Night of the Living Dead

Night of the Living Dead follows a small group of strangers holed up in a weathered Pennsylvania farmhouse as night falls and a relentless tide of undead closes in. Tensions flare as supplies dwindle, radios go silent, and the living must decide who they trust and how far they will go to stay alive. The farmhouse becomes a fortress and a pressure cooker where fear, grit, and practicality collide in equal measure. Among the survivors are cautious Ben, resourceful Barbra, and a couple sheltering under the same roof, each bringing their own fears into the fragile circle. The threat outside is relentless, shifting the group from wary cooperation to brittle, tense decisions. Its resonance lingers after the lights come up.

Directed by George A Romero from a story by Romero and John A Russo, Night of the Living Dead was produced on a shoestring budget of 114,000 dollars. It premiered in 1968 and helped redefine horror cinema for a generation.

Its micro budget belied its solid box office run, eventually earning about 30,236,452 worldwide. The film's unexpected profitability helped spark a wave of independent horror and kept Romero's project alive long after its release. Its success inspired indie horror filmmakers.

Night of the Living Dead reshaped the horror landscape by delivering a brutal, no frills fear that doubles as social critique. It helped crystallize the zombie archetype, sparked imitators, and underscored race and class tensions without melodrama. Its star Duane Jones challenged expectations and broadened the scope of genre storytelling.

Critics greeted it as a raw, unnerving shock and over time the film has been hailed as a landmark in independent cinema. Its themes probe how fear exposes prejudice and how resource scarcity tests ethics, unity, and leadership under pressure. The film also asks what people will sacrifice to survive.