Night of the Living Dead Blu-ray Review

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 and encoded with MPEG-4 AVC, George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" arrives on Blu-ray with a stunning 1080p transfer courtesy of Criterion. Supervising this meticulous 4K digital restoration were George A. Romero, co-screenwriter John A. Russo, sound engineer Gary R. Streiner, and producer Russell W. Streiner, backed by the Museum of Modern Art and The Film Foundation. The transfer primarily utilized the original 35mm camera negative, with only a small portion sourced from a 35mm fine-grain positive due to original element limitations.

The resulting image quality is exceptional, displaying consistently impressive delineation and fluidity typical of high-quality 4K restorations. Grain exposure is finely handled, maintaining an organic film aesthetic without noticeable sharpening artefacts. The grayscale grading is superb, presenting stable and lush blacks alongside detailed nuances in grays and whites. The film appears pristine with no discernable age-related imperfections, significantly enhancing both indoor night scenes and outdoor daylight sequences.

Visually, "Night of the Living Dead" now boasts unparalleled clarity and detail, revealing intricate aspects of production design unseen in previous releases. Depth of field is well-maintained, allowing character positions and movement to convey a sense of three-dimensionality without relying on artificial enhancements. Black levels stand out, especially during nighttime scenes, offering excellent contrast and dynamic range with no signs of crushing. This Criterion release is a testament to skillful restoration, presenting the film in a manner that honors its original 35mm roots while leveraging modern technology to provide an unparalleled viewing experience.

The Blu-ray release of "Night of the Living Dead" offers an English LPCM 1.0 mono track, underpinning restoration efforts supervised by George Romero and Gary Streiner. This meticulous restoration preserves the original sound design effectively, eliminating age-related imperfections and ensuring the dialog is clear and easily comprehensible. Despite inherent limitations of mono audio, the soundtrack is surprisingly crisp, free from muddiness, hissing, or popping noises between scenes, which is commendable given the film’s vintage. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for accessibility.

As an uncompressed mono track, the audio’s dynamics are remarkably clean, successfully maintaining the integrity of the original mix. The dialog reproduction is vivid, with every spoken word delivering clarity and precision. While there is no low-frequency extension or surround sound presentation typically associated with modern formats like DTS or Dolby Atmos, this track leverages its simplicity to great effect. Utilizing multiple speakers for playback does not alter the sound quality, maintaining a consistent audio experience across different setups. This faithfully restored mono soundtrack ensures an authentic auditory experience true to the film’s original vision.

The Blu-ray extras for "Night of the Living Dead" are expansive and meticulously curated, appealing to both aficionados and newcomers. The set includes two archival commentary tracks that dive deep into the production and anecdotes of the film, one featuring George Romero and key cast members, and the other with producers and actors. Also notable is the "Night of Anubis," an uncorrected work print including an insightful introduction by Russell Streiner. Disc Two boasts contemporary and archival featurettes like "Light in the Darkness," which showcases discussions by acclaimed directors Guillermo del Toro, Robert Rodriguez, and Frank Darabont. Other highlights include raw dailies with alternate takes, deep dives into the film’s music and technical challenges, and a wealth of interviews and essays exploring the movie’s legacy.

Extras included in this disc:

Commentary One: Archival track with George Romero, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, John Russo.

Commentary Two: Archival track with Russell Streiner, Vincent Survinski, Judith O'Dea, S. William Hinzman, Kyra Schon, Keith Wayne.

Night of Anubis: Uncorrected 16mm work print.

Light in the Darkness: Directors discuss the film’s legacy.

Dailies: Silent 16mm reel with alternate takes.

Learning From Scratch: Interview with co-writer John Russo.

TV Newsreel: Pittsburgh news footage.

Walking Like the Dead: Interviews with actors playing zombies.

Tones of Terror: Discussion on the film’s music.

Limitations Into Virtues: Visual essay on technical obstacles.

Tomorrow: Archival TV show episode with Romero and Coscarelli.

Higher Learning: 2012 interview with George Romero.

Duane Jones: 1987 audio interview with the actor.

Judith Ridley: Archival interview.

Venus Probe: 1967 newsreel on Mariner 5 findings.

Trailers

Radio Spots

Poster/Essay by Stuart Klawans

George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" (1968) fundamentally redefined the zombie genre, introducing concepts that would serve as the blueprint for countless future films. The storyline, while straightforward – a group of survivors barricades themselves in a farmhouse amidst a zombie outbreak – served as a microcosm for societal tensions and human fragility. The film masterfully uses its low budget to its advantage, creating an immersive, claustrophobic atmosphere through stark noirish contrasts and a near-documentary visual style. Amidst the chaos, Duane Jones’ formidable performance as Ben constitutes a landmark moment in horror and independent cinema, thanks to the non-tokenistic casting of an African American lead.

Despite technical limitations in sound design and uneven performances, "Night of the Living Dead" benefits from Romero's adept editing and framing techniques, which turn these would-be detriments into strengths that enhance the tension. The film’s visceral impact, juxtaposed with sociopolitical commentary, is profound. It eschews elaborate special effects for gritty realism, making the horror appear brutally authentic. The immensely influential closing sequence alone guarantees the film’s classic status, cementing Romero's work as an essential piece of cinema history that still resonates today.

Romero's genius lies in embedding social commentary within a compelling horror narrative. The survivor drama punctuated by external zombie threats serves as an allegory for contemporary societal issues. The film's enduring legacy is further validated by the Criterion Collection’s 4K restoration, preserving its rawness while enhancing visual clarity. "Night of the Living Dead" remains a pioneering work that ingeniously combines scare tactics with reflective messaging, setting a high watermark for both genre films and independent filmmaking.

Criterion Collection's release of "Night of the Living Dead" brilliantly resurrects this iconic horror film, transforming it into a must-own edition for every cinephile and horror enthusiast. The 4K restoration supervised by George Romero himself, combined with a meticulously remastered monaural track, showcases the film in its best possible light. The clarity and detail in this Blu-ray release are nothing short of astonishing, providing an immersive viewing experience that was previously unattainable through earlier home video formats.

Furthermore, Criterion includes a vault of both exclusive new and valuable archival bonus features, which collectively enrich the viewer's understanding and appreciation of this groundbreaking masterpiece. The set is a treasure trove for any serious film collector, offering audio commentaries, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage that dive deep into the legacy of the film. Not to be missed is the archival commentary from producer/actor Russell Streiner from 1994, providing historical context that emphasizes just how fortunate we are to witness this era of high-definition home entertainment.

In conclusion, this truly groundbreaking film has had a pretty rough history that has rightfully frustrated its creators as well as many of its countless fans. However, I think that the recent 4K restoration that was supervised by George Romero and this upcoming Blu-ray release will effectively end the frustration because the film now looks simply astonishing. Criterion's technical presentation of the 4K restoration is excellent and as usual there is an impressive mix of exclusive new and archival bonus features. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.