorite zombie film Dead Alive has spoiled me. Anyways, the one major change is that Barbara quickly turns to a traumatized expendable into a heroine wielding a shotgun. It works rather well.

If you enjoy the original and have seen all four of Romero's Dead films (or at least the original), then go ahead and buy this because the price is only Seven Bucks!!! I doubt that a special edition will be released anytime soon because it's a remake, but its definitely worth the price which almost make s me want to give this five stars. Holly Wood needs to compare the originals with the remakes so they can then realize either the right way to remake a movie or to just leave them alone all together. Alright enough with this review; just go out and buy or rent it, you won't be disappointed. Hoped this helped.

Roger Ebert once told me that the secret to making a good thriller is to make sure that it can't age. The best thrillers never get old, and never lose their edge. Movies like "Halloween," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," and of course "Night of the Living Dead" have never lost their death grip on the collective jugular of movie goers. Back in 1990, George Romero wanted to remake his 1968 cult classic with brand new make-up effects from the man who assisted him on his previous zombie pictures, Tom Savini, in the director's chair. Age has been kind to the original version of this film, and I anticipate the same will be true with its surprisingly effective and well-acted remake.

I was really impressed with Tom Savini's (The King of Splatter) work on the "Dawn" and "Day of the Dead" films, along with his work on "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" and "Friday the 13th (and Part 4)," so when I saw his name stenciled after the words "Directed by" on the video box, I immediately rented it. The most obvious changes in the film lie within the newer, state of the art make-up effects, which range from a man broken in half from a car collision to a man walking around with the Y-incision from his autospy displayed to the world at large. There are other little differences in the film, which mostly reside in the performances (bravo to Tony Todd), the demeanors of the characters (Patricia Tallman's character is much tougher than the timid, frightened woman her predecessor played), and an all-new ending. The film still incorporates the trademark Romero satire, but it's much subtler and more understood than it was in "Dawn of the Dead." The characters in the remake are more engaging than in the original, and I think the new make-up helps the film work well on the horror level. Sure, it doesn't have the grainy, documentary feel that the original had, but the movie still works. I like it a lot.

Now, I'm not trying to hate on the original. Obviously, it's a classic. But, come on. It's boring. It's black and white and slow. And I'm sure it scared your parents and was shocking and all that good stuff. But it needed to be updated.

The two main characters (including the CandyMan) deliver some great acting. I'll admit the other characters are a bit weak, but that's made up for by the zombies being incredible.

This movie really shows (by driving the point home a few times) how humans don't know how to treat each other. It's not just a horror movie. It actually has a point to it and makes a humanitarian statement. Rent it, buy it, whatever. But check it out. It's a great movie.

I've seen all three versions of Night Of The Living Dead; the 1968 original (in glorious black & white and beautiful color), the epic 1990 remake (this one), and the nonsensical 2006 version (avaialbe in 2D and headache causing 3D). The 1990 Night Of The Living Dead is the best (or is at least equal to its 1968 counterpart). While the 1968 version has its merits, this version has those and more. One improvement is Barbra (portrayed by the lovely Patrica Tallman) actually does something more in this film after the opening, in this one she takes Ben's advice and rises to the occassion. Ben (Tony Todd) is as heroic as he was in the original, if not a bit more and his rage seethes just as much with loud mouth Harry Cooper. This time instead of just being suspenseful, it actually has a feel of raw horror to it. My only complaints are that it wasn't directed by George A. Romero (though Savini does an excellent job) and then with the DVD, the deleted scenes are not it, it just seems like a tease in the featurette to show two of them and not include the rest. If you want to see a great film buy or rent Night Of The Living Dead (1990), but make plans to view the sequels of the original and the original itself.

"Their coming to get you Barbara", but this time Barbara is ready for them. A remake of the original classic "Night of the Living Dead". A modern retelling based on a updated scripted by George Romero and directed by Tom Savini.

This is pretty much the same story as NOTLD '68, but with better effects and a few new twists. The recent dead have returned to life and now seek the flesh of the living. Seven strangers are trapped in an isolated farmhouse struggling with the horror that awaits them on the outside and the tension that will eventually destroy them on the inside. Romero re-introduces all our favorite character: Ben (Tony Todd), Cooper (Tom Towles), etc. There are even striking reminiscences between the cast in 68 and 90, and that wasn't a coincidence. Barbara (Patricia Tallmen) has been miraculously been transformed from a comatose broad into a female Rambo. She seemingly being the only one with any grasp of the situation and this time she's not waiting for Johnny.

Not overly gory, but the zombie make-up was fantastic. The twists breath new life into this classic movie. Tom Savini did an exceptional job in his big screen directorial debut and maybe someday we'll be lucky enough to see his director's cut of this modern classic.

Gorehound Tom Savini remade George Romero's classic 1968 movie with some good results. Patricia Tallman plays Barbara, and this time she's not a scared fruitcake like in the original, she's a female Rambo reminiscent of Ripley of the Alien movies and Sarah Connor of the Terminator series. Tony Todd (the Candyman himself), plays Ben, and plays him very well. Now for the real stars; the zombies! The makeup is pretty well done, but surprising to me, its not gory at all, but it is effective in keeping a creepy atmosphere. All in all, this is a good remake that is on par with the original, and I suggest seeing both versions so you can decide which one you like better.

I'll admit that I have never seen the original version, but this Night of the Living Dead remake is not bad, although it undeniably could have been better.

Fans of the original know the plot. Johnny (Bill Mosely) and his sister Barbara (Patricia Tallman) are visiting their mother's grave in a cemetary isolated in a rural area. When they arrive, everything is normal. It's a sunny day and it's bright and warm until Johnny is attacked by a dead man. He's killed and Barbara takes refuge inside a house. A man named Ben (Tony Todd) arrives and along with five other people in the basement of the house, they must hold off the cannibalistic zombies that have somehow awaken and refill the gas to Ben's truck, the only means of transportation they have.

The first fifteen minutes of Night of the Living Dead are truly frightening. The film wastes no time into getting into its action and immediately we are plunged into a peaceful world that's turning dark and claustrophobic quickly. There's the eeriness in the whole house when Barbara enters and the fact that there are zombies lurking inside is even scarier.

This film has no lack of action as we continuously watch Ben, Barbara, and the other hold off the zombies with rifles and anything they can use to disable the zombies' brains, which is the only way to kill them. The film moves at a very fast pace, yet has time to develop the characters, thus making us care for Ben and Barbara, and making us hiss at the zombies and Cooper.

The make-up and special effects are pretty good. They may not live up to the standards of the technology we have now, but the zombie design is easily the best since Day of the Dead.

The real problem in this film lies in the acting. Most of the actors are stale with the major exception of Tony Todd. He delivers a good performance as the likeable hero Ben. He's a brave and strong guy who doesn't panic in a situation, but instead takes charge. Ben is definitely one of the best heroes in horror film history, thanks to Tony Todd's performance. This is a man who deserves better work rather than horror sequels like Candyman 3. Patricia Tallman is okay in her role as Barbara. The main problem in her performance stems from the fact that her character change from coward to amateur zombie slayer is a bit difficult to swallow. The rest of the performances, coming from Tom Towles and company, don't fare as well. At times, they try so hard to look scared they come off almost laughable. If better performances (or actors for that matter) had been placed beside Todd and Tallman, this film would have been considerably better.

While the last 30 or so minutes of the movie has a large amount of frantic tension and action the ending is a disappointment and lacks some logic behind it. Even if the acting didn't live up to the suspense, at least the ending could have been made with more intelligence and logic. It's not a dumb ending if that's the feeling I'm conveying, it's just the fact that it could have been improved or even changed significantly. If you don't want to know how it ends, then by all means, do not look at the box cover of the VHS version of this movie. Either just rent it quickly or watch the DVD rendition.

Night of the Living Dead is full of action, suspense and good scares, and if the acting and the ending could have lived up to all those good qualities, this would have been considered an excellent remake, if not a horror classic itself. As it is, this film is pretty good and decent and it probably won't disappoint most horror fans.

In the 1968 NOTLD (if you havent seen the original please watch before you watch this version) the character of Barbara was a scared, stunned, stereotype of woman. The men were the strong protective ones, while she cowered and Meeped and covered her face. In this 1990 version, Barbara kicks undead bootatie like she was born into it. We think that Barbara (played by pat tallman) is mousy with her giant glasses, muted shoulder pad outfit and the 10 minutes of screaming in the beginning but soon with Bens (Tony Todds) presence of mind she changes into an assertive leader who becomes the lone voice of reason till the end of the movie. This version mimics the original, They even tried to cast people with the exeption of Barbara who looked the same. Bigger budget and color makes this a worthy remake, although to me the black and white one was much creepier. Tom Savini on the featurette explains that they tried to make everything look as real as possible anatomically, when they used dummies instead of stunt people we were not supposed to tell, and for the most part he got it right except for two instances
a) When Barbara's brother is attacked by the cemetery zombie they fall together and his head hits a tombstone with fatal results, you could tell that it was a dummy, the way it bounced instead of just freefalled.
b) When Uncle Regis attacks Barbara in the living room and she takes a crow bar to his head its shot from behind Uncle Dead guy, again obviously a rubber Dummy on some sort of Dolly, the crow bar bounces of the head instead of inflicting the type of damage it would usually do with that kind of force.
Two more complaints I had were the "mouse" eating incident, where they kept the camera on the zombie too long, long enough to see that the dude wasn't going to eat it. And the ending montage shot in sepia, which I suppose was shot to be artistic but came off instead as an unnecessary final shot.
Overall it was a satisfying addition to the "walking dead" genre. The makeup was amazing; the zombie extras were believable in their slow hungry driving quest for human flesh. The "zombie" of the movie award has to go to the daughter zombie, her glazed Skippy little shuffle and braces!! The worst zombie award goes to the Mother she just looked like she needed a Tylenol and a cup o coffee. I wish that Tom would make more like this instead of his upcoming film Vampirates.

Tom Savini's Night of the Living Dead has some of the most interesting extras on film. This is a great movie! It is frightening on many levels, the cast is wonderful and the rewriting brings the movie into the present in a terrifying way.
I prefer this version to the original, mostly because Barbara is not a catatonic fruitcake. Also, the ending of Romero's film just makes me so mad I want to scream!
Patricia Tallman makes her character real. She plays a frightened but strong and rational person dealing with an insane situation. She is definitely a predecessor of roles like Alice in 2002's Resident Evil, even if she does not have the amazing kung fu skills that all our modern genre heros seem to come with.
Tony Todd is an amazing actor, and any director is lucky to have him. His description of events offscreen is eerie and sets the perfect tone for the story until later, when things get a little more desperate.
Tom Towles makes a wonderful creep-I love to hate him! He's a cad, a jerk and worse as the family man who just wants to hide instead of accepting the truth.
The best thing about the DVD version is the really neat commentary by director Tom Savini. It's just him and the mic, but he has alot of interesting things to say about every aspect of the production. The story of how he came to direct this film is recounted, and Savini seems to have something fascinating to say about each and every actor, extra and crewperson on the set.
A featurette about the film is included in the disc with more good stuff to watch. The extra cost of the DVD is totally worth the money, and a must-have for living dead fans everywhere.
I am always finding more reasons to love this film!