Night of the Living Dead Review - Off The Shelf Reviews
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- This week Gary and Iain review and discuss, Night of the Living Dead (1968) by Director, George A. Romero. Starring, Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman.
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I met Russel Streiner (Johnny) and Judith O'dea (Barbara) a couple years back on my birthday. It was at a convention for horror films. NO ONE WAS AT THEIR BOOTH. Not a single person was there. It was so shocking to see them sitting alone. So, naturally, I walked up and introduced myself. And we had a great conversation about George and his filmmaking style amd how very nice of person he was. I just stood there for 45 minutes talking about this film and it went by in the blink of an eye. Got some pictures, got a nice big hug from Judith O'dea. Shook Russel Streiners hand. And got some insight into how they felt about their characters. In fact, Judith O'dea prefers Barbara to be the horrified woman, because she herself felt like that's how she would be. Her words. She told me she felt that the death of her brother suddenly and violently, alomg with the dead rising and eating people, shook her loose so to speak. She told George that she felt that Barbara would be mortified. And that she liked the 90's version. But thought that it was unnecessary. As do the rest of us.
Such nice people. AND AGAIN NO ONE WAS THERE. I saw not a ONE person talk to them. Like they were has beens. It was almost like the universe just gifted me that moment. That long, wonderful moment with two very wonderful and nice people who just wanted to answer peoples questions.
Thanks for sharing that great story!... Did they seem disappointed that no one was at their table?
Damn I feel bad hearing that. Glad you were acknowledging all that they did for the genre. Love and respect for the people who gave us this masterpiece.
@@oldiesgeek454 They had huge smiles on their faces. I don't know whether it was the fact they had the opportunity to be there, or what. But they were very kind to me. And honestly, I liked the fact that I was the only one there. There wasn't any pressure to hurry along or to just shake their hands and walk away. I asked all the questions I could think of at the time. So does it suck that no one paid attention to them? Yes. They seemed very insightful and professional. Did it matter to me in the moment? Hell no. The fact the world went on around us made it all the better of a birthday.
@@mr.rodgers9891 Thanks for sharing that. It sounds like you were at the right place at the right time. I'm assuming the majority of the convention goers were too young to remember the movie, (and or appreciate it) is the reason no one was at their table...Thanks again!
@@oldiesgeek454 I had just turned 18 at the time. My mother didn't even know who they were.
R.I.P. George A. Romero.
Yeah I miss him so much before he died I regularly would watch dawn of the dead to fall asleep now it's kind of depressing to watch!
@@davidcokeley2918 you gotta keep watching it to keep his legacy alive.
Fun fact, my third grade teacher is an aunt to Duane Jones. She had some great insider stories.
Oh, please share a story with us! 😊
One of my favorite films of all time. I watched it on tv with my grandmother for the first time. I would sit on the recliner and she would lay on the couch in the evening at her house after dinner. I would watch whatever I wanted , usually cartoons on nick. She would be doing her crossword puzzle in the paper. But if she liked a show the paper would slide down and her eye would go up. Anything black and white would peak her interest and she would like me watching "the good ole days" lol. I had no idea the movie I was about to watch and she didn't particularly like horror movies but it was amazing and we watched in silence enjoying the film, with me every now and again asking a question. Then she got me into twilight zone and that became one of my favorite shows. I learned movies and shows didn't need color. Ik no one will probably read this but I love thinking about it. I love grandma RIP.
Nice memory. 😊
Gold!
This movie is a master piece.
I've seen it about two years ago for the first time, after Romero's death.
And it blew me away.
I was of course aware of him, and his impact on pop culture and cinema, but for some reason I've never seen his stuff.
It's sad that very often it takes artist's death for you to stop, find time and get fammiliar with his/her work.
Still, better late than never.
This movie is awesome. After it I have seen Martin, Dawn and Day of the Dead, The Crazies and now The Knigntriders.
So far I have enjoyed every single flick.
Romero was truly gifted man, and one of the most interesting directors.
R.I.P. George Romero, thanks for your legacy.
"They're coming to get you Barbara" still scares the crap out of me to this day. I like this and the later remake, and in my opinion zombies should shuffle around and not run as they have in recent films :-)
Ever seen Return of the Living Dead? Dan O'Bannon was doing running zombies way before it became an overused trope.
Johnny's creepy line has such an eerie Boris Karloff vibe. Love it.
Makes sense there rotting corpses
Some people claim that shuffling zombies are easy to avoid and thus not scary.
The thing is, the shuffling is part of the uncanny effect for me, and the danger is in the horde and in the relentlessness of the zombies.
Also, by any inner logic, if the world got overun by runners, given zombies don't need to rest or sleep and are undeterred by pain and hunger/thirst while all humans are subjected to that, there is zero verisimilitude (e.g. adherence to inner logic) in the notion that any normal human or any part of human society would survive 2 whole hours to grant us a movie time run in a world overun by billions of running/climbing zombies.
@@GamerGuysReviews BRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MORE BRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
little known fact: Romero was driving to the film editors with this film in the car as it was announced over the radio that MLK had just been assasinated.
I quite liked the long-ish scene involving Tom boarding up the windows while the radio is playing the news report. I'd love for a radio station to get ahold of that audio and play it every Halloween.
I love your reviews. Literally my favorite reviewers above all right now. Watched all your videos.
Night of the living Dead! A GOLD MASTERPIECE IN HORROR FILM HISTORY!
All thanks to George A. Romero! THANK YOU SO MUCH! :)
I love how Shawn of the Dead used the "They're coming to get you, Barbara." line when Nick Frost tells Shawn's mother (who's name happens to be Barbara) "We're coming to get you, Barbara!!!"
16:20 I am glad you guys said that.
Many people always mention Romero for his bold move of hiring the black actor, and it's social impact.
But Romero, as you mentioned, hired him because he was a good actor, not because he was a black actor. Simple as that.
And this is bold statement, especialy in that racist times. Respect.
Of course when you see this moving and disturbing ending, it's hard not to treat the movie as a social commentry, and to separate it from the American history of racism, even if it was not a consciously planned theme.
Check out the Night of the Living Dead comic graphic novel by Avatar comics. There's an issue where Ben's story is fully told before he gets to the house. Also goes into the Copper's story and how the little girl was bitten.
Last year I met every remaining cast member (including Russ and Judith) at the 55th anniversary in Evan's City Pa (where the cemetery is) and it was just awesome that they're still with us and still extremely happy to meet fans :) NOTLD is one of the best horror films ever made.
Great review to a true one off movie. I really hope this means we are in for a Romero series run, like the resident evil's only good 🤣🙌😎
An absolute classic of all time… No doubt about it groundbreaking, seminal well acted and it led to a larger social message with generational themes
an iconic film, remake is very underrated as well
eric brown Absolutely agree, one of the best remakes out there.
I am ecstatic that you guys have finally gotten to this film. I knew you guys would do it eventually, but now it's finally here. I love you guys
Return of the Living Dead Next??
I loved that both “main” leading character die. It’s very unusual and drives (and again way ahead of its time) in that no one is safe, there are no heroes, and very little hope left. It is very forbidding and gives the film a more realistic atmosphere and adds to the horror of the world that you have just been in.
Of course now you have to review Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead.
the only thing I think Ben could have done in the morning was yell that he was still alive. The first time I saw this 20 min was cut out, then I saw it again 6 months later and only 2 min was cut out. It was hard to tell what had been cut out.
You know what movie has great zombies? Lifeforce. Sure could use a review of that...
Lifeforce's zombies are cool as fuck - proper 80s aesthetic. I hope these guys will cover Lifeforce in the near future!
Excellent! Thanks guys!
This is my favorite review show. I keep telling everyone about it. You guys deserve way more subs
Please review the 1987 cult classic three o’clock high
Big fan of this channel since I saw your review of The Usual Suspects...been subscribed since.
I suggest a review of "The Fighter (2010)" and "Joker (2019)....
I hope you guys can review Session 9 from 2009 which is in my top 10 horror movies of all time.
With all the little flaws (and they are little) this is one of the most perfected examples of horror. The movie is so far ahead of its time, I can’t imagine what it must have been for people at the time first seeing this. This movie did for horror what Star Wars would do a decade later for sci-fi, push movie making and the experience of it into the next level.
That body that is upstairs, scared the crap out of me when i saw it as a kid. I think as well that the black and white film works in the films favour.
You guys rock. Long time follower of yours.
No one ever talks about the Naked Zombie Woman I wonder why.
I've been wondering the same thing all these years. I'm sure you noticed, when all the Zombies finally break into the house, the nude woman is nowhere to be found. Where did she go I wonder? Did she just suddenly lose her appetite and wander off? 😊
When that zombie moved its eyes after taking the tire iron to the brain, while it was an "error", I originally thought holy shit, there's still something going on in there!
I love this movie. One of the first films to REALLY scare the shit out of me.
Yeah I wasn't able to find it until I was 16 and it still actually scared me.
Correction: The first American film to use squibs for gunshots was Bonnie and Clyde from 1967.
Many say night of the living dead and dawn of the dead are the best. Day Of The Dead is my favourite though. It blew me away back in 1985. And its still my favourite today.
Seems like Day Of The Dead is also gaining a new fanbase too since it was referenced in the Netflix show, Stranger Things. Glad that the film is being discovered by a new generation of fans.
Great review!
Excellent, thanks guys. This is definitely a classic, what's your zombie plan, shelfers?
Watch off the shelf reviews until the internet goes off. Then uhh...
Stay inside until the food is gone if it's slow zombies, but pop a cyanide tablet if there's fast zombies
Aaren J hit the gun shop and go far away from a city as possible
Its funny, the day I'm watching this, they announced Mrs Cooper for a convention next month 10 minutes away from home
I remember watching this as a 5 or 6 year old in the early 80's. I would have recurring nightmares of being chased for years to come. Great film.
I was sitting here thinking how some of the flaws of the movie could have been and still could be used. By that I mean why not say the very freshest zombies retain the largest amount of memory fragments as their brains haven't decayed as much. These zombies could stab like the daughter, break windows like the first zombie, try to put themselves out when on fire etc. Then the older they become and the more decayed, they lose those memories and become the mindless lurching zombies which could make up the core. With the most recently deceased and turned zombies leading the way. Just sharing what may be a dumb idea.
Brilliant review as always. I hope to see you guys cover Lifeforce and Zombie Creeping Flesh in future!
Chocolate bosco was the special effect used as blood in the movie, because being filmed black & white this worked perfectly .
This flick is yet another gem in the horror genre that I fervently wish I could see for the first time again, and this time on a big cinema screen. I first saw it on a tiny 1970's TV set when I was a kid in Long Island NY; it's just not the right way to experience this film.
I saw this film, for the the first time, in 1975. I was in grade 4, and this was shown in those last days before summer break. After that, I spent the summer on my Uncle's farm, right next ( I mean, literally) to a small church and graveyard. I was one of those traumatized. I didn't sleep a wink all those summer nights. Secretly feared zombies my entire young life. Constantly assessed homes that I, or anyone, bought or rented for Zombie Defense.....and joined the film business so I could one day work on zombie movies. NOTLD has shaped my entire life. Funnily enough, I watch this great review after spendng an entire day working on a longer "oner" for two TV characters trying to escape an office building full of zombie variants. Good review, gentlemen.
Guy Person and in 1975? Dam. I was definitely young(probably the same grade even)but have at least heard of zombies. I can't imagine never having heard of zombies and being that close the a graveyard lol.
Dawn next!
Yes. Where you been guys?
I prefer Tom Savini's remake more but still, its a classic.
Personally, I love both equally. I can see why you prefer the Savini version. The characters are more fleshed out🧟♂️ and it does indeed bring a fresh and exciting new take on the film. Which is why I love it equally as much as the original. 😉👍😉🤮
This is a surprise take. Ben is such a shit heel in Savini's version.. Coooper maybe a litte more realistic. But it's not as scary, and there's just no nuance to the lighting and shadow . I enjoyed the remake....but it has nothing on the original
The remake certainly is better.
Yes. The remake is better. Its my second favourite zombie movie after Day Of The Dead (1985). Day Of The Dead will always be my favourite.
the zombies from the remake are too slow, I mean too slow
Ben went back to the house because the rules to survive a zombie apocalypse weren't invented yet. 😆
Night Of The Living Dead started a revolution in the film industry, igniting the indipendent movie making flame that still burns bright today, and birthed a sub-genre of Horror that has become a mainstream goliath far flung from it's roots in this standard bearing classic.
Another fantastic review that informs and educates...and is reviewed from the point of view from it's own 60's era with all that that implies.
One of the greatest movies of all time.
Run Of The Arrow 1957 was the first American film to use blood squibs.
Best day ever! keep the dead reviews coming boys! Dawn of the Dead is one of my favorite movies ever!
Hey fellas, have you done a review of the 80’s RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD.
If not, I think you’d love it and I think your fans would probably enjoy the review as much as the movie.
“Watch our for the tar man”
Did the film justice lads and loved the fight club reference. OTSR 👊👊
Great review! I agree partly with both of you - I agree that Ben wasn't as much of the good guy as people think he was; I agree that the film is set up really well, etc. I love the ending because it is a bittersweet ending and it still leaves you asking questions of what caused all those people to come back from the dead and be "brain dead". The film also has the arguably double honor to be enjoyable both for itself AND as a riff - of course, I'm referring to Rifftrax's riff of it which IS pretty hilarious, but you can tell respect is still given to the film.
You Would Not Have the Modern Zombie movie with out the Dead Father George A. Romero. The King is Dead. Long Reanimate the King!!!!
I think the mystery of what caused it all is so interesting
It was caused by prolonged eating of "The Stuff"
sorry dude but there's no mystery at all its stated in the movie that it was space radiation!
@@davidcokeley2918 ehh speculation
@@bujilou yeah a little I can see why you think that! But they say that's what it is and in disbelief another person says but we're not sure!
I don't think being trapped in a basement will only one exit is ever a good idea! I'm going high, with a second exit, even if I have to chill on the roof!
My school library had several books about classic horror movies. It was a series of short books. First would be the plot of the film, and then a bunch of behind the scenes stuff about the film. Night of the Living Dead was one of them, along with It Came From Outer Space, and Frankenstein Meets The Wolf-Man.Those books were my first exposure to those classic films, and classic horror movies. Still, it’s strange that they were in the elementary section.
They're coming to get you Barbara! Awesome film.
So there are 3 night of the living dead films. The original, the Savini, and the 3D....I'll let you guess which one is the worst.
3d...shitfest
Is the 3rd one the one with the added footage about the back story of the cemetary ghoul?
Gary wears the shirt respectfully
Awesome gonna watch this, then re watch your 1990 remake review too, let the Halloween season commence!
Slightly prefer the Savini remake but said remake could never have happened without Romero and his original, absolute legend, imagine a world without zombie movies and games... Boring. 😂
George was in on the remake!
Awesome! Great to see you doing some classics.
Even in 2023 this movie completely holds up it's timeless
Halloween is on Thursday 31st October 2019
Thank you
Ben and cooper were both wrong they should have barricaded the staircase and stayed upstairs with all the water and food they could lay their hands on and just waited for help!
Doctor Picard nononono exactly. I've always thought that and don't recall anyone say it besides me. The upstairs affords all the protection of the basement, but with comfort, and escape routes if necessary. As well as being easily barricaded/defended.
Should have ripped up the stairs an stayed up stairs or climed on the roof
I like the roof idea, although I'm not sure how they would've climbed up there. 😊
The thing about them loosing copyrights just proofs ppl with genuine creativity ne er make it in live , and also can't afford to have an accountant
Ben didnt leave because he didnt want to leave the others he is a hero
Still have a They are Coming to get You Barbara, Night of the living Dead T shirt somewhere.
Despite its remake, I don't think a movie like this could be made. The legacy of zombie movies (zombies in general) is spoiled by special effects. I did watch the movie way before the review (the day Mr. Romero passed away) and it did feel like a down-to-earth story.
I would love to watch your discussion on Wes Craven's New Nightmare if you have the opportunity to make it happen. Keep up the awesome work.
I believed Johnny, and Barbra went to their mother's grave, not their father's grave. I don't know.
Gary loves zombies....I'm shocked
Can't say I particularly get on with George Romero films, but I will say the mother being killed by her daughter is well unnerving. And despite what I think, anyone looking to get into low budget film making should make this flick a priority watch.
First zombie made his own zombie movie flesh eater. Do a review on that!
This was a fun review thanks so much : )
It's about time
First zombie movie that the zombies eat people what a legendary film what I never understood why the first zombie didn't eat Johnny.
Really hope one of the Halloween reviews is It 2017
9:39 but in an even more Basic way Karloff in 31 and then Bela Lagosi as the Frankenstein Monster in Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman , Lon Chaney jr Glenn Strange and Started that whole Stumbilng around arms flailing type "Zombie" manner too.
They didnt change the Ben character for Dwane they wrote the characater as white and he was the best actor so they changed nothing as a matter of fact it did cross there minds to change things up but thought it would be hip too leave ben the way he was written!
This is one of my all-time favourites. Being shot in black & white somehow enhances it for me. I recall seeing a colour version of this, where Barbara was 'badass' in it ... or did I dream it?
I recall a colorized version that came out sometime in the 80s.
The basement in a house with a second floor is total shit as a place to hide go up to the second floor and knock out the stares!
Hope you guys do the film sling Blade very underrated film
Let's face it - if Tarantino had two films for parents, then one of them would be Romero's classic.
Anyway It's just a fantastic picture on so many levels. But please, boys - don't use the "Z" word 😉
I would like to hear Tarantinos opinion on this movie.
One of the greatest horror movies of all times
A classic!
Gary you been pumping iron bro, arms look proper...
"They're coming on you Barbara". Is Johnny saying that line in a faux British accent? I think he is. Great film. I love the soundtrack. My favorite in the trilogy. Did the "Off The Shelf Review'' guys watch the Criterion re-release?
Is that the one with added footage that was shot decades later? Because if so that was the original version of Night I saw as a kid after getting it at the rental store
@@fwostyshrakes1870 nope. It's the original without added footage
I never saw the one with the added footage about the cemetary zombie back story. But I read it wasn't very good.
I can appreciate the individual's enthusiasm for any movie, director or genre but personally, I think this is one of the most overrated movies of all time rather than one of the greatest and as a horror movie, it's pretty embarrassing. Even if it is still easier to watch than at least 95% of horror movies made in the last decade.
Perfect review everything you said is I was thinking throughout the movie. Its not a perfect film but it broke new ground in so many ways.
How most people would handle a child zombie: defend themselves
How the mother handled a child zombie: lay on floor and be stabbed repeatedly with no attempt to even move
It would've been more realistic, if the mother was so overcome with her daughter turning into a ghoul, that she just fainted and fell on the floor.
I love this movie. I actually wrote a full review a while back on Night of the Living Dead
Fantastic Review again Guys - will be interesting to see how you rank them ALL once you have seen and reviewed them👍
The one thing I didn't understand about the film and still don't now is that seeing how the zombies are flesh eaters why didn't the first zombie the cemetery one not feast on the dead body of Johnny once he'd killed him instead he decides to chase after his sister Barbara when he has a perfectly good meal lying on the ground what they could've done is have another zombie appear in the graveyard and come after her like in the remake but like in that one two the cemetery zombie doesn't eat the dead Johnny either and goes after Barbara also.
It was supposed to be a zombie, but I don't think it is, he's just a psycho who happened to be wandering around, but maybe they wanted to save the gore for later?
🤷🤷🤷
Sallie Wagenblatt many reasons. 1 moved the plot forward 2 they probably shot the film mostly in order to save time and maybe they didn't fully realize what the zombies do or how they act 3 Jonny was dead and they don't eat the dead 4 he thought Barbara would taste better 5 continuity error. My guess is 1 and 5 were probably the best answers
It proves the cemetary zombie was 100% heterosexual. That explains why he preferred the "thrill of the chase" with Barbara.
can you guys review the I am legend movies by any chance like Last Man on Earth(1964) ,The Omega Man(1971) or in my opinion the meh version of the movie I am Legend(2007)
Cooper, like Rhodes was not a bad guy :( Just fucked.
I always though that the zombie or ghoul at the top of stairs had its brain or atleast brain stem eaten out from the base of the skull 🤷🏻
But ya know I’ve watched every sequel from Dawn of the dead (Agento Cut) every return of the living dead sequel
Christ even children of the living dead I got on a double sided dvd when they first come out with Death Valley the revenge of bloody bill and Every episode and Fear and Beyond the walking dead episodes and despite them not being out yet but the spin offs which I will watch
I think the plot hole or the lady at the top of the stairs was sufficiently eaten not to comeback from the dead 😂
Just don't watch the 30th Anniversary Edition
Why not?
Joaul Jovera I haven’t watched the entire cut myself but have read that they added newly filmed “extended scenes” and stitched it together with the original movie. I have watched a view clips of this on RUclips, it looks awful. Check them out on RUclips, they look so bad.
GamerWho if anything buy it so the we'll earn money that was lost can go to the people(or their estate) that deserved it. Then watch the original.
@@Marvelvscapcom2rocks John Russo got the original Cemetery Zombie to replay the role, 40 pounds heavier, nad 40 years older, and had him play an Apocalypse Preacher who got killed and started the whole thing. It's absolutely awful, and an insult to the movie.