“They’re coming to get you, Bar-bara!” You loved the original “Night Of The Living Dead“ and you’ll get a kick out of the re-make. Quite frankly, I’m not quite sure what to make of this at first — probably because I thought it had some 1980s camp to it, and then it grew on me. So let’s break this down…
The 1968 “Night Of The Living Dead“ is not only a cult favourite, it feels like it has some vintage class due to the black & white filming. The 1990 version — made by the same group of people who made the original — has a presence that feels real. Patricia Tallman plays Barbara — and instead of being the wilting flower in the 1968 film (played of course by Judith O’Dea), Tallman is more of a Sigourney Weaver / Warrant Officer Ripley character from the 1979 film “Alien“.
What really did it for me about this version of Night Of The Living Dead is that it came across as a study of how people might react in a crisis — both good and bad. In particular, their retractions with respects to those who dig down and do what they need to do to survive. While it did have some instant-Rambo elements among the characters (bad Hollywood, BAD HOLLYWOOD!), it had some true grit. Once I saw past the 1980s-ish camp-vibe, I liked the film — I give it a Light Green Ooze rating! LIVING