Media Studies

A2 Genre Study

HISTORIC TEXT 3
“Night of the Living Dead” (1968)
Directed by George A. Romero
 What was the origin of
“Night of the Living Dead”?
 George A. Romero created
the “Image Ten” company
which made the film.
 The story was written by
Romero & Russo, based
loosely on the novel “I am
Legend”.
 The film cost $114,000 to
make, and grossed
$12,000,000 in the USA
alone.
 The film was largely made
(according to Romero) as a
“reaction to the war in
Vietnam”.
Intertextuality: Was “Night”
the first zombie text?
 “Dracula” and
“Frankenstein” are all part
of the ‘undead’. This film
was the next logical step
in genre evolution.
 Previously, a film of this
nature would have been
deemed too offensive.
 The liberal attitude of the
1960s, combined with the
hysteria of war, gave
Romero the perfect time
to tell his story.
 Iconography: the portrayal
of the zombies
 The zombies in “Night” are slow and lumbering
(Romero has referred to them as “Childlike”).
 The creatures have a craving for human flesh, and
can only be defeated by killing the brain (shooting,
decapitation, etc.).
 No explanation is given conclusively to clarify WHY
the dead are walking the Earth (suggestions are
made, but NEVER proven).
 The images of the zombies from “Night” have been
copied in many genre films; this text created the
rules (lore), and the look (iconography).
 Representation: gender & racial
roles in “Night”

 “Night” uses conventional

 “Night” was the first text genre stereotypes, but
to feature a black actor shifts them slightly.
as the hero.  The character of Barbara
 It was a controversial is very pro-active in the
and subversive move opening sequence.
for the time.  The character does then
 Romero insists it was spend most of the film in
not deliberate, and that shock, which damages
Duane Jones was the credibility somewhat.
“simply the best actor
for the part”.
 Analysing the syntax: key
scenes from “Night of the
Living Dead”
Three influential sequences exist in the 1968
text “The Night Of The Living Dead”.

These are:

1. The opening zombie attack on Barbara and Johnny.

2. The matricide sequence – Karen attacks Helen.
3. The closing moments – the end of the siege and the response
given to Ben.

Watch these scenes again and deconstruct them, considering the following :

Mise-en-scene, Cinematography, Representation,

Audience, Narrative, Editing, Sound,
& Lighting.
 Reactions to the final
sequence of “Night”
The ending provoked outrage amongst audiences because:
 It breaks with Propp’s narrative; there is no
happy ending.
 It subverts genre conventions seen by films like
“Dracula” and “Curse of Frankenstein”, where
the evil is vanquished and the hero victorious.
 The plague of zombies continues to exist.
 The text spends a large amount of time on
characterisation deliberately in order to made
the siege more shocking.
 Was “Night” the first original
movie franchise?
 Romero and Russo did not make another film
together after “Night” – Romero obtained the
copyright to use the word ‘DEAD’ in his sequels.
 Romero wrote and directed 2 sequels – “Dawn of
the Dead” (1979), and “Day of the Dead” (1985).
He is currently working on the next instalment,
provisionally entitled “Dead Reckoning”.
 Previous franchises were based on literary
characters like Dracula and Frankenstein; this was
the first ORIGINAL franchise in the horror genre.
 Strengths & weaknesses of
“Night of the Living Dead”

1. “Night” created a more explicit
approach to the genre.
2. It showed that there was a market for
low-budget productions within the
genre.
3. The film relies heavily on good
characterization in order to carry out
the finale effectively.
4. The ending proved that horror did not
need to conform to be successful.
1. The final sequence may be a little too
dark and oppressive for some
audiences.
2. The issue of gender within horror is
still present; Barbara still relies on
men to help her.
3. “Night” could be seen an as angry
film which attacks a reactionary
government.
4. The lack of explanation for the
zombies may frustrate some.
 Practical exercise 1:
is George A. Romero a genre auteur?
In this task, you are going to assess whether George A.
Romero is a genuine horror auteur. This will be achieved by
comparing the opening sequence of “Night of the Living
Dead” to the opening of his second sequel “Day of the
Dead”.
In groups of 3 or 4 compare and contrast the two segments, and
write a short analysis of Romero’s work.

Your piece of writing should be between 150 and 250 words long,
and at the end you must conclude that either he is an auteur, or
he is not.
Remember to consider the following aspects in your
evaluation:
Visual style, Use of effects, Characterization, Similarities,
Differences, Originality, Atmosphere, Use of shocks, Camera
techniques.
 Summary: essay task
As homework, you are going to be set an essay to complete based
around “Night of the Living Dead”. The question will require you
to compare this text to the others you have previously studied,
and also to incorporate what you have learnt in the initial genre
theory lessons.
You will be given a worksheet to guide you through what is
expected in the essay, and the points you will need to consider.
You will have a maximum of two weeks to complete your essay.

The title is as follows:

“George A. Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead’ was a

turning point for the Horror Genre.” To what extent do
you agree or disagree with this statement?