No genre has more remakes than horror. And a lot of times, these remakes turn out to be surprisingly good: just look at John Carpenter’s “The Thing” as the prime example. Still, horror fans can be picky and protective about remakes of the titles they consider to be classic, and you can’t really blame them — for every “The Thing” there’s an absolute dud like the remake of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
In 1968, George A. Romero changed movies forever with “Night of the Living Dead.” A low-budget affair, Romero’s film about zombies trapping a group of desperate people in a farmhouse would become iconic and immensely influential. It also accidentally ended up in the public domain because someone forgot to include a copyright notice. Because of this, a horde of unofficial remakes of Romero’s film flooded the market. But in 1990, the one and only official remake arrived, helmed by legendary horror VFX creator Tom Savini.
Savini, a Vietnam vet skilled at making gore, had worked with Romero on his sequels “Dawn of the Dead” and “Day of the Dead,” but didn’t have the chance to work on the original “Night.” Now he would have the opportunity, working with an updated script penned by Romero to recreate one of the most beloved horror movies of all time. Was it a fool’s errand? That depends on who you ask.
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The Night of the Living Dead 1990 remake is better than reputation suggests
A rotting ghoul drips slime in Night of the Living Dead 1990 – Columbia Pictures
When Savini’s “Night of the Living Dead” arrived in 1990, reactions were mixed at best. Many critics felt it was sacrilege for Savini to attempt to remake perfection, while others called the film pointless since it stuck pretty close to Romero’s original. And yet, in the decades since release, “Night of the Living Dead” 1990 has gained a healthy cult following. The film now has the official 4K release it deserves, complete with an uncensored cut that restores some extra gore and maintains Savini’s originally intention to have the film open in black and white — like the original — only to then suddenly shift into color.
While nothing can touch Romero’s original, I’ve always been fond of Savini’s remake, and I’m happy it has this new release for more viewers to discover. Romero’s updated script keeps the same basic premise of people holed up in a house overrun with the walking dead, but there are some smart changes. For one thing, the character of Barbara, played in the remake by Patricia Tallman, is much more developed. In Romero’s original, Barbara, played by Judith O’Dea, spends the majority of the movie in a near-catatonic state after watching a zombie kill her brother. In the remake, she becomes an ass-kicking woman of the ’90s who is surprisingly good with a gun by the time the film wraps up.
I’ve also always appreciated the overall atmosphere and vibe Savini’s take brings to the material. The opening section, where ghouls start showing up in broad daylight, is creepy and unnerving simply because we’re not used to seeing zombies in the day. Romero’s original starts during daylight too, of course, but the black and white cinematography there doesn’t make this fact pop as much as it does when we see it in color.
Horror fans will want to pick up the Night of the Living Dead 1990 4K release
Barbara stands on a porch and loads a gun in Night of the Living Dead 1990 – Columbia Pictures
Savini’s “Night of the Living Dead” has other things going for it, too. The late, great Tony Todd is excellent here, stepping into the shoes of Duane Jones as Ben, a guy trying to take control of an uncontrollable situation. And Tom Towles is appropriately hateable as Cooper, the hothead who just wants to hide out in the basement until this all blows over.
Then there’s the gore. Romero’s original has plenty of blood and guts, but by 1990, the capability of gore makeup FX had increased considerably. While I wouldn’t call Savini’s remake overly gory, it does ramp up the makeup work on the ghouls in creative, unsettling ways. The opening graveyard scene, where a host of zombies slowly creep into the frame missing limbs or revealing autopsy incisions on their chests, is perfectly enhanced by their unique designs. And if you’re hungry for more splatter, the uncensored cut restores a moment where a zombie’s head explodes via shotgun blast.
Tom Savini’s “Night of the Living Dead” may not be held as in high regard as Romero’s original, but that’s okay. The fact that we’ve been blessed with a new 4K release indicates that whatever the film’s reputation, there’s a desire among fans to give Savini’s remake a fair shake. As we head into Halloween season, it’s the perfect time to revisit Savini’s take on a classic.
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