A half-century ago, thanks to George A. Romero, the dead had their night. And in a theater near you this October, it's happening again. A stunningly restored and remastered version of the film that invented the "Zombie Apocalpyse," Night of the Living Dead, returns to movie theaters nationwide.
For two nights only, just before Halloween, Fathom Events presents on the big screen one of the most influential and revolutionary horror films of all time. And if you think you've seen Night of the Living Dead, think again. Because for 50 years, the film has only existed in murky, fuzzy versions seen mostly on TV. This new restoration was supervised by Romero himself, shortly before his death in 2017. Working with the original camera negative, the filmmaker collaborated with the film's sound engineer Gary Streiner, to restore and remaster the movie into 4K Ultra HD.
The film tells the deceptively simple story of a group of strangers trapped in a farmhouse who find themselves fending of a horde of recently dead, flesh-eating ghouls. This was Romero’s claustrophobic vision of a late-1960s America literally tearing itself apart. The man literally rewrote the rules of the horror genre, combining gruesome gore with acute social commentary, while quietly breaking ground by casting an African-American actor (Duane Jones) in the leading role. Remember this was the 1960s. One can not emphasize the importance of this remarkable fact.
Night of the Living Dead will play at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. (local times) October 24 and 25. Tickets are available at Fathom Events' website and participating theater box offices. The two-night-only event will include a new behind-the-scenes look at the making of this iconic film, which shocked audiences and defined the modern concept of a zombie, influencing pop-culture permanently. The restoration of Night of the Living Dead is presented by Fathom Events, Image Ten Inc. and Living Dead Media, in association with Janus Films and the Criterion Collection, and was supported by the Museum of Modern Art, the Film Foundation, The George Lucas Family Foundation, and the Celeste Bartos Film Preservation Center.
Named one of the 10 best horror films of all time by Rolling Stone, Night of the Living Dead continues to influence pop culture and remains loved by film-goers and critics alike (the film holds a 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes). “There are not many films that warrant the kind of attention Night of the Living Dead has received from the Museum of Modern Art, but there are also not many films whose influence remains so strong in global popular culture 50 years after it was made. George A. Romero’s film has never looked better, and we are proud to present this dazzling new restoration to film lovers and horror fans,” said Fathom Events VP of Studio Relations, Tom Lucas.
Steve Wolsh, CEO of Living Dead Media, added, “It’s been a two-year labor of love to bring this stunning version of Night of the Living Dead into theaters for the 50th anniversary. This movie was intended to be seen in a dark theater with a live audience, and this restoration gives fans and newcomers alike a chance to see the film as they’ve never seen it before.” George A. Romero couldn't have said it better. Be sure to take advantage of this special Halloween event, and see (or re-see) what everyone's been talking about. It's a film that MUST be viewed at least once in a lifetime.