Night of the Living Dead

As the godfather of zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead established many of the tropes we have come to expect from the genre. The story might seem basic today, but it invented many staples that are still emulated (the flesh eating and infectious nature of the zombies, for example). The fact that its narrative is still so fundamental indicates the greatness of the writing. Meanwhile, despite being old-fashioned, the music is also a strength because it evokes precise emotions. Together, the score and plot set a bleak tone that was quite shocking for its time.

Beyond that, Night of the Living Dead is a well-rounded movie. The cinematography has plenty of skewed angles, dramatic shadows, and claustrophobic compositions. The sound design gets abstract and unsettling during a climatic death. The special effects are sparse but substantial. Plus, the direction of the film is cohesive and optimized. The acting might be overdramatic by contemporary standards and the editing has its rough spots, but this is all forgivable and outweighed by their strengths. Overall, Night of the Living Dead holds up even today and is fascinating as a piece of foundational cinema.

Writing: 9/10

Direction: 8/10

Cinematography: 8/10

Acting: 7/10

Editing: 7/10

Sound: 8/10

Score/Soundtrack: 9/10

Production Design: 7/10

Casting: 7/10

Effects: 8/10

Overall Score: 7.8/10