What was your first reaction to George Romero's Night of the Living Dead? What was significant about the setting and the cast of characters? What is significant about an African-American man being cast as the hero, particularly when the bulk of the cast is white? Supposedly, the choice was simply based on his acting ability, but in the climate of the late 1960s, this was controversial. What argument might this be making about race and/or racism? How might zombies factor into this? Zombies are generally used to critique American's "mindless" consumerism, but have also been used to critique their violence towards one another, as well as our inability to recognize other people as "completely human". How do these various factors contribute to your interpretation of the film?
Make sure to consider both the rhetoric (particularly choice of actors, choice of set, script, etc.) as well as the ideas.
I feel like Night of the Living Dead was much more scary than Nosferatu. There was much more suspense, and the film quality probably helped a lot. One of the first things I noticed was how long it took Barbra to start the car in the beginning of the movie while the zombie was chasing her. She was just sitting in there watching it break open the window! And it seemed like she tripped an awful lot while she was running. It definitely made the whole beginning scene more suspenseful.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the zombies (all of which are white) are concerned, they could be symbolic of the violence that was going on in real life during the 1960’s. The United States was going through the African-American Civil Rights Movement during this time, (rights for adequate education, fair employment and voting rights among other things) so there was a lot of violence during this time. A black hero is fighting the violence of the white zombies, just like black people were fighting the racism of the white people in real life.
The film might also be trying to send out a message about African-American’s ability to work. If a white person can be cast as the hero of a film, why can’t a black person be a hero as well? In the 1960’s it was very uncommon to see an African-American as the hero of a movie. I didn’t really notice anything else in particular concerning the cast of the film, other than the all the main characters are white and the hero is black.
-Alyssa Juhnke
Initially I was quite impressed by the film’s eerie opening scene. It was somewhat scary and not too predictable. The setting of the film gave the audience a feeling of helplessness and fear for the cast due to the fact that it took place in an extremely rural area. Also, the cast of the characters was particularly important because the main character, Ben, is a black male. This is highly significant because even though the Civil Rights Acts had been passed blacks were still not viewed as equals to whites at that time. Therefore, having a black male play the lead character and hero of a movie seems quite controversial for the time the movie was released. Stereotypically, black males are viewed as the first characters in horror films to be “killed off.” In contrast, Ben was the last character to die and the most heroic of them all. Harry, played by Karl Hardman, is a white man portrayed to be selfish and cowardly at times, ignoring the screams and noises of Ben and Barbara upstairs. When asked why Harry did not come help them when he heard Barbara scream, Harry had no excuse. It is depicting the black man to be much more heroic and fearless than the white man. Perhaps George Romero was making a racial statement by casting Duane Jones as the lead character. Romero could have been arguing blacks play just as important a role in society as whites do. The zombies are portraying society’s tendency of not treating people like actual human beings. The brutal killings of the zombies may have been reflecting the murders of innocent African Americans during the 1960s. In the film, a group of men go out on “hunts” to kill the mindless zombies. They shoot Ben in the head, mistaking him for a zombie. This could correlate to a white lynch mob murdering African Americans.
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to the film Night of the Living Dead was that the main female character, Barbra, has a five head. Also that Barbra is awful at trying to escape zombies, at one point she tripped while still in the graveyard and it took her literally like fifteen seconds to get up and continue running. I found the film to be very dramatic and exaggerated in this sense. Another thing I noticed was that the film really got started in the very beginning of the movie; I found it really interesting that there was barely any intro. I didn’t really find much very interesting about the setting or the cast really, other than the entire cast other than the hero were all white. The significance about an African American man being cast as the hero, is a rarity, at that time and even to this day, I feel like that is not often seen, but that this movie may have cleared a path, and opened many other doors for black movie stars to come. Although yes, at the time, I’m sure it probably came as a shocker to many people sitting in the theatre. Being that this film was made in the late 60’s it makes sense, because of the civil rights movement happening at the time. Also I could see the zombies (one being that they are used to critique violence against one another as well as out inability to recognize other people as “completely human”, and two, being that all the zombies are white) having something to do with the idea of conquering racism. Seeing as though the main character is a black male, and he is killing the zombies (all white), or in other words… killing racism.
ReplyDeleteBased on the first part of the movie, I thought Night of the Living Dead was going to be a PG rated zombie movie. The big zombie attack at the beginning looked like a big pushing fight. Obviously, this is not the case with the rest of the movie. There’s some really messed up stuff in this movie even by today’s standards. I can only imagine how the violence was received by audiences in the sixties. The setting was significant because it was a normal house. Most zombie survivors hold out in a mall it seems. The characters represent a bunch of different types of people. There’s the African-American guy who’s just trying to survive, the couple in love, the couple with marriage problems that stick together for their child, and the woman who has recently lost a family member. The characters and setting both appeal to pathos. The audience should be able to relate to one of the characters, if not the normal house setting. The choice of an African-American playing the lead role signifies the equal rights movement taking place at the time. Ben is trying to overcome impossible odds while all these Caucasian people slow him down. The zombies represent the general publics’ violence to those who are different. All of the survivors’ have something significant that is being critiqued through their deaths. The fighting couple are responsible for what happens to their child and pay the price through her. This represents someone who turns to crime due to their poor childhood. The in love couple are too hopelessly obsessed with each other to realize what is going on around them. The woman who can’t let go of her brother is eaten because she drops her guard when she sees his undead body. The only character without any faults, besides being Black, is Ben. He is killed by the government, representing the government’s disregard of African-American rights. Night of the Living Dead does have some negative messages too. Ben is very aggressive, hitting the White woman and shooting a fellow survivor. The film is also very sexist. All of the women are completely helpless, especially Judy who gets her boyfriend/husband killed. I also chuckled about what the film was trying to imply when the woman at the beginning crashed her car into a tree going five miles an hour.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction to the film was that I was going to enjoy this a lot better than Nosferatu. However as the film progressed I was disappointed in the lack of blood and guts we’re are use to in modern day zombie films. The zombies were relatively tame compared to what they are today. The setting was set primarily in this farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. It is perfect for this movie because it shows the cast being isolated from the rest of the world. With an African American man being cast as the movie we are able to see how you don’t need to be white to survive. It shows us that men of color have an equal chance of surviving, just as the rest of us. This argument is to show us that all people should be judged equally and based on their talents, not the color of their skin, zombies factor into this by showing us the worlds evils that the people themselves created. We are able to see just how mindless zombies really are. They stop at nothing to get in the house and in the end they were finally able to break in. We also saw the women’s brother from the beginning of the film come back and kill her. This represents that not even family bonds can save you from the consumerism that the zombies represent.
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to Night of the Living Dead was surprise in how little “horror” there was in the film. The vast majority of it seemed to be centered on social commentary rather than entertainment features intending to scare the audience. As far as the characters are concerned, I think that by the actor who plays the voice of reason (the only actor who is black in the film) being paired alone with the white woman is sending a message to the audience that the pervasive fear of black men being near white women is completely unwarranted. I also think it’s significant that not only was the black man the voice of calm and rationality, but he did all the work to build a safe shelter (mirrors US history exactly) while the white actors either rested on the couch or avoided the work all together by staying in the shelter. The debate between the black actor and the white males about whether to stay in the cellar or not seems to be a conversation really about the debate about whether or not to accept a more progressive and equal society that allows for equal rights, or whether to embrace the stubbornness of the past. When the white man finally agreed to come upstairs, I think that symbolized the slow process of accepting the changing social and political climate in the US. Also, it’s important to point out the rational argument outlined by the black actor. He repeatedly told them and showed them how they were actually safer staying upstairs. He did this verbally and repeatedly in a calm manner (just as leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. did while pushing for civil rights). When the white actor ruined the getaway plan by starting the fire and then quickly escaping with the resources for a safe outcome, while the black actor was left to fend for himself with the zombies, it seemed to symbolize society’s allocation of work and resources perfectly. I think the zombies were completely devoid of all the virtuous traits of humanity because they had been murdered and treated with no respect. The zombies, to me, symbolized the people society mistreats. In short, if people are treated with hatred and seen by society to be more animalistic than human, that group of people will become increasingly violent and problematic. No human made even a marginal attempt to see the zombies as anything but a threat, and as a result, their violence increased and they became more and more of a threat to the people locked in the house. At the end of the film, when the black actor is shot, the style of filming changes abruptly. It looks as if it’s showing photos of an assassination rather than the ending of a film. I’d be curious to learn when in 1968 this film was produced. It seems to be commenting on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. or possibly Robert F. Kennedy, both assassinated in 1968.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRe: Meredith
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point-of-view on this film. It never occurred to me to consider the rural setting of the film. That is probably very significant in that blacks were commonly living in cities by the late 1960s. The suburban areas (and to an extent, rural areas too) were seen as white communities. The zombies attacking the area could represent blacks wanting to be fully integrated in suburban/rural areas. Or, the film could be commenting on how blacks had superior knowledge to whites due to hundreds of years of literally doing all the work necessary to keep southern communities functioning and thriving. It would be no surprise that a black man would know how to resolve a problem in a rural area simply because he would be more familiar with the land, animals, crops, etc. I think the film in numerous ways was attempting to show the value in listening to and following the suggestions of the prominent civil rights leaders of the time. I interpreted the zombies just as you did. I think they serve as a cautionary tale of what will continue to happen if a society maintains treating a segment of its population in an unequal manner.
My initial reactions to Night of the Living Dead were the quality and how much films had changed in forty years. I thought that the quality was very good and did a well job at the amount of suspense that the audience is put through, unlike Noseratu. One of the first things that I noticed while watching this film was Barbara, when Ben turned the light on. I am not for sure if it was something that I did not read right;however, when Ben turned the light on, Barbara stopped and stared at him like he was one of the zombies. I also enjoyed that the characters speak and although it wasn't in color it still excited me and was very interesting. I, as well, caught on to the extreme amount of foreshadowing that Barbara used when talking about the zombies, and of course a zombie would get her after her brother jokingly tells her the man is in fact a zombie. Although he and she were unaware that it was the truth, I would think they would easily get away. Just as Dave Chapelle showed the amount of quickness zombies have, Ben also explains it to the others. The setting also plays a big role in this film as it begins at a cemetery where it seems to initiate the zombies. The house they stayed at is also very significant because all of the characters are white and are taken care of and protected by a black male. This character shows great strength and authority, which may explain the culture and society of that time. During this time period there was much violence and fighting for rights. As the main character is African-American, it plays a significant role to show how society should work. All of the characters are at Ben's house and are protected by him. He shows his authority by taking action and trying to save each of them, which plays into the role that African-Americans have at this time. This also may be trying to show how everything has been occurring; with slaves doing the bulk of the work as whites are "sitting on the couch." It shows that African-Americans should have authority because they have a powerful role in society. The zombies may portray the public from the amount of violence they have against African-American rights. How convenient that Barbara would find Ben who ultimately saves all of them and plays the main character as a strong authority figure. In all, I thought this film was well played out and showed many underlying messages through each character and zombie.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction to the night of the living dead was that it was in black in white and wither that would add to the overall viewing experience or take away from it. I got the feeling that many of the techniques that directors today use to add suspense to a film were basically pioneered in this one. For example Barbra tripped multiple times while the zombies were in pursuit of her, also she took awhile to try to start the car. I think that the setting is significant because it took place in a rural farm town possible in the south where racism is and was more prevalent. Another big race element in the film was that all of the zombies (all that were shown at least) where white and were chasing the main hero who was black. Which can be interpreted as an African American’s struggle in the United States at the time. Having an African American play the lead for a movie was probably unheard of at the time, the director could have made a point to specifically choose a black actor as part of a civil right message or maybe he simply was the best fit for the role. As far as the case for him being the best actor I think this is true as well, He out of all the characters looks the part of a hero, and played it believably. Which is more then you can say for most of the so-called “acting” in the movie. Not that it was a bad movie, just some parts that were intended to be dramatic were found comical, like the fighting scenes with Ben and Mr. Cooper.
ReplyDeleteOne of my first reactions to George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead was, “An hour and thirty five minutes of this god awful music. How am I going to survive?” The setting was in a farm house with nothing surrounding it, which made it very difficult for Ben and the others to find outside help for survival. During the filming of this film, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was at the peak of his success during the Civil Rights Movement, which could be relevant to the casting of the African-American hero Ben. The 1960’s and 70’s were a time that peaceful hippies and violent authorities coexisted in a disagreeing United States. The hippies wanted to bring home the troops while political leaders chose to stay in fight in Vietnam until a victory was brought home. The fight between the zombies and the people in the house closely relate to this. Ben, Barbara, Harry, Helen, Tom and Judy are searching for a way out of the chaos occurring outside of the house, just as the hippies fight for peace, a contradicting reoccurrence during the free love era. Disagreements between the people in the house led to difficulty in making group decisions. While the people in the house continue to struggle to stay alive, American’s put together rescue teams to kill off the already dead. As Ben realizes there are people coming to save him, they mistaken him for a zombie in shoot him right in between the eyes. The shootings at Kent State are much alike the death of Ben because an innocent victim was shot to death for no apparent reason. With the newscasts unable to give an explanation for the walking dead, society is left with many questions. The film makes viewers think about how one another is treating each other because as far as the people in the house know, the murderous walking dead trying to kill them are human!
ReplyDeleteRe: Logan
ReplyDeleteI definitely agreee with your comparison of the hippies to the cast of the film. The cast makes the fight of their lives against the zombies and do everything imaginable to fight them off. During the 1960s, the hippies were the most radical protestors of the war in Vietnam. Some of the hippies were young men who were bound to be drafted at any time. These young men were very well fighting for their lives against "zombies" at that time, political figures. The directors of films during that time period were known to be hippies so it could very well be seen this way.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to the Night of the Living Dead was that it was going to be a better film than Nosferatu and by the end of the movie, I actually enjoyed watching it. The beginning was particularly interesting to me because it was actually scary, even though the film is from the late 60’s. The setting was interesting because it was an isolated, rural area with an entirely white cast except the main character, Ben. Despite the setting, we see that conflict is still rampant among the characters (for example, the brother and sister arguing in the beginning and Ben and Harry fighting inside the house). The fact that the hero was an African American showed that Romero believed that black men were just as capable as white men in leadership roles and held honest virtues, such as taking his responsibility for his property (for example, when Ben says he will defend the entire upstairs). Also he was trying to point out that African American men were just as human and masculine as white men when, at the time, they were often looked down upon as something less than a human, but only slightly more than an animal. This shows that the racist attitudes many held in the 1960’s did not apply to Romero’s beliefs in any fashion. Zombies show us violence against people. These zombies are the most human looking zombies I have seen, yet there seems to be no remorse when they are killed by the characters in the film. We see this play out in racism where we harm those who are human, just like ourselves, yet show no signs of compassion or sorrow. Just as was stated before, the factor of violence towards other human beings shows that the people of the 1960’s
ReplyDeleteviewed the African American race as something less than human and thus tried to justify their horrendous acts towards them to keep their conscious clean.
I agree with you that the killing of Ben could possibly represent the assassination of MLK Jr. I was not aware that he was killed in 1968. That makes perfect sense. Ben and MLK were both heroes and they both were killed for no good reason. They also had a lot in common while they were alive. They were calm and collected leaders who put others before themselves.
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to Night of the Living Dead, was how much of an easier film it was to view than Nosferatu, and a better preference to me personally than Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The opening was somewhat scary, seeing the zombies in a rural, desolate type area. A feeling of suspense was shown at he beginning of the movie when the woman, Barbara, struggled to get out of her vehicle as the zombies were attacking, and struggled to run away from them. It was interesting to see that the main character of the film, Ben, was African-American. This was filmed in the 1960's, at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, which is interesting to see the hero of the film as an African-American. All of the zombies and other characters in the film were all white. I think this shows the changing views and culture of American in the time period. After the Civil Rights Movement ended, a great change for American was produced. This depicts how the blacks fought back at the racism of the whites of our country. It was a good choice for the storyline of the movie, displaying all of the violence and struggles of the African-Americans throughout this time.
ReplyDelete@Justin Pichichero
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of zombies as the victims in this movie, but I guess that makes sense. The zombies are less than human just as Black people were perceived in the sixties by some. This made it okay for others to shoot them. The characters in the film perceived the zombies as a threat to their way of life in the way that Black people might have been perceived as threatening the American way of life. I also noticed in the movie that the characters make no mention of Ben's skin color. I think Romero is trying to say that when things really matter, one's skin color isn't important. Despite being Black, Ben is able to survive the longest through his actions.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAt first what struck me were the similarities between the techniques used in Night of the Living Dead and modern horror films. Even today when people fall while being chased in horror movies it generally seems to take them an annoyingly unnatural amount of time to get up again. This kind of thing seems to happen much more often when the person who trips is female (at least in movies).
ReplyDeletePerhaps the most forward thinking move made by the writer was to cast the hero of the film as a black man. Even four years after the Civil Rights Act was passed black men were rarely depicted as heroes and if they even had a role in a film, it was usually a meager one complete with stereotypes included by white screenplay writers. In contrast to other stereotypical black characters in other movies of the era, Ben was quick thinking, resourceful, and spoke more eloquently and bravely than the other white characters. Ben’s death near the end of the film seems to mirror the way other heroic figures of the era, such as M.L.K. were murdered while trying to overcome the immense injustices of the era.
In a sense the zombies could have represented resistance in society to the notions about race that the film was trying to communicate.
My first reaction to George Romero's Night of the Living Dead film was scary because of the stationary cameras that record the scene from different angles. Also, the camera was held for one scene for long time in order to get viewers’ attention. The producer focused on an electrical wooden pole that looks like a big cross. I think with the help of the scary sound background the cross was creepy and scary since it was filmed near a small hill at a cross road. this scene evokes somehow death and bad things that are going to happen later in the film. Furthermore, when the radio turned on by itself, it gave a creepy feelings; it puts fear. However, I belief that this scene is not relevant to the main idea which is “zombies”. I think that George has intended to make the cast all white except for one in order to give the focus on the unique character which is a “black man”. The author made the black guy the hero in order to pose and break the racism issue in the late 1960s. The author wanted to show to viewers that black people are able to do things like any other human being; and they have the same rights as white people. Zombies are being used to critique the issue of the racism by relating them to white people whom fight the freedom of black people. Also, the author declares that there are many people “zombies” whom fight and kill any one shows some sympathy to black people issues. This scene is depicted by representing zombies to white people whom kill and eat the flesh of those whom with black people side. I think that this film shows some pessimistic future when the black man “the hero” died at the end of the film.
ReplyDeleteSorry this is a few minutes late but I’ve been wrestling with my internet for about the past hour and half or so, and finally got it working enough to post this.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction to “Night” was that the cinematography created really terrifying environment. This is mainly due to, I think, the advances in technology and seasoned directors that exist because of the now (1960s) veteran skill of movie-making. The significance of the African-American lead is that at the time this movie was made, ’68, was at the eve of the full-blown civil rights movement that was happening in America, and this film made quite the stand on that issue. It emphasizes the terror that was felt by most African-Americans of the day and was a very explicit comment on the attack that they were all enduring during this period of mainstream bigotry. It was also a big step forward for race relations in Hollywood. The zombies in the movie are obviously just zombies, out of context, but in the societal context of the times, they are easily attributed the allegorical characterization of the brainless “white power” that still was a very real threat to most people of color. The zombies in this film, as you put it, are a critique on American's "mindless" consumerism, but the “product” they are consuming in this movie is the subscription to the idea that white people are better than all other races. The movie showcases the zombies slowly creeping around trying to devour the main character, and his white friends, trying to devour the ideas they represent. The movie portrays them as evil in a sense to show the terror that the still existing Jim Crow laws and racism slowly was still creeping in on blacks and their still somewhat limited freedoms in America. Another way of looking at it would also be to say that since the group of friends and the lead are (since they are a small group) that the lead represents the black community in America and that the white friends are the white supporters of the civil rights movement. I posit this idea because these groups were both very real in America and this film can easily be viewed as an allegory to this reality. However, the group of white friends was a bit hyperbolized by Hollywood standards so as not to create a complete uproar by the majorly white movie-goers.
@ Alyssa Juhnke's post:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Night of the Living Dead was scarier than Nosferatu because that zombies are more scary than vampires. The Zombies were very ugly and disgusting in Night of the Living Dead, but the depiction of vampires in Nosferatu were not very ugly rather simple and ordinary. I agree with you that it took Barbra long time to act and start the car where she should not take that long. I believe this scene when Barbra could not act quickly is sexist because it shows that women do not act quickly in troubles. I totally agree with you that zombies were representing white people. Also, the black hero were representing the revolutionary movement in the late 1960s when black people were fighting for their rights. I agree with you that the author is trying to send a message to viewers “white people” that black people are capable of doing whatever white people can do and maybe even more.
I believe night of the living was more scary than nosferotus because in nosefertus the characters had human qualities. To some this maybe more scary because it is more realistic but i believe that in night of the lving dead that characters were more hollywood and thats was scary to me. I agree with Mubarak that in the scene were the woman was in trouble that it was sexest because it seems as though there saying when women are in trouble or dealing with adveristy that they dont handle themselves well which is false. Also another thing i agree with MUbarak about is having a black hero shows that during this time he was trying tos end a message that black people were not villans and could be heros and the same as while people if we let them.
ReplyDeleteHaving seen Night of the Living Dead, I'm not sure if it was easier or harder for me to watch it again with a different perspective. One thing I noticed after comparing to Nosferatu was the improvement in quality. I think that the setting is important because it is so generic. It gives you the feeling that this could be anywhere. The cast is also incredibly important, because there is only one African-American, and he is playing the lead role. Even all the walk-on roles I noticed were white. I think this could parallel what was happening in the Civil Rights movement at this time. Ben can represent the black society in the sixties, while the rest of the cast (zombies included) represent the white society. Ben seems to always know the right way to do things. He is very logical and knows the right thing to do to get the preferred outcome. However, he seems to be held back by the other members of the cast – whether it is arguing over the safer location in the house or being traumatized by a recent loss in the family. This could be suggesting that the black community and its fight for equal rights is being held back by the whites. The zombies play the role of many Americans in the sixties. The mass majority of people in America at this time were following the few people who led the racism (like mindless zombies).
ReplyDeleteIn response to Emily Miller:
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting that you spoke about black males and white females, having a relationship that allows neither of them to talk or even be seen together. As I was watching the film that didn't really cross my mind, thinking about the time period and the view of blacks and even more the view of blacks seen with white females. I also found much insight from your view of the cellar fight. This does play a significant role in the film and uses a great amount of symbolism. I didn't catch on to the fight showing this fight for equal rights. It does show how the white man was stubborn and took much time to agree to these actions. To go along with this, there was one white male who wanted to stay. This plays into the symbolism as well, showing how there was only a slight few who really understood where they were coming from and were truly on their side. I was also interested in your view of the zombies, where they showed people who are mistreated. This is an interesting thought that makes clear sense. I think this definitely shows how they are mistreated and are showing the violence they received. My final thought to your blog is the killing of Ben and the symbolism it shows. It plays along with the assassinations that happened during the same year which definitely has an effect on this movie and the audience that watches. I think that it plays in the role of Martin Luther King, Jr the best, symbolizing the struggle he went through and the amount of fight he made to receive these equal rights. In all, I thought that this blog was very insightful and helped bring out views of the movie that others did not see.
@Logan Waterman
ReplyDeleteHa! I had pretty much the same reaction to the film as you did. Also I now realize through your analysis, what the significance of the films setting was. Aha moment! And again you opened my eyes to your idea of the hippie movement going on at the time and how that could have also been a rhetorical aspect of the film. Although I’d have to say I think the idea of “killing racism” is more of what they may have been going for here. But I do like your idea of the hippies! And again you continue to surprise me where you talk about the death of Ben being linked to the shootings at Kent State, what a great connection. How come none of this crossed my mind!?
@ Will Yellott's Post:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that there are a lot of similarities between modern day horror films and this one. I love the part where you mention how it takes a long amount of time for someone to get up. It is always frustrating when it takes the character a long amount of time to do something that seems like it would take only a few seconds for us. I didn’t realize until you pointed it out, that women tend to be the ones always falling. Now that I think back I can see that you are right, it always seem to be the girl who trips and can’t get up. I also like your analogy of how Ben’s death can be mirrored with other heroic figures of the ages. I can see this as a representation of how it injustices are committed in the world and how people can get away with it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@Alyssa Juhnke
ReplyDeleteI agree with the suspenseful aspect of Night of the Living Dead; I was genuinely wondering what was going to happen next in the beginning as Barbra began to run from the first Zombie and in the end if Ben was going to escape from all the zombies. These zombies could represent the battle that we fight against each other and at the time, the whites had the advantage of numbers and the black people seemed to be fighting a losing battle, just like in the movie. We do see white people helping in the end and having a casualties of both races could be Romero’s way of saying that sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater causes, sometimes in the form of human lives. I think that the crew also showed that not only can black men can be heroes, but also they can hold the same virtues that white men can, such as having property to defend or people they are responsible for such as Barbra.
@ Justin Pichichero
ReplyDeleteI like the observation of the wide-spread conflict in the film. There is just as much conflict in the house as there is between humans and zombies. Maybe this could relate to the fact that, at this point in history, there was some controversy about racism in white society. Some people (like George Romero) were against racism, while other still weren't. I also like that you compared the humans as having no remorse for killing the zombies with acts of racism. Even today, racist comments and acts are done and it is very sad that this can be done without showing remorse or compassion towards other human beings.
@Justin Pichichero
ReplyDeleteNot being fully sure what the director’s intentions were, I’m not going to speak for him but rather will speculate about what he was trying to communicate. I think that by casting a black man in a role that was not only equal to the white men in the film, but far more heroic, Romero was making a strong statement that was seldom voiced in the 1960’s. He wasn’t saying that black men were human, that much was obvious to him. He was making a statement that all individuals regardless race have the capacity to act heroically and rationally. Having never met Romero himself I would not be so quick to assume that Romero or anyone else was devoid of all racial prejudices just because they gave a black man a role in a movie. I wasn’t sure what you meant by, “these zombies are the most human looking zombies I have seen, yet there seems to be no remorse when they are killed by the characters in the film. We see this play out in racism where we harm those who are human, just like ourselves, yet show no signs of compassion or sorrow.” I’m not sure why you’re equating a lack of sorrow for killing human-like zombies to a lack of sorrow when killing/hurting humans of another race. And why are you asking why the characters in the movie didn’t “show some remorse,” whenever they killed a zombie? It took me about ten minutes to wrap my head around what you were trying to say in that last part because it seemed so strange.
With this being as old as it is, "Night of the Living Dead" is a very good film. It starts off the way scary movies should be from this point on. Its in black and white so i believe that it adds to the creepiness. The language and acts are good indicators of the time at which the movie was filmed. Even more suprising about this film is the fact that the hero is an African American man is astonishing. Even today, thats very uncommon. The movie was alot more frightening then I originally gave it credit for. All-in-all, I enjoyed the movie.
ReplyDelete@ Jimmy Heck
ReplyDeleteI very much agree that the mood was established throughout the lighting. It was very interesting to see how far we had come from Nosferatu to Night to now-a-day movies.
The movie was good at showing the issues still being delt onto black Americans and Americans of any color at the much. The Jim Crow laws were still being in use and this was a slow but steady movement that was well represented by the all white zombie mob attacking the main cast.
@Mubarak
ReplyDeleteI didn't think about the way the camera was used until I read your post. I definitely agree with your reactions. I hadn't realized that when I was staring at the movie waiting for something to happen when the camera was held still for an extended few seconds it was the director trying to grasp my attention but that makes a lot of sense! I didn't view the movie as fighting racism necessarily but I like your interpretation. In general, I agree that the movie was pessimistic; however, I would put the black man as being the hero more of an optimistic approach because he was the last person alive in the house and fought until the end!
This is the second time that I have viewed this film and I was able to pick up much more the action and the subtle commentary in this film. I thought the overall quality of the movie was better than I had remembered it, yet any scenes that involve character fighting the zombies or with themselves appear to be more of a choreographed dance than actual combat activity. My initial reaction to the film was that Barbara depicted a mostly useless character in this movie. She screams excessively, has balance problem (vertigo?), and limited survivor skills. This negative portrayal of women was replicated in multiple instances through all of the women in the film. The movie seems to state that woman are only capable of being eye candy (notice that the only zombie appearing completely nude was a woman), the following their emotion to their detriment and do not engage in tough manual tasks. I thoroughly enjoyed Ben was able to take control of the situation and was not just taking orders from a stranger just because he was white. I believe that this behavior was still controversial during the time this movie was released and you can see that Harry did not enjoy it. I have a slightly different take on the film as I believed that the filmmaker was going beyond just America’s blind consumerism but also that the view of people of the time. It states that in general people were becoming zombies by only just going through their repetitive uninspiring life. The sixties were a time where the counter culture rebelled over the sameness, the monotonous 9-5 work schedule and the quaint life style of their parents.
ReplyDeleteThe ending of the film could easily describe the latent racism of the time. I was disappointed that after all that Ben went through with surviving a night with the living dead that he was killed by a man that I have interpreted enjoyed it. They did not bother to even verify that Ben was even a zombie, just reacted. One can state that people will just fall back to their preconceived notions without bothering to take the time to explore the situation, the person or the setting.
In reaction to Emily Miller’s post:
ReplyDeleteI never made the connection that one meaning that the film was a parallel between the assassination of MLK to that of killing of Ben. It was slightly disturbing to see that the film showed newspaper stories in with the photo highlighted Ben lying dead on the floor. I had never viewed that white actor with his girlfriend was escaping the flaming truck had any more meaning than to put out the fire. I was thinking the filmmaker was reaching for a way to have those actors killed off in the film. It was ridiculous that the movie showing the truck violently exploding from a minor fire in the wheel. Plus with such an explosion what would be left for all the zombies to consume. Your comment about how zombies were only viewed as a threat can be similar to how I reacted to Ben being killed with out verification that he was human or not. In contrast, if I see a bunch of people, creatures or plants mindlessly attacking and eating people I will relay in my instincts and see those things as threats and act accordingly.
@Emily and Meredith
ReplyDeleteI never thought about the setting of the film at all! The rural setting probably does symbolize something in the film, but I am not sure what it is.
I feel like the zombies could be symbolic of either the white people of the 1960's or the African-Americans. The zombies were obviously not treated like people (they were sort of half people) and sometimes African-American people were not treated like people either. The brutal killings of the zombies could be symbolic of the killings of African-Americans that were going on back then. But the zombies could also be representative of the white people. Some white people who were opposed to giving African-Americans their rights were heartless people, and so were the zombies. I also think that in a way the zombies could be trying to tell us something about racial equality, because they attacked everyone the same way, regardless of their race.
@ Meredith i liked the opening scene too and thought it was good, it started the movie off right and brought the audience right into the action.I also agree with your argument about Harry being a coward. Although the part correlating the accidental killing of Ben with a white mob is relevant i don't believe that was the directors intent
ReplyDelete@Jon: I think it's hard to avoid the issue of Ben and the nature of the mob that kills him. Romero is notorious for his politicization of the zombie motif, and the nature of the race question is already played out during the struggle for leadership in the house. The fact that the black male, in the 60s, establishes himself in a (relatively) undisputed position of leadership through great odds and danger and is unceremoniously dispensed by (pretty clearly) a "lynch mob" is too ironic to demote to mere coincidence. As _Dawn of the Dead_ will later show in its comic relation to commercialism and commodity culture, Romero wants to use the allegorical "illusion" of the zombie to provide a platform to discuss political questions too itchy to broach openly, and four years after the start of the civil rights movement, the question of humans coming together in the face of an enemy surpassing the confines of racial difference shouldn't be too quickly dismissed. Romero may deny it under questioning, but I recall Faulkner's answer to a direct question, "In your story 'The Bear', what does the bear represent"; "Son, that's just a story 'bout a bear." It was said with a knowing smirk.
ReplyDeleteIan
Response: @Emily Miller
ReplyDeleteI was very intrigued by your views upon the main character, Ben, and your comparison of him to M.L.K., or the possibility of R.F.K. I see the comparison to MLK's civil rights tactics, voicing "repeatedly in a calm manner". The assassination of MLK could also coincide with the death by gunshot of Ben, and that the real assassination and the film's release were both in 1968. I also agree with the views of the zombies, although I moreso believe that the zombies portrayed the monstrosities of society, such as the ideas of racism and inequality that people did not want to differ from.
Having struck me from the start, the zombie pandemic in The Night of the Living Dead eliminates the reverence for a dead body rendering it a mere piece of lifeless flesh to be burned immediately after death. As such, the disposable characteristic of a dead body might be associated with the “cannon meat” attitude towards casualties during the Vietnam War. In this relation, Stephen Harper quotes Joseph Stalin, who knows first-hand about mass deaths, ‘A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistics’ (16). Indeed, as the narrative unfolds, murderous and cannibalistic violence becomes commonplace. At a closer inspection, the fine line between the dead and the living extends beyond physical realm. Considering the parallels between zombies and American self-centered “consumerism”, the living characters in the farm house arise as zombies when they stare at the TV or listen to the radio, complacently and passively accepting the status quo. Taken separately, both Harry and Barbara remind of zombies too. Centered on their stubbornness and stress respectively, they are not adequate. Most importantly, the movie inevitably reflects on the pressing issue of the 60’s - that of race. Just like Romero is painting sexism and the cult of domesticity as the elephant in the room in the excessively passive and helpless female characters, he blatantly appoints a black male as the hero. The man of color takes charge and bosses white fellows around; he even manhandles Barbara and unbuttons her coat at the beginning (hint - a black rapist "is in the house"). Besides, the action takes place in the country – just to add oil to the fire – the traditional stronghold of racist sentiments. By openly subverting and fooling our expectations, Romero prompts his audience to reconsider their preconceived notions. To reiterate the challenge, the director concludes the movie with Ben’s death at the hands of white militia. Taking into account it is the year Martin Luther King was shot and that the militia men have a thick Southern accent, the challenge is painfully apparent… Seems like Romero is waving red cloth in front of already stirred up audience to cause the rage and thus hopefully tame our prejudices.
ReplyDeleteWhat argument might this be making about race and/or racism?
ReplyDeleteWe also discussed this topic in my sociology class about race and racism. This topic seems to be ongoing problem even these days.
In the 1960’s the Johnson Administration appointed a commission to identify the problems of residential segregation. Back in March 1968 the commission found that two separate societies existed, one separated and unequal from the other. Johnson’s study discovered that “discrimination and segregation have long permeated much of American life; they now threatened the future of every American.” My question is, if the problem was addressed in 1968 why was it allowed to grow to the great proportion we have today?
M.
At the very end of Night of the Living Dead, one of the men remarks "Good shot! OK, he's dead; let's go get 'im. That's another one for the fire," as he shoots at yet another zombie. He demonstrates absolutely no shame or regret in killing. Though he believes he is killing a monster, and that he is doing so out of necessity, his complete acceptance and willingness to kill, strikes me as very similar to the zombies. Just as the men believe that they must kill the zombies, the zombies approach their need to kill in the same manner. They must kill. They must eat. Thus both groups are presented as acting out of necessity. Their actions acquire an almost primitive/animalistic like drive. Ultimately, both kill without the slightest hesitation or discrimination.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed Night of the Living Dead, and even forty years after its creation it still holds a distinct place in the history of horror films. It is interesting that it was set in rural Pennsylvania while simultaneously interjecting a deep-southern vibe. The news broadcast towards the end of the film portrays the police officers as kind of displaced “good old country boys,” as they patrol the area with an armed mob looking for “zombies.” It is difficult not to notice a critique on race relations in the film in regards to what was happening in 1960’s America, a struggle for civil rights. This notion is actually heightened by intentionally not including any racial slurs or stereotypes, using the viewers own prejudices to analyze the true dangerous nature present in the nation at the time. One can imagine what 1960’s viewers were thinking as Ben punches Barbara and then unbuttons her coat to put her to bed. One can also assume that viewers were expecting Mr. Cooper to assault Ben with any number of derogatory terms during their disagreements. One can further interpret this creation as Romero’s critique of the racial atmosphere during the decade. In this perverse world of zombies, Ben, the African American, is the leader. He thinks calmly under pressure, while Barbara falls nearly comatose, Mr. Cooper reacts frantically, and his wife is deluded into thinking her infected daughter will be okay. Ben keeps his composure and survives the mayhem, but the second that order is restored, represented by a group of armed, slurring, shotgun bearing, country police officers, the African American is killed. Romero could come right out and explicitly state that race has nothing to do with the film, and technically he would be right because race is never directly brought up, but that points out the turbulent atmosphere and distorted way of thinking of the viewing public. Romero leaves the racism out of the film so the viewers can add it themselves, which further highlights the bigotry present throughout many parts of the nation during the period. The line that stuck out to me in the film was, “We’d all be a lot better off if we worked together,” which certainly has implications beyond surviving a zombie attack. Furthermore, the zombie mass acts as a focused, unified, constituency, striving for the same goal: human flesh, while the diverse humans struggle to act in unity, and are actually so concerned with communicating with the outside world (television and telephone) that they never actively work together. The irony that Romero interjects into the film is that even in this possible apocalyptic kind of scenario, citizens are more concerned with race than they are with the zombies. I interpreted the film as a class struggle all around. The zombies or lower class are revolting against the upper class, while the upper class is struggling amongst themselves, and Romero may be calling further attention to the racial environment by implying that zombies must literally rise from the grave for African Americans to gain an equal foothold in this society, and when the threat is over, so is such an equal status. Having just read the Communist Manifesto(Karl Mark, Frederick Engels) moments before watching this film (for a class-not leisure), one can make a similar class struggle argument between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, represented by the zombies and bickering humans, but I will save that for another post. Sean S.
ReplyDeleteSurely a film in the 60’s where a black man punches a white woman and partially undresses her, verbally intimidates and then later shoots and kills a white man, and is portrayed as the only sane person in a houseful of (white) crazies must have seemed outside of the norm. A film at this time might very well show a black man as an aggressor towards whites as an example of “what could happen if….”, but what is interesting about Romero’s script is that Ben is not only more physically intimidating, but also ethically superior to the other characters. Clearly, Ben is the most put together person, both mentally and morally, in the entire film. While Mr. Cooper is concerned only for his own skin (and secondarily his wife and child’s), Ben is concerned for the welfare of the group. Nobody else is. The women, at best, are hindering things, and the men are either selfishly protecting their own interests (Mr. Cooper) or being hindered by the women they are attached to( as Tom is hindered by Judy). As the Zombies show, a group working together is stronger than a collection of individuals. Interestingly enough the Zombies, who are brainless and bestial, can get it together, but the group of human beings in the house can’t figure it out. Though race is never mentioned in the film, perhaps the director is indirectly trying to point out the dangers of internal divisions. A country being faced with foreign enemies, such as those that were being met with in the Vietnam war and the Cuban missile crisis, can’t afford to be divided by issues of race. “United we stand, divided we fall”, after all.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction on seeing George Romero's Night of the Living Dead was that there was no happy ending. Generally horror movies about vampires, zombies, ghosts, spirits etc follow a set pattern and without fail the said monster is killed in the end at the hands of the Protagonist. But in this movie, all the main characters die including Barbra (who is ironically pulled into the throng of zombies by her own brother Johnny who has himself turned into one), Ben, Harry & Helen Cooper (who are both killed by their own daughter Karen who had previously been bitten by a zombie) and Tom & Judy. Zombie outbreak is controlled towards the end but its the rescue party led by the local sheriff who gets the job done rather than the protagonist.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that I found interesting was the fallacy of the arguments about which is safer place to hide: staying in the house proper or going down into the cellar. Ben had a big argument with Harry about this and Tom sided with Ben. The chain of events have been depicted such that audience also sides with Ben as Harry comes out as a selfish, rude and cowardly person (definitely not the traits you would expect in a protagonist). On the other hand, Ben from the very start is decisive, some one who is ready to lead when others are still terrorized and audience readily accepts him as the protagonist despite him being African American (which is not something we will point out today but certainly something unique in late 60's America). At one point, Harry says to his wife "The cellar is the only safe place". The irony of it all was that in the end when the zombies ransack the farmhouse, its the cellar where Ben (only one surviving by this time) has to take refuge and wait out the night.
In terms of the cast of characters, certainly one that stands out is casting of Duane Jones as Ben, the main protagonist of the story. Duane was an African American and him being casted in the lead role in an otherwise cast of white people was certainly an oddity especially for a movie made during the 60s civil rights movement in America. Ben likes signified the struggle against racial discrimination and him being shot in the end by a white member of the rescue party likely referred to the shooting and murder of Martin Luther King by James Earl Ray just a few months before the release of this film.
As far as the zombies, for a 60s audience they might have symbolized racial violence or the public uproar against the brutalities of the Vietnam war - both of which had captivated American audience and hogged the headlines in every major media such as radio, newspapers and television. For today's audience, zombies might symbolize the Al-Qaeda and the radical factions of Islam and constant images of suicide bombings, military action etc.
Although George Romero was very progressive when it came to race, as is evident in the casting of a black protagonist, Night of the Living Dead still contains many racists undertones. I do not mean to insinuate that Romero was racist, in fact I believe that he was open minded to an extent that was highly unusual for the time, but the general prejudice of society still permeated the film. This is very similar to Nosferatu; while Murnau himself may have been a tolerant, unprejudiced person, anti-Semitic sentiments are still evident in his film because they were so widespread in Germany at the time. Similarly, it is unfortunately inevitable that a movie made in the late 1960s would contain some racist implications. Much attention has been paid to Ben’s heroic attributes; he is brave, determined, active, and decisive. But it is more important to look at the ultimate effect of those traits and ask what good they really do him. All of his decisions eventually lead to disaster. The very first time Ben appears it is to stop Barbara from running away from the house. Her plan was clearly not well thought out, it is doubtful that she could have run far enough to survive, but her initial impulse was still to flee. Ben convinces her to stay in the house. Soon after, the news reports that the best course of action is in fact to get to a rescue station and not to stay boarded in the house. Even Barbara, the catatonic and otherwise completely useless character, was proven to be potentially more effective than Ben. His next important decision is to attempt to refuel the truck. This leads to Tom and Karen’s death. Of course, they might not have been killed if it wasn’t for Karen’s foolishness, but they wouldn’t have been there at all if it weren’t for Ben. Finally, one of the primary human conflicts in the film is the argument between Ben and Harry over whether they should stay in the house or the cellar. Harry is clearly not a likable character, especially compared to Ben. He is stubborn and irrational. However, that doesn’t affect the merits of his plan. Ben might have made some good arguments, but ultimately Harry is proven right. The way that Ben survives until morning is by doing what Harry said and staying in the cellar. The futility of Ben’s plan of barricading the house is even reinforced constantly with long shots of the zombies breaking through the boarded up windows and doors. This raises the questions in the audience’s minds of what would have happened if the characters had just listened to Harry. While Ben being a likable, black leading character was very progressive, the fact that he is ultimately proven completely ineffective and therefore not truly a hero betrays this liberalism.
ReplyDeleteWhen George Romero chose Ben as the protagonist of Night of the Living Dead, one could surmise that there had to be an underlying reason for such action. Whether this reason was deliberately exposed or tactfully camouflaged, there was definitely a reason. Nothing is gratuitous!
ReplyDeleteTo summarize the plot of the story: a region is under attack by zombies; these flesh eating monsters are on the loose killing every human in their wake; a black man takes charge and everybody within his jurisdiction dies including himself. Was Romero indicating subtly what might happen if a black man were in charge? Was he voicing his inner fear of seeing such an eventuality? Be reminded that this film was made during the civil rights movement when a black leader was being acclaimed and gathering momentum
As leader, Ben was busy doing everything by himself without delegating any responsibility to others and in the end nothing was done properly. With the death of Ben at the end of the movie was Romero indicating that one should not trust the judgment of the black man because it would lead to the demise of everyone? The white man made a suggestion which was ignored by the self proclaimed leader, Ben. Ultimately the plan that was rejected became the plan that temporarily saved his life until he made another dumb decision. Could this movie be considered as satirical, exposing the incompetence of black leadership?
These are some questions that came to mind while reflecting on the movie.
Audrey H.
The opening sequence set the stage nicely. It is quite evident what you’re getting into when you watch this movie, but I caught myself wondering if my intuition was correct in the cemetery as the unidentified man approached. Gratified by the attack I watch intently as Barbra made her way down the hill and to relative safety. Knowing the period of time that this film was produced, the selection of the films star. It would seem that, despite the filmmaker’s denial, that the rolls are all cast with a certain character roles in mind. Additionally, the all white supporting cast seems to encourage probable logic that there is an intended message or possible roll reversals. This facilitates a direct message of change and a progressive mindset. The ability to show these events in addition to the dominant role Ben plays of supremacy over all others was definitively a milestone in the movement for equality. Later after the readings it was even more interesting to reflect on the shooting of the internal trader and selfish man from the basement, Harry. While watching the file race was an apparent I suppose Harry’s end was long in coming and anything by mourned. The zombies, despite lack of tangible communication, seem almost orchestrated in their efforts. At times they seemed to teaming up and adapt to the chagrin of the dysfunction household. I think they come to show a simple problem. This is illustrated in the beginning when Ben mentions he killed three alone with a small tool. If the group would ban together and work of this simple thing they would have all survived. They had everything they needed in the house, not to mention the operable vehicle, and a reserve of fuel. It’s almost comical how colossally they fail in surviving only a seemingly short time.
ReplyDeleteRich B.
When Romero cast a black man to play the hero of the film, Ben, it was a very bold move. What makes this role even more interesting is all of the racial innuendo that is evident in this film. The film takes place in a very rural part of Pennsylvania and every other member of the cast is white. On the surface it appears Romero was taking a big step towards incorporating black actors into leading roles but once a closer look is taken, numerous racial undertones can be noticed. One example is when Ben manhandles Barbara. First he slaps her, which is understandable given her state at that moment. But after she is unconscious Ben lays her on the couch and begins to slowly undress her. This does nothing to benefit the plot so it seems like the only reason this scene was included in the movie was to induce some sort of reaction from the viewer. The zombies add another layer to the racial undertones in the film. They are mindless white men and women coming from every direction who will ultimately not be happy until Ben is dead. Somehow Ben manages to live through the night but the following morning he meets his demise. Some local men developed a task force to kill the zombies. In one of the last scenes, and possibly one of the most important when talking about race, a group of white men are seen walking through vacant fields carrying rifles searching for zombies. They see the house where Ben is hiding and when they see Ben in the window they shoot and kill him without taking the time to investigate whether he was a zombie or a human. Whether Romero included an occurring racial theme in his film because he is racist or because he wanted to produce a controversial film we may never know. Either way, it was a bold move for film in the 1960’s.
ReplyDeleteBrittne R