Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent horror film directed by George A. Romero staring Duane Jones and Russell Streiner. The film follows several people trapped in a farmhouse under assault from zombies. Night of the Living Dead is an allegory for racism and the dangers of discrimination.
The film starts with siblings Barbara and johnny going toa creamery to visit their father’s grave. A zombie then attacks Barbra as Johnny wrestles him and is killed as a zombie chase after Barbra who runs then drives away. Barbra ends up in a house armed with a kitchen knife as she tries to ring the police as zombies surround the house. Barbra then finds a corpse and runs out the house into car lights where she meets a black guy called Ben who takes her inside as the zombie’s approach, as this happens Ben finds a corpse and gets supplies as Barbra is in a state of shock. The zombies then destroy the headlights as ben kills them, as a zombie comes into the house the attack Barbra as Ben saves her and kills the zombie. Ben then kills another zombie and barricades the house, as ben the protagonist is the one in charge and orders Barbra to work. He then consoles Barbra knowing she’s afraid, but they must work together, she then collects wood for him and holds the boards in place as she’s nailing them. Ben in calm, cool and collected in the film even though he is obviously afraid. Barba then finally talks. She opens about the zombie attack and has a breakdown as when she tells her story she becomes delirious and hysteric as Ben this her and knocks her out after she hits him.
Ben is left to fend for himself and is very resourceful making a trap for the zombies. He then lights lighter fluid over a chair to care away zombies as he borders up the house as again, he the black character is shown as the most competent. Ben finds a gun and some ammo which demonstrates his competency showing the film critic of racism as he is still holding it together as Barbra is still in a state of shock being mute. Barbra finds people taking shelter in their homes as there’s two guys in the cellar Harry and Tom, as both and Ben getting into an augment about them hiding and not helping, linking into the themes of racism as they do not like or trust him because of his race however ben is the most competent person. They then start augmenting some more linking to the themes of racism in the film, as the young white man Tom is more ok with Ben the black man but Harry the older black man is not. Harry’s wife Helen and their daughter Karen are in the cellar with Tom’s girlfriend Judy. Ben and Harry then get into an argument about whether to go into the cellar or border up the house and witch idea is better as Toms sides with Ben. This links to the themes of racism in the film as Harry believes Ben does not know how to do things correctly because of his race and therefore feels he is less intelligent. Tom helps Ben freeing him from a zombie attack. Harry and Ben fight over what they should do going into the cellar room as Tom and his girlfriend Judy come up as Harry goes down. This again leads into the themes of racism the film as no one trusts Ben the smartest character in the film.
Harry talks to his family as his daughter is bitten and his wife thinks he is being this way to be right as he and his wife get into his argument. This links into the themes of racism in the film ads Harry wants to be seen as the on in charge as the old white man and not Ben the young black man. Harry then starts to complain about the fortifications as his wife protests, as him and Ben get into a viral fight as this links to the themes of racism as Harry does not like or trust Ben due to his race as he wants to be seen as the more competent person. The news says that zombies are attacking people and that people are rising from the dead killing people as the military is setting up food rescue stations. There is no scientific explanation as space expects speculate it to be about a satellite that was destroyed that had radiation on it with created the zombies. Ben and everyone else say they should go to the rescue station except Harry as Tom says to Ben, they are near a place called Willard. This links to the themes of racism in the film as no one believes ben even though he is the most competent character in the movie. Harry says they should stay put which links to the racial tensions in the film as harry the white man wants to be in control despite Ben the black man being correct. The expects say to seek medical attention as Ben and Karen advise a plan to help Judy with him taking charge. This links to the themes of racism in the film as Ben is the most competent character that takes control in the film. The news states that the body must be cremated instantly upon death to prevent them coming back as zombies. Harry feels insufficient and tries to help whilst arguing with Ben who takes charge and Harry doesn’t like it. This links to the themes of racial tension in the film as Ben the black man is the most competent character and Harry as the white man feels insufficient and is angry about this.
Harry and Judy get into fight about going to witch Judy ends agreeing with Harry. Harry then launches Molotov cocktails out the window as Ben and Tom get to the truck. Judy runs into the truck with Tom as Ben fights them off. They get to the pump but due to an accident with the touch which burns the truck as Ben and Judy drive off but due to the truck being on fire it blows up and they die. Harry does not let Ben in leading to him breaking down the door and beating him up. This links to the themes of racial tension in the film as harry doesn’t not like Ben due to his race and ben punches him due to him being angry with the racism in the film. the zombies then approach Tom and Judy’s corpses and feast on their flesh, as the characters are losing their minds as Ben tries to come up with a plan. The radiation on the broadcast says that the zombies are still being created, the broadcast says that if you kill the brain, you kill the zombie as a mob has been rounded up. The power goes out as Ben takes command and Harry does not know what to do. Harry tries to take command by talking t Helen about getting the gun as she berates him. This relates to the themes of racial tension as Harry feels inferior and wants to take command due to him being white and not liking that Ben a black man in control as this is going on the zombies break into the house. Ben and Helen try and hold down the fort, but Harry does nothing and then grabs the gun as Ben fights him and the takes the gun and shoots him. this links to the themes of racial tension in the film as Harry wants to be the one in control and doesn’t like Ben a black man being in charge.
As this is going on zombies break in as Helen and Barbra fend them off. Karen, who is now a zombie, eats her dad and the stabs her mum to death with a towel, as Ben and Barbra fight off the zombies as the zombie version of Johnny rags her away killing her. The zombies then break in as Ben gores to the cellar where he kills the zombified versions of Harry and Helen, which links to the racial tensions in the film as Ben the black man kills the white people who were seemly prejudice towards him and survives. An armed mob then arrive the following day to kill the zombies. Ben them comes out of the cellar as one of the people mistake him for a zombie and shoots him dead putting his corpse on the fire with the corpses of the zombies. This links to the racial tension in the film as Ben from a thematic standpoint was killed due to racism as they did not believe a black man survived and was killed for it.
Night of the Living Dead is a criticism of racism within society and how people’s prejudices lead to death.
