Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent horror film written, directed, photographed and edited by George A. Romero, co-written by John Russo.

A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the East Coast of the United States.

Night of the Living Dead stars Duane Jones and Judith O’Dea. Frequently identified as the first modern zombie film and a touchstone in the development of the horror genre, retrospective scholarly analysis has focused on its reflection of the social and cultural upheavals in the United States during the 1960s, with particular attention being directed towards the casting of Jones, an African-American, in the leading role.

Jones’ casting was potentially controversial in 1968, when it was rare for a black man to be cast as the hero of an American film primarily composed of white actors, but Romero said that Jones simply performed the best in his audition.

Night of the Living Dead is another one my personal favorites. I said this before, but Duane Jones should have been an A-List actor. The film is also one of the best zombie movies, because of the lack of gore in the zombies. Coupled with the fact it is shot in black and white makes it even more frightening because it feels grounded in reality. To this day, filmmakers are still trying to replicate it. Hat tips!