Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Now where else would be the best place to start than the beginning with George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead?
When talking about where zombies got their start, many cite Night of the Living Dead for, well, bringing the dead to life. Romero truly invented the lifeless face, the slow and dragging walk, and the appetite for human flesh that we commonly associate with zombies.
Romero’s impact has gone far beyond anything I’m sure he expected. Many filmmakers, including the writer and producer for The Walking Dead Frank Darabont, cite this film has inspiration for every zombie film to come. Personally, I also find the black and white aesthetic make the zombies creepier because the film never relied too heavily on the blood or gore and focused more on the mysteriousness of the zombies.
Honestly, it would be nice to see a return of black and white zombie movies because it was so successful in making zombies a truly terrifying foe. It’s no wonder that when many describe seeing Night of Living Dead, they say that they mostly watched it through their fingers.
